The voodoo doctor from the magical, mystical and faraway land of Parts Unknown wasted little time in establishing himself as one of the most bizarre stars in WWE history. Donned in black, his face painted like a skull and his body cavorting as he put a spell on his opposition, Shango was Vince McMahon's attempt at following up the success of The Undertaker character with an equally dark, more over-the-top act. After being dispatched of by Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VIII, he began targeting Warrior, casting a spell on him during a memorable episode of WWE Superstars in 1992. Warrior would wind up puking what was clearly pea soup, the bleeding black slime before he and the dangerous Shango stunk up the joint in arenas across the country. Shango was a character with potential but the mixture of an inexperienced young performer and over-the-top antics damned it from the get-go. Setting wrestlers on fire, causing them to vomit mysterious substances and shaking like a junkie looking for a fix was not the way to get the act over on the same plain as The Undertaker. Even trying was a mistake. But today, some 22 years after his debut on WWE programming, the character remains somewhat of a cult favorite, thanks to the ever-important cool factor that accompanied his look and entrance music.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
