The build for WrestleMania 35 has been fascinating. While its had its ups and most certainly its downs, there’s no denying that something about the event this year feels extra special. It’s been a while since so many fan favorites have been pushed to the top, but when it comes to the best storyline at WrestleMania, WWE fans will only give you one answer – KofiMania.
It’s something that happened unexpectedly and as we’ve seen over the years in WWE, it’s these organic storylines that tend to gain the most amount of traction. Kofi Kingston was never supposed to be competing for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. Had Ali not gotten injured by chance, we would most likely be seeing Kofi Kingston in the standard SmackDown tag title match at WrestleMania.
Yet here we are. The Dreadlock Dynamo finds himself with the opportunity of a lifetime at the showcase of the immortals. For the first time, he’s receiving a WWE Championship match. Yet, it’s so much more than just about Kofi Kingston becoming champion. He’s in a spot that he’s never found himself before, and he’s embracing it better than most would.
Many fans have speculated about the involvement of race in the storyline, especially when the words “people like me” have been used. However, in Kofi Kingston’s own words, this storyline is so much more than just race. It transcends it. In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Kingston said:
“They can look to TV — regardless of race — as a human and that it is possible to overcome impossible odds. I take a lot of pride in being the center of all of that and being the representative for all of that. Being able to identify with so many people, I think that’s the reason why this movement has been so powerful. It’s more than just race, or one particular thing. It’s so many different things, so many elements of hope that we’re able to provide.”
Related: Kofi Kingston On His Wrestlemania 35 Story Transcending Race, Providing ‘Elements Of Hope’
And he’s right. While he, in his own words, stated the importance of representation, the reality is that it has a lot more to do with just race. What fans see in Kingston is far more than just what his physical appearance is. It’s about the man who’s been there for 11 years. It’s about the man who’s sacrificed his blood, sweat and tears for the business, and sacrificed family time just for the opportunity to entertain millions of people across the world.
And it was clear from the Gauntlet match that Kofi Kingston was not going to be a bystander. He may have taken Ali‘s spot, but he did it in Ali’s honor and he did it to seize the opportunity that was given to him. And he did so in one of the most beautiful ways possible. From the Gauntlet match, he proved to be an absolute Iron Man, competing for over an hour and pinning multiple top superstars.
Even at Elimination Chamber, the crowd was fully behind Kingston. He managed to make it all the way till the end but lost by the skin of his teeth to Daniel Bryan, who would haunt him on more than one occasion (and vice versa). While he was supposed to compete at Fastlane, fans were both sad and delighted when Vince McMahon took his opportunity away and replaced him with Kevin Owens.
They were sad because at the time, it was frustrating to see Kofi Kingston get screwed over, but there was happiness knowing that he would be competing for the title at WrestleMania. The whole crux of the story which makes it so beautiful is the fact that it involves Daniel Bryan, the man who was once the biggest fan favorite of not just his time, but of the entire PG Era.
The man who was constantly put down by the Authority called a B+ Player and fed off the WWE Universe had become exactly what he once hated. His masterful heel work deserves a lot of credit for Kofi Kingston getting over, and the fact that Kofi Kingston is now in the place that Daniel Bryan once was, makes it more captivating than ever.
There’s a reason why this is the best story in WrestleMania 35. Both superstars have given it their absolute all to make it great, and the storytelling was done simple, straightforward and in a way that really makes you want to see Kingston win.
The question is, will he be able to do it?
Related: Kofi Kingston Documentary Being Filmed, New WWE Chronicle Set For Tomorrow Night
