Kofi Kingston - Stuck in the middle

[The Crock]

Kofi Kingston has had many different "phases" in his short career, US Champ, IC Champ, ME Feud, but where is he heading now? His little feud with Ziggler is almost over and I highly doubt he'll win the strap. Where does he go from here? Personally, I don't want to see him toil in the mid-card... I'd like to see him make the ME jump, but is he ready? What do you guys think?

Kofi reminds me of JoMo a lot. The guy with loads if potential, but something just seems to be missing. We've seen JoMo really blossom over the past few weeks and turn himself into a legit condtender, can Kofi do it too? Who do you think Kofi matches up with best? I think Kofi - CM Punk would be fun to see personally. They can put on some great latched, and Kofi had proved he's not just a spot-monkey. He did great in his "ME Moment" vs Randy Orton.

What are your thoughts?

 

[The Holy One]

He's been set on the path to suceed when he was drafted to SD. He's on the brand that builds the young stars of tomorrow. I like that's he's out of the IC title picture b/c I feel a fued with Swagger is next for him. This can become the top fued on SD after Kane/UT. All it takes is if both guys can work well together. I see Kofi now headed to the upper mid-card/semi main event level to join Swagger with this fued.

 

[The Crock]

Swagger is definitely a possibility but I think him and MVP might keep going. MVP has looked really good as of late and I'm enjoying his work. I'd much rather see another guy get elevated than see MVP get buried just so Swagger can feud with Kofi. The thing with Swagger - MVP is that Swagger is a former champ, MVP needs that rub, Kofi doesn't. Kofi had faced the top guy on many an occasion, he's pretty much on the same level that Swagger is on. Aside from being a former world champ that is.

 

[The Holy One]

Swagger is definitely a possibility but I think him and MVP might keep going. MVP has looked really good as of late and I'm enjoying his work. I'd much rather see another guy get elevated than see MVP get buried just so Swagger can feud with Kofi. The thing with Swagger - MVP is that Swagger is a former champ, MVP needs that rub, Kofi doesn't. Kofi had faced the top guy on many an occasion, he's pretty much on the same level that Swagger is on. Aside from being a former world champ that is.

I don't know if you watch SD yesterday but it seems as if MVP is set for a fued against Ziggler for the IC title. I also feel MVP's time has passed on getting out of the mid card. I don't think Kofi is on the same level as Swagger yet as Swagger was in the main event for a few months and is as you said a former world champ but what has Kofi done but fued with Orton for two months then going back to the mid card. Swagger is a better fit to elevate Kofi than Punk imo. I can't see Punk as the guy to do it as he needs to be in the title picture. I feel a fued b/w Swagger and Kofi can help both guys rather than Punk/Kofi just helping Kofi.

 

[The Crock]

Yeah, good point, but the feuds aren't officially over until next week so anything can happen really. Plans change all the time, I'd like to see MVP get a shot at Ziggler though. His time is running out, he needs something. But back to the point, Kofi and Swagger doesn't sound all that exciting. Swagger can be fairly boring. As for Swagger's ME run, it was a sham. He didn't legitamtely beat any real ME talent. Kofi looked damn good against Orton, Swagger didn't.

 

[The Holy One]

But back to the point, Kofi and Swagger doesn't sound all that exciting. Swagger can be fairly boring. As for Swagger's ME run, it was a sham. He didn't legitamtely beat any real ME talent. Kofi looked damn good against Orton, Swagger didn't.

Agreed on both Swagger's ME run and Kofi's fued but I still think Swagger is in a bigger position than Kofi. This is why I feel the fued can help both guys though. This fued can become a really high profile one on SD. It would help legitimise Kofi in the upper echelon and it could really give Swagger a much needed restart since his abyssmal WHC reign. Swagger and Kofi can work a pretty good match imo. It's the story behind it which will make or break the fued if it ever happens.

 

[The Crock]

Definitely. They could have a good feud... I don't think they will though. Swagger hasn't been the same since he dropped the belt. Punk isn't doing much so this could give him a way to look strong while putting Kofi over. If Swagger on the other hand, puts Kofi over he'll look weak. It'll take his chances of main eventing ever again and throw them right out the window.

