Apollo Crews was initially hesitant to portray his Nigerian royalty gimmick on WWE TV but eventually embraced it.
Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews commented on a notable gimmick that saw him play Nigerian royalty during the COVID years. Taking to Instagram, Crews revealed he was initially hesitant about the character change.
“I was initially hesitant, but embracing this character became some of the most fun I’ve had throughout my wrestling career,” Crews wrote. “I committed not only to performing to the best of my ability, but taking my physique to a different level as well.”
Crews was paired with Commander Azeez (Dabba-Kato) during their heel run on the main roster. However, Azeez would turn against his former mentor following Crews’ return to WWE NXT at the beginning of 2023 before being released by the company later that year.
Apollo Crews has been out of action for months
Apollo Crews has been sidelined with a torn pec since early 2025. He last competed on the January 24 episode of SmackDown, winning against Johnny Gargano in singles action.
Crews recently expressed his desire to return to the squared circle after getting his torn pec surgically repaired. He noted that he “can’t wait to compete again.”
Fans will have to wait to see if Apollo Crews makes his WWE return in the lead-up to SummerSlam 2025.
How would you rate Apollo Crews’ Nigerian royalty gimmick on a scale of 1 to 10? Let us know in the comments!
