Papa Shango Almost Returned During the Attitude Era

One of the Godfather’s more famous WWE personas was that of Papa Shango, and the Hall of Famer recalled how the character nearly returned in the Attitude Era. Godfather appeared on the latest Broken Skull Sessions, which released today, and in a new preview clip he discussed how WWE was considering rebooting the character when he returned in 1997.

“This was going to be less comical, a lot more serious — Jerry Lawler painted that face,” Godfather said (per Wrestling Inc). “I show up to TV, ready to go. I’m in really good shape here. I worked out hard, I’m like, ‘We going to have some fun now, I’m going to be a lot more serious this time.’ I was probably 285, I was in really good shape. I show up to TV, took these pictures, and they say, ‘Vince wants to talk with you.’ I was like, ‘Cool! I want to talk with Vince!’ I go in there, right, and Vince was like, ‘Charles, change of plans. We’re going to put you in the Nation of Domination. You and Faarooq are going to wrestle Undertaker, and you’re going to go over.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ And he goes, ‘We have this outfit made for you.’ [Laughs] Okay, I don’t know how most people would take it. I said, ‘You’re the boss, you’re paying me. Let’s do it.’”

Godfather would portray Kama Mustafa in the Nation before ultimately becoming the role he’s referred to as these days.