The Dark Side of Kofi Kingston

[Blade]

Back in October-December of last year, Kofi Kingston had a feud with Randy Orton. It was a real breakthrough feud for Kofi, notable for the sheer anger and emotion from Kofi that made people sit up and take notice, especially when he got 20,000 strong in Madison Square Garden chanting his name before hitting the Boom Drop on Orton through the table. People loved angry Kofi. But after the Orton feud, Angry Kofi didn't make another appearance.

Fast forward 9 months and we have Kofi in the middle of an Intercontinental title feud with Dolph Ziggler. On last week's Smackdown, during his match with Ziggler, Kofi was slapped in the face by Vickie. He snapped and destroyed Ziggler, beating the living hell out of him for a few minutes, getting himself DQed. On this week's Smackdown, Kofi was screwed out of his title by Dolph and Vickie and again Kofi snapped, giving Ziggler a beating even more vicious and intense than last week's. Just like when he was against Orton at MSG, people were chanting his name loudly.

Kofi is over when he's happy and jumpy. But when he unleashes the dark, angry side, he reaches a new level of over-ness. So should this be a constant part of his gimmick? He'll be happy and smiling until he's pushed too far, at which point he goes crazy? Or should Kofi's dark side only make a rare appearance so it doesn't get overused?

 

[Ferbian]

I think it may very well be a hard thing to feature Kofi Kingston as an angry guy all the time to have him at that level of popularity. Considering Kofi Kingston's character as a whole is a guy that is very happy and jumpy. He doesn't have much sense in being constantly angry, unless he is provoked into this scenario.

So really the only way to display it properly all the time would have the opponent provoke him constantly. And it's not something you just do to an extend where it'll work everytime, and seem legit. I think it's much easier when he gets dragged into a feud that really requires intensity. A feud like this one, and the feud with Randy Orton, it's really all that we can do to expect him to get this kind of personality.

So I think in order to make it seem like something proper, and to make it work whenever it is working. It's something that he should be using with rare occasions, but not to the extend that it becomes a 2-3 times a year thing. More when he gets dragged into the intense feuds, that drags out. Not just a one time title defense, but a feud like Dolph, Drew and Randy.

 

[Trill Co$by]

When you put it that way, a certain Pokemon comes to mind ... fyi the Yellow and red only helps bring out the thought of said Pokemon.

But in all honesty, I think it could work for Kofi Kingston. It gives him that element of suspense that he needs to be a big time player. For a few storylines, I can see his Rage being a storyline builder, but in the future I would like to see his anger rise so high that he turns on the fans and becomes this outrageously pain hungry bad ass that just rips through competition for the World title.

That just smells like a money maker to me.

 

[newc868]

With Kofi reaching his 'dark side' he only appears to do so when he's got so much crowd support against the heel and that heel is grating on him. I wouldn't like to see it done in evry feud but it makes his character more believable and makes him more belieavable as a wrestler who can look dominant.

With him beating the crap out of Dolph Ziggler, the crowd will love it because Dolph is currently Megatron's toyboy. I think it'll be good for Kofi but he should only do it in a John Cena-type way (but obviosuly more limited) where he's forced to reach that boiling point before snapping.

 

[CJ The Pirate]

I think they could implement this into his matches by giving him more of a tough guy to beat role. He could be someone who kicks out of finishers and mounts up a second wind which involves a more attacking style rather than the high flying style. This could lead him to having longer and better matches in the future.

 

[Hazardous]

it had a very Ken Shamrock feel to me. like.. when he would snap, and take out anyone in his path, friend, foe, ref, anyone. i like that side of Kofi. and i think it add's just that little something that can help elevate him to the main event card. something guys like MVP, JoMo, and Evan Bourne are missing.

 

[Isaac Kaye]

I think the post match beatdown was a terrible idea. First off it made you feel sorry for ziggler. Second, it made Kofi look like a bad loser. Third (and most crucially), it instantly took the heat off ziggler for winning the belt! Commentary could have alluded to how many times he challenged for the belt etc but all the focus was on Kofi post match. Maybe they are keeping the feud going?

Dunno, the whole crazy Kofi thing didnt sit too comfortably with me. All seems a bit out of context with his character. Why is the babyface giving the post match beatdown?? Ok, he got heat from the crowd, but I bet you this would wear off if he started doing it all the time. Plus Vicki has so much heel heat it's unreal. If she cant get ziggler over as a credible champ then nobody can!

I don't think Kofi should continue with the crazy stuff, I like his usual happy character and I think that's what he should stick with in the long term. One question.. did they give Kofi ANY mic time when he was champ, even five seconds or something?! That sucks if they didn't.

 

[The Calgary Kid]

I agree with Isaac. It seemed completely out of place and took all of the heat off of Ziggler/Vicki. I'd go as far as to say that the entire ending of the match, as well as the fallout was utter BS and poorly executed. Vicki is trying like hell to get Ziggler to win the title, so she stands on the apron to flirt with him, ultimately distracting him to set up Trouble in Paradise, thus forcing Vicki to enter the ring to delay the ref and distract Kofi? Why not just have her get involved for a distraction of Kofi, without potentially screwing Ziggler, and finish the match without the prior stupidity? Kofi would have been equally "screwed" if that was the case. What happened afterward could have been justified by that finish, but again, it seems totally out of character for Kofi and made the crowd react in a different way than they should have. Get him on the mic after the match, for pete's sake. It's like the writers had a few while they were figuring out the finish.

