Kofi Kingston's chances of winning the world title?

[Rollermacka]

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Kofi's come along way from beating up guys who kick over kid's sand castles. Kofi has been around for a few years now, he's a multi time IC and US champ, what do you think of the idea of Kofi Kingston as World or WWE Champion?

[Droford]

In the thread about Cena and Orton disappearing, I wanted to post that I think Kofi is one of the guys thats over enough with the crowd that he could have a run with one of the belts but I dont see him pulling it off the way things currently are.

[James Steele]

He could very easily be World Champion, but it still boggles me how they just dropped that angle with Orton. Kofi was so damn close, but I bet he gets a chance on SD! in the next few years.

[Nicky Fives]

Hopefully, slim.... I don't care for him that much.....

[Supreme Olajuwon]

I'd say they're pretty good.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Especially if they want to tap into that African market.

[Lock Jaw]

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9229/rtruthvincemcmahonlaugh.jpg

[Ultra Mantis]

I'd guess he has the same as odds that Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler did.

[Ruien]

0.

[The Gold Standard]

He needs to have a heel turn. I think it would work perfectly if he wore suits and turned on the fans. Turn into a Jericho type, but not the same vocabulary. This would also require a change of music.

I have been hoping for Kofi to turn heel for a while, but the only problem is that there are very few faces. He gets over as a face and that won't change anytime soon.

[Kane Knight]

Especially if they want to tap into that African market.

I have trouble seeing that happen.

Not saying it wouldn't be nice to see Kofi get pushed, but....

[Graveler]

He needs to have a heel turn. I think it would work perfectly if he wore suits and turned on the fans. Turn into a Jericho type, but not the same vocabulary. This would also require a change of music.

I have been hoping for Kofi to turn heel for a while, but the only problem is that there are very few faces. He gets over as a face and that won't change anytime soon.

Giving Kofi a heel turn is a terrible idea for the same reason you just stated. He's one of the few faces that fans really seem to give a shit about. As for his chances as WWE or World Champion, I could see it happening.

[The Gold Standard]

As a face he has no shot at winning the belt. He could become an all time great as a heel. If you think about who he is over the most with. The same people who Cena is over with, except not to the extent as Cena.

If you turned him heel saying that he is fed up with trying to be the fan favorite when he will never be as popular as Cena. This sets up a feud nicely and the fans would turn on him in an instant.

He also puts on great matches so he would be able to be in the Main Event scene and succeed.

[Lock Jaw]

We can make 2011 the year of Cena vs. Black People (and foreigners)

[Supreme Olajuwon]

I have trouble seeing that happen.

Not saying it wouldn't be nice to see Kofi get pushed, but....

I was not being serious, Kane Knight.

[Graveler]

As a face he has no shot at winning the belt. He could become an all time great as a heel. If you think about who he is over the most with. The same people who Cena is over with, except not to the extent as Cena.

If you turned him heel saying that he is fed up with trying to be the fan favorite when he will never be as popular as Cena. This sets up a feud nicely and the fans would turn on him in an instant.

He also puts on great matches so he would be able to be in the Main Event scene and succeed.

He could win the belt as a face. They would just have to portray him in the same way that they did in the Orton feud: A face that would take shit from anyone. They did that and he help his image. Like people were saying in the Hypothetical thread, there aren't many decent faces in the WWE currently that could main event. Kofi, in my view, could be one of these guys

[Supreme Olajuwon]

As a face he has no shot at winning the belt. He could become an all time great as a heel. If you think about who he is over the most with. The same people who Cena is over with, except not to the extent as Cena.

If you turned him heel saying that he is fed up with trying to be the fan favorite when he will never be as popular as Cena. This sets up a feud nicely and the fans would turn on him in an instant.

He also puts on great matches so he would be able to be in the Main Event scene and succeed.

This is the main event feud for Capitol Punishment with R-Truth. Don't be racist.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think his chances are actually quite good. He's a great worker, and really quite excellent on the mic. He's entirely capable of getting people to that mark-out level (remember his feud with Orton?). That he's getting some years behind him with the company, he's proven trustworthy and is building up a kayfabe resume is all good for him, too. All he needs is that one little push, and I could see him getting it.

Honestly, if they turned John Cena heel, Kofi's one of the few faces I could see standing against him. I'm not saying this situation is at all likely, but Cena is a heel is one day going to happen when Vince decides his company needs a reboot. To do that, you need a top face that can take a stand -- and in the bizarro world where Cena turns on the fans -- Kofi has a similar enough relationship to them (as he has his entire career), that he could become the new hero against the oppressing Cenation.

