It’s been many years since I’ve done a deep dive on Papa Shango, the WWF’s voodoo man of the early 1990s. So long, in fact, that I thought that a bizarre match he had during his debut run was a mere figment of my imagination. Alas, it was not…so y’all get to enjoy it with me here today!
If you’ve ever seen the James Bond film Live and Let Die, you’d be familiar with Shango’s act. In fact, sources have told this reporter that when Vince McMahon came up with the idea for the character, he instructed Charles Wright to watch the movie over and over and get the lead villain’s act down because that’s exactly what he’d be doing in the WWF. Top hat, bones, smoking skull, it’s all here! Just look at those children in the crowd – they’re absolutely horrified bored to tears!
At this point, Shango gets in the ring and looks at his opponent…then totally goes into a wacky dance of wackiness! Not sure if he’s supposed to be drunk or getting ready to vomit or what, but soon enough the lights go out and…
…OH MY! The jobber’s feet are on fire! I mean, it’s only the soles of his feet, and those are covered by a good inch and a half of foam, but…but…HIS FEET ARE ON FIRE!
Not only that, but he has BLACK GOO all over his noggin! Anybody else remember that interview where the Ultimate Warrior came out wearing a baseball hat for the first (and possibly last) time ever? And then mysterious BLACK GOO started pumping out of his head too? That sure was dumb. I mean, seriously…why didn’t he set Warrior’s feet on fire too? You got the power, Shango – USE IT!
At this point, Shango just started laughing at the camera. He didn’t pin the guy. He didn’t make him submit. Did he still get to go to the “pay winda”, as Dusty Rhodes used to say? Whether he did or didn’t, one thing’s for sure – this is one squash I ain’t forgetting again anytime soon!