The Rock was the reason behind WWE Hall of Famer joining major stable; 63-year-old veteran explains why
The Rock has been an influential figure in WWE for decades, and earlier this year he made waves by turning heel. Charles Wright (aka The Godfather) recently revealed that The People's Champion was the reason behind his inclusion in The Nation of Domination.
In 1997, Charles Wright returned to the Stamford-based promotion. Instead of portraying the Papa Shango gimmick, Wright became Kama Mustafa and was put in The Nation of Domination alongside notable names, such as Farooq, The Rock, and Mark Henry. The move changed the Hall of Famer's WWE career, as it paved the way for him to adopt the popular Godfather character.
While Wright found much success in The Nation of Domination, his inclusion in the stable wasn't planned. In an interview with Chris Van Vliet on INSIGHT, the 63-year-old said The Rock was the reason he was included in the faction. He explained how Vince McMahon wanted to add credibility to the stable, which is why he was paired with The People's Champion.
"Yes. I was put in The Nation just because of him. I was put in The Nation to make it bigger and blacker and make it more strong. Because I came in, I was supposed to be Papa Shango. And Vince literally called me to the office and says, change of plans. We’re gonna do this, or we’re gonna do that. And I’m like, 'What?' And I’m like, 'Let me ask you a question. I make the same right?' He goes, 'Yes, you do.' Well, I’m down! I didn’t want to put that face paint on anyway," The Godfather said. [H/T: chrisvanvliet.com]
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The Rock recently returned to WWE
Earlier this year, The Rock showcased a different side to his WWE character after he couldn't face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania XL. Instead of remaining The People's Champion, Dwayne Johnson became The Final Boss and the biggest obstacle in Cody Rhodes' path to The Showcase of the Immortals.
On Night One of the event, Johnson scored a pinfall win over The American Nightmare in a tag team match. Regardless of the loss, Cody Rhodes finished his story the following night when he beat Roman Reigns. On the RAW after WrestleMania XL, Rocky confronted Rhodes for the final time before going on hiatus.
On October 5, 2024, The Final Boss returned to WWE at Bad Blood in Atlanta. The 52-year-old sent a cryptic message to Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns after their match against The Bloodline and left. It'll be interesting to see what's next in the intriguing storyline.