I also don't think Kofi as a heel is the death sentence people see it as. Right now, I don't see the point in it -- Kofi works fine as a babyface. He's still over, and he's not stagnant when he's against fresh opponents. Turning him heel would be change for the sake of change. But Kofi's feuds against Randy Orton and even Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre on SmackDown! have shown he can get angry and believable as a vicious personality. I think a pissed off, angry black man version of Kofi could be a heat machine. Not right now (R-Truth has a version of that going on), but one day -- hypothetically.

I don't think it's like a case of Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara or Ricky Steamboat where a heel version just wouldn't work.

[Shadrick]

It will happen.

[Shadrick]

His gimmick is fine especially since he's dropped the accent and shown how over he can get in the proper feud. Now he just needs the right feud again and its a done deal.

I pray that Kofi drops the US title tonight only to have him win Money In The Bank and cash it in on Del Rio after he takes the title from Cena at Summerslam.

[Shadrick]

Phase One of master plan = complete.

[TheChamp]

I'd love to see him get that accent back and go all "Screwface" on the WWE.

[Kane Knight]

I was not being serious, Kane Knight.

It's still real to me, dammit.

[BigDaddyCool]

Like 80% could happen. Just looking at who has been champion lately that I never thought should (despite liking a few) increases his odds. We are living in a time where everyone gets a ride on the horse.

[Londoner]

I just get the feeling with kofi that everytime it seems like they're going to start pushing him he gets held back again for a few more weeks and any push he was about to get gets forgotten about. Not sure why WWE does this.

[Kane Knight]

Like 80% could happen. Just looking at who has been champion lately that I never thought should (despite liking a few) increases his odds. We are living in a time where everyone gets a ride on the horse.

From the Attitude Era to the PG Era to the " Meh" era.

[Mister Sinister]

Sadly, I don't see Kofi getting a run with the Championship, not to say, I don't think he is talented enough or what not, because I do enjoy Kofi work, but it would take some work to get him back to where he was, during his fued with Randy Orton, where he was almost primed to win it.

He is entertaining and is like someone said, is one of the people most marks care about, but his characters has taken a hit in the past year, since the end of the Orton fued, where he was constantly losing to Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger (who himself has somewhat been buried since winning the World Heavyweight Championship)

But however, Kofi as a heel would be a really bad thing, While they could tweak his character to be heelish at some point, it's his in-ring ability, that I think will falter and kill him as a Heel.

The thing that makes Kofi unique is his style of wrestling, being flashy and everything, and knowing how WWE books Heels, and limits there moves, it would kill anything that drew people to like Kofi in the first place.

[TheChamp]

I think his chances are actually quite good. He's a great worker, and really quite excellent on the mic. He's entirely capable of getting people to that mark-out level (remember his feud with Orton?). That he's getting some years behind him with the company, he's proven trustworthy and is building up a kayfabe resume is all good for him, too. All he needs is that one little push, and I could see him getting it.


Agreed. I just don't want him to be the new "Shelton Benjamin." Like Kofi (with Orton), Benjamin had a memorable feud (with HHH) that seemed to get him to that next level. Like Kofi, Benjamin had great moments in MITB matches (I totally marked out for the "stilts" in WMXXVI), enough that I actually though he'd win one. Like Kofi, Shelton has won the IC & US titles. WWE can't ruin EVERYTHING, can they?

[Shadrick]

The three things that separate Kofi from Shelton are, Mic Skills overall personality and Marketability

[RiX1024]

Doubt it, but the only way he can win it is by a heel turn. the guy does not need a title to put himself over, he's over enough me thinks.

[Innovator]

Swagger won it. Kofi will someday.

[whiteyford]

Hmmm, i have a suspicion that Kofi wins MITB, since its no secret that he's actually real life friends with Punk and Punk has been wanting to put him over forever. Punk wins the belt, celebrates to an extent, antagonizes the crowd, the announcers play up the "Omg what just happened" card and then Kofi's music hits. He cashes it in, they have about a 5 minute match, some type of reversal, SOS, Kofi new WWE Champ.

