Ultimate Warrior vs Papa ShangoWhen I was a kid, there was no other wrestler that could get me as excited for a match as the Ultimate Warrior. Surpassing even "the Hulkster" in terms of sheer, hyperactive charisma the Ultimate Warrior offered fans an exuberance that could literally be felt through their television sets. From the distinctively bright face paint to his high-energy ring entrance, the Warrior shone like a beacon of unbridled mania in every match he was in. His one weakness would have to be his horrible speaking skills, being that they were the equivalent of listening to Christian Bale's Batman reciting Dr. Seuss in reverse. Ugh.
On the other end of the ring, we have Papa Shango, inspired by voodoo mythology and shrouded in the same, strange schtick as the Undertaker (who happened to be a good friend of his). Essentially Shango would use "spells" and "potions" (complete with plastic skulls and dry ice) to jinx his opponents into submission. It made for a fairly interesting character, straddling the gap between offensive stereotype and tongue-in-cheek parody. One of the highlights of his tenure at the WWF was a feud with Ultimate Warrior, from which the bout shown above is a part.
So, the real question remains: can Shango's Voodoo Piledriver compete with the Warrior's Gorilla Press Slam? Let's find out...
I found wrestlers scary as a kid!