The Godfather (wrestler) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Godfather |
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Wright in 2016
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| Birth name | Charles Thomas Wright |
| Born | May 16, 1961 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Nevada, Reno |
| Spouse(s) |
Denise Wright
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 4 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Baron Samedi The Godfather The Goodfather Kama Kama Mustafa Smoke Train Papa Shango ... Fatha Rocky Las Vegas Sir Charles The Soultaker |
| Billed height | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) |
| Billed weight | 330 lb (150 kg) |
| Billed from | "Parts Unknown" (as Papa Shango) Las Vegas, Nevada (As Kama) "The ..."(as The Godfather) |
| Trained by | Larry Sharpe |
| Debut | 1989 |
Charles Wright (born May 16, 1961), known by his wrestling name The Godfather, is an American professional wrestler. He is famous for his time with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the 1990s and early 2000s. During his career, he used several different characters, including Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather.
Wright has achieved many honors in wrestling. He was a two-time USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion. He also held the WWF Intercontinental Championship once and the WWF World Tag Team Championship once with Bull Buchanan. Wright was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 2, 2016, using his Godfather character.
Contents
- Charles Wright's Wrestling Journey
- Wrestling Style and Characters
- Personal Life
- Achievements and Awards
- See also
Charles Wright's Wrestling Journey
Early Days in Wrestling (1989–1991)
Charles Wright started wrestling after people noticed him working at a bar. Wrestlers filming a movie there suggested he try wrestling because of his large size and unique look. He trained with Larry Sharpe and began working for Jerry Lawler in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA). He used the name "The Soultaker," inspired by one of his tattoos.
Even with limited experience, he won the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship on October 23, 1989. He held the title for about two weeks. In 1990, Wright also wrestled in Japan for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as "The Soultaker." He often teamed with Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow.
World Wrestling Federation Debut (1991–1993)
Sir Charles Character (1991)
In 1991, Wright joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) because his friend The Undertaker suggested it. He first appeared on May 28, 1991, as "Sir Charles." This name was a nod to his real name and basketball player Charles Barkley. This character was not used much and never fully developed.
Papa Shango Character (1992–1993)
In January 1992, Wright was given a new character called "Papa Shango." This was a spooky, voodoo-themed character. He carried a skull that blew smoke and could make arena lights flicker. He could also "cast spells" to make opponents feel pain or even vomit.
Papa Shango first appeared on Superstars on February 8, 1992. He quickly became part of a big storyline. At WrestleMania VIII, he was supposed to interfere in the main event between Hulk Hogan and Sid Justice. However, he was late, which changed the ending of the match.
After WrestleMania, Papa Shango was set to feud with The Ultimate Warrior. He would cast voodoo spells on Warrior. This storyline did not fully develop because Warrior left the WWF. Papa Shango later had a match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship against Bret Hart but did not win. His last major appearance as Papa Shango was at the 1993 Royal Rumble.
The Papa Shango character was not very popular with fans. It was voted the "Worst Gimmick" and "Most Embarrassing Wrestler" in 1992 by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Many found the voodoo storyline with The Ultimate Warrior to be confusing.
While wrestling as Papa Shango in the WWF, Wright also wrestled in the USWA. He won the Unified World Heavyweight Championship there a second time. He soon left the company and returned to bartending.
Return to World Wrestling Federation (1995–1996)
Kama and the Million Dollar Corporation (1995–1996)
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Wright came back to the WWF in January 1995 as Kama, known as "The Supreme Fighting Machine." This character was a tough, competitive wrestler. He quickly joined Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation group. Kama became involved in the group's rivalry with The Undertaker. He even stole Undertaker's special urn at WrestleMania XI and had it melted down into jewelry. Wright left the company again after an appearance at the 1996 Royal Rumble.
Second Return to World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1997–2002)
Nation of Domination (1997–1998)
Wright returned to the WWF in 1997. He came back as Kama, now called "Kama Mustafa," and joined Faarooq's group, the Nation of Domination. Mustafa became known as "The Godfather" of the Nation, a name his wife suggested. This became his official wrestling name in mid-1998. He stayed with the Nation when Rocky Maivia (later The Rock) became the leader.