Or, Punk is celebrating with Nexus, they helped with a distraction for him to go over Cena. They're standing at the top of the ramp when Kofis music hits. They all wait for him while Punk is in the ring, facing the entrance. Kofi comes through the crowd, gets in the ring, the bell rings. Punk turns around to see why the bell rang, Trouble In Paradise, 1-2-3, Kofi wins. This is feasible, and I'd mark out like a whore. It sets up Punks return in a few months to feud with Kofi like he's been wanting too, and the feud will build Kofi up for his second run.

At least, thats how I hope it plays out. *retreats*

Something like that.

[Shadrick]

Thanks Whitey. I really would actually love it if it played out like that.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think Shadrick's idea is a very good one. Although, instead of having Kofi Kingston sneak in, I think John Cena helps fight off Nexus after they have screwed him out of the WWE Championship, leaving things open for Kofi (and so Cena can have some sort of redemption in this whole thing, too).

The only thing I question -- just how over will CM Punk be in Chicago, and does the WWE care? If they don't, even if Kofi is booed out of the arena for doing it -- it can still be made a point of by the announcers that Kofi is "saving the WWE Championship." Shawn Michaels can talk on RAW next week about how he screwed Bret Hart to keep the WWE Title from leaving the WWE, and essentially you can have Kofi treated as a big saviour.

Cena would no doubt want a rematch with Kofi, and honestly, right now I think that could generate just as much, if not more interest than Cena vs. Del Rio (mainly because I feel that Del Rio is losing steam, and that he needs some sort of rebuilding feud). Face vs. face matches can feel pretty epic, and Kofi would have something to prove to Cena.

Also, Kofi has history with both CM Punk and Michael McGillicutty and the Nexus. They could do a Kofi vs. Mike McGillicutty Pro vs. rookie match on RAW to give Kofi some big singles wins and such. Not that McGillicutty is exactly the top dog or anything, but it can show Kofi out-manoeuvring Nexus.

[Shadrick]

Kofi! Kofi! Kofi!

[Taker it Easy]

Nill, none, no chance.

Kofi first hailed from Jamaica, Queens. Then they changed it to Jamaica, Jamaica. Now he hails from Africa. He is a cookie cutter wrestler if I have ever seen one. Basically he has the generic jack off the crowd gimmick. Always with the WWE face smile, stealing the pop type move which the Rock invented then Cena stole, use limited move set. The list goes on... but the kids probably love him :-\ They have yet to learn that he will break their heart.

So yeah, he could make it in that respect yet WWE has a history of failure with black wrestlers. A more possible reason as to why Kofi will not hold a major title is that he seems to be a guy who would not beat you up in a bar, much like John Morrison.

R-Truth is more likely to hold a major title.

[Shadrick]

R-Truth at damn near 40 and terrible vocal diction has a better chance of being the face of the company than Kofi Kingston?

And your logic about "beating you up in a bar" applies to Miz though, right?

He doesn't have the generic "jack off the crowd" type gimmick because unlike faces with that gimmick he definitely does have a different dynamic in terms of a "mean-streak" while still maintaining his "face" characteristics. Kofi is more over than any other black wrestler in recent history and he has better mic skills than Truth, Benjamin, and Lashley combined.

So theres "Nill, none, no chance," that he will hold a major title because...he "seems to be a guy who would not beat you up in a bar?" Really? lol. Not being a fan of his is one thing, but saying theres "no chance" he will hold a world title based off of your reasoning is a bit silly. Taker It Easy, bro.

[XL]

In fairness to TIE, the "doesnt look like he could beaat you in a bar fight" thing is attributed to Vince himself (about JoMo).

However, the same could be said of Christian, Punk, Miz, Mysetrio who have 7 World Titles reigns between them.

In fact, Kofi is in the same ilk as Rey IMO. The flashy, high risk moves, the friendly fan favourite, so on. So, to me at least, a Kofi title reign isn't out of the question entirely.

[Taker it Easy]

I agree with XL on Kofi being in the same ilk as Rey. However there is a difference here, that being Rey is king or top dog of a demographic (children and most importantly, Mexicans.)

Kofi seems to reach out towards children but is that gonna do it alone? Cena reaches out towards children but at the same time he reaches out to 'patriot' Americans, probably other demographics as well.

I don't think Kofi is legit enough to carry the black vote.

If he ever was to hold the title I think it would be something closer to Wade Barret or Jack Swaggers rein and nothing long term or permanent because his character, currently, is not there and can not sustain the company.

Can you see Kofi Kingston main eventing Wrestlemania?

