DeMarco: What If Kofi Kingston Was Actually The Plan?

Greg DeMarco attempts to get you to look at things just a little differently when it comes to Kofi Kingston and his apparent Road To WrestleMania.

Kofi Kingston is one of the most popular superstars in WWE today, and has been such since day one…a full eleven years ago. He is a 15-time champion, seven of those being singles championships (United States and Intercontinental). As a member of The New Day, he is a guaranteed Hall Of Famer, and likely has over a million dollars in the bank. He is recognizable and beloved across nearly every demographic watching WWE, and despite being the least over-the-top member of New Day, he’s loaded with charisma. And let’s not forget–he can straight up GO in the ring.

Kofi Kingston, along with New Day brethren Big E and Xavier Woods, is the type of WWE superstar the company loves. They’re made, and their act is over to the point that you don’t need to build them. That was done years ago, solidified with their “face turn” on the Road to WrestleMania…32. They are in the argument with The Fabulous Freebirds and The Shield for being the greatest trio of all time, and they might end up as #1 on that list. Much like The Shield, their brotherhood is legitimate, not just an act.

You want more?
For just $5, get exclusive Chairshot content on Patreon!

Thanks to the point above, New Day can be inserted into any story when needed, and they will immediately be credible. That’s why Kofi Kingston–and based on everything Big E and Xavier Woods have told us it had to be Kofi–is suddenly in position to challenge Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.

Is The Kofi Kingston Program Really So Sudden?

I know it’s fun to think WWE has to change plans all the time, and that the fans drive those changes. And it’s not unrealistic to think that the fans do drive decision making, as WWE is a business. It’s not always driven by what the fans want, but what they will want, when the storyline plays out. Like any business, not everything works. In WWE’s case, when something doesn’t work it doesn’t work on a platform for all the world to see.

But if you look at what we know, it’s also not unrealistic to think WWE may have had this “Kofi Kingston Idea” for longer than we believe. Think about it:

• Who else was in position to challenge WWE Champion Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania?
• Who was over enough to be inserted into the title picture with little-to-no build?

I wouldn’t outright buy the Kevin Owens rumors, either. That is the perfect information for WWE to leak to help tell the Kofi Kingston story.

But What About Mustafa Ali…Kofi Just Took His Place!

So maybe the Kofi story got pushed up, or maybe they’ve known Mustafa would need time off and used it as part of the story. I’m not saying they knew all along, but maybe they knew in December? November? It’s entirely possible that when WWE laid out plans for WrestleMania, they saw a huge whole in the WWE Championship picture and weighed all options.

I’ll get more direct: If you think Mustafa Ali was going to beat the world on the road to Elimination Chamber and be in the main event of FastLane, you’re the most naive wrestling fan in the world. WWE loves to push and de-push when someone hits the main roster, and Mustafa was at the start of his depush. This was not simply “remove Mustafa, insert Kofi.”

But Why Was He Announced For FastLane?

There are a number of answers to this question, but they all tie in to the same principle: WWE is using your emotions against you. It’s something at which they are brilliant. Don’t believe me? WWE was the first company to go all in on social media–and you think they haven’t figured out how to use it? They’ve been using emotions against fans for years, and Daniel Bryan’s rise to the WrestleMania 30 main event is a prime example. That was one of the greatest works in wrestling history, and thanks to that program Daniel Bryan is still a made man today–just on the other side of the story.

What Does It All Mean, Man?

It means you’re being taken for a ride, and I know that you know that part. But don’t discount WWE’s abilities here. They know you love Kofi, and ever since Roman Reigns had to step away four months ago, they were likely shooting for the happiest WrestleMania possible. Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch won the Royal Rumble matches, even though it didn’t make sense for Lynch’s story. Now she’s the fan’s favorite, fighting for her spot. Kofi Kingston is about to do the same, and more likely the execution of a plan formed sometime between October and December of last year, not a plan formed in early February and altered after Elimination Chamber.

And one last thing: Yes, you’re being worked. But isn’t that what you’re tuning in for? Don’t you want to be worked? That’s what wrestling is! Watch it, root for your favorites, and enjoy the ride!