In 1998, The Godfather started bringing female companions, often called his "Ho Train," to the ring. These were usually actresses or new female wrestlers. The Nation group officially broke up in October 1998.
The Godfather Character (1998–2000)
After the Nation of Domination split, Wright had his most popular time as "The Godfather." His character was always surrounded by his "Ho Train." He would sometimes offer his opponents a chance to spend time with these companions if they would lose the match to him. This character was very popular with fans.
He won the WWF Intercontinental Championship from Goldust on April 12, 1999. He was supposed to lose the title to Owen Hart at a pay-per-view event, but Owen Hart was tragically injured during a stunt before their match. The Godfather then lost the title to Jeff Jarrett a week later. On March 16, 2000, he had a big win, defeating the WWF Champion Triple H.
Right to Censor Group (2000–2001)
On July 24, 2000, The Godfather faced Bull Buchanan, a member of Steven Richards' strict group called Right To Censor. The Godfather agreed to change his ways if he lost. Buchanan won, and The Godfather joined the group, changing his name to "The Goodfather." He started wearing a formal white shirt and tie.
The Goodfather and Buchanan won the WWF Tag Team Championship from the Hardy Boyz on November 6, 2000. They lost the titles to Edge and Christian on December 10, 2000. The Goodfather continued to team with Buchanan until June 2001. He then disappeared from WWF television for the rest of the year.
The Godfather Returns and Leaves (2002)
The Godfather, with his old character and female companions, returned at the 2002 Royal Rumble match. He wrestled in several TV matches over the next six months. His last match was on June 8, 2002. He was released from WWE in December 2002.
Occasional Appearances (2005–Present)
After retiring, Wright returned to the ring for a match in 2007. He also made occasional appearances on WWE television. He was part of a wedding ceremony on SmackDown! in September 2007. He also appeared on Raw for its 15th Anniversary in December 2007.
In January 2013, Wright made a brief appearance as The Godfather in the 2013 Royal Rumble match. He also appeared on the "Old School" edition of Raw in January 2014.
On February 22, 2016, it was announced that Charles Wright would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as The Godfather. In June 2016, Wright appeared as Papa Shango on a WWE show called Swerved, playing pranks on people.
He appeared at Raws 25th anniversary show on January 22, 2018. Later that year, he used both his Godfather and Papa Shango characters for a special Halloween show. Wright also appeared at the WWE Raw Reunion show on July 22, 2019. On November 22, 2020, he was part of The Undertaker's retirement ceremony at Survivor Series.
Later Career (2002–2020, 2024)
In late 2009, Wright returned to wrestling for Hulk Hogan's "Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin" tour in Australia. ..... He wrestled several matches and even hosted a bikini contest.
In January 2012, Wright won a battle royal in Los Angeles. He continued to wrestle occasionally on the independent wrestling scene starting in September 2013. In 2014, he made two appearances as Papa Shango in England. Wright stopped wrestling in March 2020 due to the global health situation.
On April 26, 2024, Wright returned as Papa Shango for a match in Australia.
Wrestling Style and Characters
Charles Wright used face paint for his Papa Shango character because, according to him, Vince McMahon felt his face didn't match his big body. In his later WWE appearances, The Godfather character did not have the women with him. Wright said this was because times had changed, and the character was updated.
Personal Life
Wright went to the University of Nevada, Reno, where he played American football as an offensive tackle. After leaving full-time wrestling, Wright moved to Las Vegas. He married Denise in September 2000, and they have four children together. This is his third marriage.
Achievements and Awards
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 61 among the top 500 wrestlers in 1999.
- United States Wrestling Association
- USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- World Wrestling Federation / WWE
- WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
- WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bull Buchanan
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2016)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Worst Gimmick (1992) as Papa Shango
- Worst Feud of the Year (1992) vs. The Ultimate Warrior
- Most Embarrassing Wrestler (1992)
See also
In Spanish: The Godfather (luchador) para niños