As the Rock, Dusty Rhodes, Nash and Austin say; it is all about who draws the money and fills the seats. Can you see Kofi fulfilling that role? Also, compare Kofi to any of the legends mentioned above. It seems as if the only one that bears similarities is the Rock, due to the pop pop move. Magnitude anyone?


http://i.imgur.com/uxDLL.jpg

[James Steele]

When did Wade Barrett have a reign as World Champion?

[Taker it Easy]

I think I was mistaken with Barret; I thought he had a brief rein over Cena during their fued when Barret debut. Looks like I am wrong. :-\

[Shadrick]

I agree with XL on Kofi being in the same ilk as Rey. However there is a difference here, that being Rey is king or top dog of a demographic (children and most importantly, Mexicans.)

Kofi seems to reach out towards children but is that gonna do it alone? Cena reaches out towards children but at the same time he reaches out to 'patriot' Americans, probably other demographics as well.

I don't think Kofi is legit enough to carry the black vote.

If he ever was to hold the title I think it would be something closer to Wade Barret or Jack Swaggers rein and nothing long term or permanent because his character, currently, is not there and can not sustain the company.

Can you see Kofi Kingston main eventing Wrestlemania?

As the Rock, Dusty Rhodes, Nash and Austin say; it is all about who draws the money and fills the seats. Can you see Kofi fulfilling that role? Also, compare Kofi to any of the legends mentioned above. It seems as if the only one that bears similarities is the Rock, due to the pop pop move. Magnitude anyone?


http://i.imgur.com/uxDLL.jpg

Where do you get this "only kids like Kofi" thing? More adults pop for his wins and entrance than children. You cant assume that "only kids like him" because he's a "Happy go lucky" face.

How does Kofi reach out towards children? Was it a promo or something? Maybe I missed it. Or is this your assumption that only kids like him which is grossly inaccurate? It really isn't so much about the "black" vote, thats just an addendum; the fact is, he's STILL over and his character hasn't had much tweaking in a LONG time. When I saw MSG's reaction to him putting Orton through that table, THAT is when I knew, yes, he could be world champ one day. To say theres "no chance" is asinine.

Barretts reign? wut.

Of course I can't see him doing it RIGHT THIS SECOND, but the point isn't "Could it happen right now?!?!" the point is what are his chances of it ever happening. You said no chance, I said, for the aforementioned reasons, I think thats an inaccurate statement. And are you seriously comparing the Rock the multi time champ and Kofi right now, just because of their "pop pop move?" lol Could I see Kofi filling that void? Putting asses in the seats? Of course. With the right storyline, proper mic time, and an adequate build, I already saw what he did with Orton and I saw how massively over he was during that time period....so yeah, I can see him drawing.

But you, emphatically, said "No chance" so are you backpeddling now?

[Taker it Easy]

Where do you get this "only kids like Kofi" thing? More adults pop for his wins and entrance than children. You cant assume that "only kids like him" because he's a "Happy go lucky" face.

How does Kofi reach out towards children? Was it a promo or something? Maybe I missed it. Or is this your assumption that only kids like him which is grossly inaccurate? It really isn't so much about the "black" vote, thats just an addendum; the fact is, he's STILL over and his character hasn't had much tweaking in a LONG time. When I saw MSG's reaction to him putting Orton through that table, THAT is when I knew, yes, he could be world champ one day. To say theres "no chance" is asinine.

Barretts reign? wut.

Of course I can't see him doing it RIGHT THIS SECOND, but the point isn't "Could it happen right now?!?!" the point is what are his chances of it ever happening. You said no chance, I said, for the aforementioned reasons, I think thats an inaccurate statement. And are you seriously comparing the Rock the multi time champ and Kofi right now, just because of their "pop pop move?" lol Could I see Kofi filling that void? Putting asses in the seats? Of course. With the right storyline, proper mic time, and an adequate build, I already saw what he did with Orton and I saw how massively over he was during that time period....so yeah, I can see him drawing.

But you, emphatically, said "No chance" so are you backpeddling now?


Nope, no chance. He does not have what it takes to carry the company. We can only judge him based on what he is and what he has been, not on what he may become. He can not carry the WWE. He is nothing like Austin, Rock, HBK, Hogan, Hart and Cena.

[thedamndest]

He may be the guy who puts over the guy who wins the title, or the guy who unsuccessfully challenges for the title, but he will never win the title.