ROYAL RUMBLE 2019- On the New Year's Eve edition of Smackdown Live!, the New Day announced that they will be in the Royal Rumble match. Kofi was eliminated by Drew McIntyre.
ELIMINATION CHAMBER- Mustafa Ali was suppose to participate in the Elimination Chamber match, but had to bow out due to an injury. (Side Note: WWE cut his name to Ali. WHY?!) Anyway, one member of the New Day was going to replace Ali in the match. It was Kofi. Everyone knew Kofi was getting the nod due to his experience. So the Elimination Chamber match was down to two men: Kofi and reigning WWE Champion Daniel Bryan. For what seemed like a brief moment, WWE decided to go back in time and feature a story telling wrestling contest. Back and forth, near fall after near fall, this brought yours truly to the edge of my seat. And yes I knew Bryan was going to retain, but that's the beauty of this industry. These are times when it makes you, the viewer believe Kofi could pull it off. Unfortunately, Bryan did retain.
FASTLANE- So everyone was impressed by Kofi's performance at EC that many thought the company was going to give him a title shot at Fastlane. We were right when Kofi was going to sign his name to the contract for the WWE title match at Fastlane, but Vince McMahon instead inserted the returning Kevin Owens into the match and leaving Kofi out.
Three things about this that I figured out
1. The company went back on their promise to give the fans what they want as Kofi was the people's choice....for now
2. They were doing Daniel Bryan's storyline during his road to WrestleMania XXX, but with Kofi as the underdog and Bryan as the heel trying to stop him
3. They were saving Kofi for WrestleMania
At Fastlane, the New Day waited outside of Vince McMahon's office, pleading him to put Kofi in the title match. Vince said that it was ok. When Kofi came out for his championship match, it turned out that Vince lied to him and instead was put into a handicap match against the Bar and was dominated. The crowd in Cleveland was pissed. In the actual title match, it was a triple threat affair with Mustafa Ali put into the fray. Bryan retained going into WrestleMania 35 as he waits for his challenger.
WRESTLEMANIA 35- #kofimania was trending on social media as the WWE universe made it known that they wanted Kofi in the WWE Championship match at WM 35. On Smackdown Live! Vince decided to put Kofi in a gauntlet match for the right to face Bryan and Kofi went through superstars like the Bar, Samoa Joe, Randy Orton, A.J. Styles, and Rowan and came out victorious.......until Vince put Bryan in to finish the match which Bryan won. So after this, Big E and Xavier Woods went to social media to voice their frustration about Kofi's situation and added that "people like us" don't get opportunities. Ok, the WWE has done their best to bring enough goodwill for them and the companies that they do business with. But the biggest superstar in the company, Hulk Hogan, uttered racial remarks that kept him away for a few years. The Ultimate Warrior has made racial and homophobic comments, yet the company has an award bearing his name. Michael "P.S." Hayes has been an employee for many years, despite other employees claiming Hayes is a racist. The WWE is a hypocrisy that goes around acting that they are as PC to their attendance and stock-holders, but proof is in the pudding.....however, I don't think race has anything to do with this storyline, yet it makes you think. So, Kofi was given one more chance and now, the New Day were the ones to put Kofi in the title match as they were put in a gauntlet match. The New Day prevailed and Kofi WAS IN! Everyone was excited to see him finally in, but there were skeptics who aren't happy. WWE Hall of Famer "Superstar" Billy Graham stated that Kofi needs to bulk up from his "140" lb. frame. He also criticized Daniel Bryan for being small. Kids, don't do steroids.
The match wasn't as magical as the few moments at EC, but it was a great story to tell for a competitor who had to scratch and claw for this opportunity. With the locker room watching from a monitor to give it a feel that the entire organization rooting for him, Kofi used his patented Trouble In Paradise kick to floor Bryan and get the 1-2-3 for the pin.
After 11 years of many tag teams, multiple single championships, a push that was killed by a botch, some awesome feats of athleticism to starve off elimination, and a gimmick that portrayed him as something he is not, Kofi Kingston reached the pinnacle of his career becoming the first African-born superstar in win the WWE Title. In a recent interview, WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry called the victory "an inspiration for young black wrestlers". Kofi said Vince himself was proud of him for the win. I read an article yesterday that at the end of the month, Kofi will visit his home country of Ghana for the first time in 26 years......and he will do it as WWE Champion.
4x Intercontinential Champion, 3x United States Champion, 8x Tag Team Champion, 1x WWE Champion
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