 

[WWE.IS.AWESOME]

I really like the drak-side of Kofi. It's original and entertaining because his normal character of being happy and bouncy can get rather boring at times. He needs a twist every once and a while. I don't think this should be a weekly thing though. It will eventually get old and then we won't get as excited when we see it. But maybe once or twice a month would be alright. Not just when he loses or is it put in random matches, but when he is in an intense fued and gets pushes to the limit. That, I could live with.

 

[mrbrownstone]

I really like the darkside of Kofi however I question how long he can keep it up while still being a face as the beatdowns these past two weeks have been very heel like and both have left me feeling sorry for Ziggler and booing Kofi.

So I think if he is to keep this gimmick up (which I think he should) then he shoould turn heel. I think that would be a really good heel gimmick a guy that is happy one minuite but if you say one thing out of line to him then he can snap and just beat the sh*t out of you.

 

[Hazardous]

i thought i posted earlier but i guess i closed the window too early.. annyway,

to say that it's too Heel like to attack him after the match, after Ziggy and Ms.Piggy screwed him? iunno about that.. look at RAW for a bit there Cena was attacking Nexus members after matches too. beat the shit out of Young, and Slater, and Tarver... and really i dont remember the last time he was cheered so well then when doing so. hell even i liked that side of him, as i do with Kofi

 

[thefutureisnow]

This would be the perfect oppurtunit to turn him heel

every week, nothing would work out for him in storylines

examples losing #1 contenders , matches, losing matches here and there, teddy long not listening to him

this would turn him heel and make him on the dark side

 

[MrHashasheen]

So I think if he is to keep this gimmick up (which I think he should) then he shoould turn heel. I think that would be a really good heel gimmick a guy that is happy one minuite but if you say one thing out of line to him then he can snap and just beat the sh*t out of you.

Wasn't that Sid Vicious's thing? But yeah, I liked it's implications. It gives him some depth and realism in that nobody can stay happy when the heel is being an annoying ass all the time and you'll just snap and beat him. I think that if they do it at a certain point in a feud when things escalate and get really intense, then it can stay fresh and show what happens when Kofi gets serious.

 

[Porter1989]

agreeing with mr brownstone this side of him could work as a heel and get him the push he was getting before botching with randy orton. if hes as intense and just want to kick everones ass if they say one thing wrong to you then he could be a tweener. i hope this gets a push as it well deserves when this side comes out. he can high fly and then stop and get serious and whoop alls ass.

 

[The Holy One]

I think the aggressive side of Kofi really adds a much needed dimension to his character. With that being said, however, I do believe this side should only be shown when he has very personal fued like the one with Orton and like the one he's having with Dolph. When Kofi is provoked or attacked while he's having a very heated rivalry, then this is when the Dark Kofi should come out b/c it would be a much needed element if he wants to be considered a main even talent. Kofi needs to show the seriousness and anger that world champions have when they defend the title against one of their most heated rivals.

 

[16mikeytot]

I love this Kofi I literally fucking love it when Kofi turns into The Hulk and it takes 10 referees to stop him. No but in all seriousness I think this shouldn't be used all the time only make rare appearances although the crowd loves it. I also read a column on pw and the guy was saying that this new angry Kofi could be a way to move Kofi to the main event scene. So who knows where this goes?

 

[Dwayne_Jason]

This, is the answer to the "OMGZ TURN BAK TO ATTITUDE!!!!" Ever since WM 26, faces have become tweener-like. Heels have also gone into that gray area. Example 1: Orton turning face despite heel char. Cena beating the hell out of the Nexus, Miz getting some form of a cheer, Jericho getting some form of a cheer, Edge getting some form of a cheer, Sheamus helping out Cena. As far as Kofi's dark side goes, it is a very good idea from creative. It is also what Kofi needs to get under the fans' skin. Kofi needs to look dangerous, and he needs to look like he can actually hurt someone. I think if Kofi adopts this during major feuds, he can be a world champion. What Kofi and WWE needs to watch out for, is not over-do it one week and make him come back normal another. Kofi needs to turn a little more intense every time he goes Dark Kofi. It could be a small transition to a more intense, and focused Kofi who can go to main events, look Orton/Cena/Sheamus/Swagger in the eye and could convey to the fans "If they fuck with him, he'll put them through a table."

 

[CanadianCrippler12]

I gotta admit I really like this Kofi, as I think it's something new and fresh and we have only seen it once and that was with the feud with orton this past November, and I think he could be on his way to a main event push, as it's also new and refrshing, I mean how can we really put a guy over that's happy when the other guy just pised him off, so it's nice to see and they should continue the feud that way Kofi still gets a push as does Ziggler, because Dolph should retain the next time they face off for the IC Title and Vicky can screw kofi again, then we can have a gimmick match at the PPV where we can really see Kofi go nuts.

 

[The Best At What I Do]

Firstly, nice play on words with the thread title there.

Secondly, as an African-American I am highly offended.

Thirdly, damn I maxed out my race card.

I'm loving this side of Kofi. There was no way the happy-go-lucky-smiling-all-the-damn-time gimmick was going to transition him to the main event (just ask Rocky Maivia). Now he has potential with this aggressive side coming out.

 

[barclayteo]

i think its cool but i think it should be limited i cant see him as a heel and if he keeps doing it seems like he will be a heel. kofi is one of those people whos character is born to be face and i cant see him ever going heel at his point of his career