WWE: It’s Time To Let Kofi Kingston Shine As World Champion
Kofi Kingston created a movement on Tuesday with his performance in the gauntlet match – a performance that has many hoping he gets the WWE Championship.
Since Tuesday, there has been a movement going around social media. A picture of Kofi Kingston with the WWE Championship over his shoulder. It’s clearly a doctored image, but it’s pushing the narrative that the time has come.
The time is now to put the belt around the waist of perhaps one of the most-deserving men on the WWE roster. It may be hard to picture Kingston as the champion, but in a scripted industry, anything is possible. As we head into Elimination Chamber on Sunday, there’s a small glimmer of hope that Kingston will be the last man standing with the belt held over his head. It is time, and there is a clear case why Kingston should get that belt.
Let’s start the conversation with some stats. With a combined 1,449 days, Kingston has had a title belt around his waist for enough time to equate to nearly four years. During that time, he’s proven that he’s one of the best talents on the WWE roster. He’s the type of player that can be inserted into any situation and excel…
…as we saw last Tuesday.
Kingston was added to the gauntlet match to replace an injured Mustafa Ali. For one-hour fans were blessed with what became the Kofi Kingston show as he would defeat Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe and Daniel Bryan. Just like Seth Rollins in 2018, Kingston used this gauntlet match to put on a show. However, unlike Rollins, who was already in the main event picture, this showcase may have elevated Kingston in a way that proves he can also hold his own against the main event stars on SmackDown.
It goes without saying, everyone knew that Kingston can be a featured talent. Most of his career has comprised of tag team success, but as a singles star he has always delivered. A seven-time singles champion, Kingston is just one world title reign away from being the newest member into the Grand Slam club. That elusive group includes the likes of Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H. That is the type of company one wants to have as they continue to put the icing on what has already become a Hall of Fame worth career.
But what makes this push for Kingston to become champion is the fact that it would add a much-needed breath of fresh air to the SmackDown title picture. This iteration of the world title began in December of 2016. Since that time, the belt has been held in the hands of the usual suspects – men that have long sat within the main event scene of the WWE. Rollins, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, John Cena and Randy Orton have all held the title. Bray Wyatt and Jinder Mahal – while both disappointments in their reigns – are the dark horses of that group. AJ Styles brought some consistency to the title when he held it for 371 days. Now, Daniel Bryan is the man with the belt and his character change has been interesting to watch now.
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Kingston has never been a prominent figure in the spotlight. Even if you were to look back to his biggest feuds, he was always placed in matches like the Elimination Chamber, Money in the Bank or other ladder matches simply because he excels in high-risk moments. But imagine a period where he holds that title around his waist and defends it as a true champion; that’s something different that no one would be expecting to see.
The storyline behind Kingston’s rise must not be ignored. At one point in the gauntlet match he yelled at Styles to “Fight Me” – and alluded to the fact that he’s been waiting for his moment for twelve years. That is the type of passion that comes from someone who has paid their dues and delivered when asked upon him.
There’s been rumblings that some backstage wants The New Day to be split up with Big E receiving a main event push. While that is a fresh idea for the trio, it doesn’t have to go that way. Let Kingston win the belt and the three men apply their “Freebird Rule” mentality to the main title on SmackDown. That immediately creates multiple intriguing match ups and the potential angle to segue into a more engrossing storyline with all three men. Imagine matches against Styles, Bryan, Joe, Andrade Almas, Rey Mysterio, The Miz and so many others. There’s opportunity here.
Opportunity that will not be present if WWE Creative overlooks this moment to get the belt into Kingston’s hands.
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Kingston doesn’t need to go down in history as the greatest champion of all time. No one is calling for that. Instead, WWE fans simply want to see him finally get rewarded for his hard work. The New Day have been one of the more entering aspects of WWE programming for years. Kingston is not only the linchpin to that group, but to the entire roster.
It is time, and hopefully all the outcries will push a Kofi Kingston title reign into existence on Sunday.