The High Five: 5 Greatest WWE Mid-Carders – Pt. 1: Attitude Era

3. Godfather

Alllllllll Aboooooaaaard!! Well… you know which train it is we’re boarding, though I don’t feel “Ho Train” is appropriate anymore. Let’s call it the “Working Women Train” or the “Train of Promiscuity?” Okay, neither of those has the same ring to it, but it’s 2018 and some concessions to decency and good taste must be made.

Charles Wright was a cornerstone of WWE for a long time, despite never being a main-event player. As Papa Shango, Wright was involved in a feud with the Ultimate Warrior that was downright terrifying for children watching. I remember being a small child and watching Shango chant as black ichor dripped from the Warrior’s scalp. What was that?! I was scared for my hero. He was tough, but this guy knew Voodoo and the Warrior was vomiting up bile on a stretcher.

While Shango fizzled out, Wright would return to the WWE in 1994 as the Fighting Machine Kama, a sort of proto-mixed martial artist. While the gimmick alone didn’t really resonate, as a member of the Nation of Domination, Wright thrived.

The Nation would eventually be the springboard for Wright into his most beloved character: the Godfather. While the gimmick wouldn’t fly today, in the Attitude Era we were more than happy to support this positive pimp.

Wright was a workhorse who could have a light, fun match as the Godfather or turn up the intensity to deliver some fantastic bouts. Like Val Venis, he was even able to take a simple character, add depth to it, and prolong its life with a run in Right to Censor.

In any iteration though, it should be remembered how much pleasure and entertainment Wright gave us over the years, and he is truly one of the best mid-carders to lace up wrestling boots.

• fully loaded
• High 5
• kaientai
• Attitude Era
• intercontinental championship
• kama
• Cruiserweight
• mid-card
• WCW
• Goldust
• papa shango
• right to censor
• Rikishi
• ryan shamrock
• Trending
• tajiri
• Triple H
• radicalz
• terri runnels
• the godfather
• william regal
• val venis
• wrestlemania 9
• charles wright
• dean malenko
• bret hart
• Goldberg
• shawn michaels
• Ric Flair
• ken shamrock
• nxt
• wwe

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