 

[The Holy One]

Definitely. They could have a good feud... I don't think they will though. Swagger hasn't been the same since he dropped the belt. Punk isn't doing much so this could give him a way to look strong while putting Kofi over. If Swagger on the other hand, puts Kofi over he'll look weak. It'll take his chances of main eventing ever again and throw them right out the window.

And if Punk puts Kofi over he won't look weak? Punk needs to be picking up victories worse than Swagger. The last thing for him is to go the Jericho route. Swagger can even go over Kofi in their fued in the end as long as they trade victories back in forth. Thus it will help bring Kofi to the upper mid card and give Swagger some much needed credibility. Kofi then can go on to fued with Punk or some other main event heel.

 

[The Crock]

Punk has always been a "Jericho-type". Anyway, putting over doesn't mean he has to lose all the matches. He can win some, lose some, and put Kofi over. How will Swagger, who has nothing, no momentum, no credibility right now, put over Kofi? I get that Punk has also been losing, but he's still been looking a ton better than Swagger. Swagger has looked bad vs MVP while Punk looked alright against Big Show. He obviously had a bit more going for him.

 

[The Holy One]

Punk has always been a "Jericho-type". Anyway, putting over doesn't mean he has to lose all the matches. He can win some, lose some, and put Kofi over. How will Swagger, who has nothing, no momentum, no credibility right now, put over Kofi? I get that Punk has also been losing, but he's still been looking a ton better than Swagger. Swagger has looked bad vs MVP while Punk looked alright against Big Show. He obviously had a bit more going for him.

I feel Punk should be better than a Jericho-type though. He really should be competing for the title after HIAC. Swagger has credibility somewhat as a former world champ though imo (I guess). Swagger has been picking up victories over MVP though but what has Punk been doing besides being Show's bitch (pains me to say that too). Punk hasn't look anyting but bad against Show. Swagger at least beat MVP. I feel Swagger should be in this fued as Punk needs to be in the main event.

 

[The Crock]

Swagger barely picked up wins over MVP, MVP is at the bottom of the barrel pretty much. Punk can't be better than a Jericho-Type, very few can. I would like to see him get back in the title picture after HIAC, but I think it'll be more Kane - 'Taker. Swagger's title run got him some credibility, but he is NOWHERE near the name that CM Punk is. If Kofi is going to succeed he's gonna need to face a name that is somewhat bigger than his.

 

[TheAbsolute1]

Well unless Taker banishes Kane to some dark realm at HIAC then i don't see anyone stepping up but I do think Kofi has risen up to the top and right now he's at a peak in his career. I personally think a heel turn will do him wonders but that's based on personal favoritism in personas. The guy's a 2 time IC champ 1 time US and 1 time tag so i think it's his time. It's been a successful 3 years for Kofi.

 

[The Doctor]

I think that Kofi in fact DOES have what it takes to become a legitimate contender for the World Heavyweight Championship once this Kane/Taker feud is finished. He's shown some good aggression during this feud with Ziggler, and that is exactly what his character needed. He's already shown that his mic skills are actually pretty good and that he can display personality (He needs to ham it up a bit more often though), and no one is denying that he is exciting and entertaining in the ring.

Honestly, I have hope that he will next feud with CM Punk or heck even a random upper midcarder in order to propel him higher and give him something to do until the WHC is free. Kofi has what it takes. He'd make a great MITB winner. If you ask me, it's not a matter of IF he will get the strap, but a question of WHEN.

 

[Dum Dum Dudley]

He's been set on the path to suceed when he was drafted to SD. He's on the brand that builds the young stars of tomorrow.

As 'youth-focused' as Smackdown usually is, with Taker/Kane the main focus in the ME, i pine for the days when young guys like Punk and Hardy were not only excelling on Smackdown but on the PPV's as well. I expected Kofi to be in the ME by now but it clearly hasn't happened.

I think a really good, logical choice would be a feud with C.M. Punk in an upper-midcard feud stretching 2 or 3 PPV's. In ring-wise, i think their two styles would gel very easily and i think it could really push Kofi into bettering himself on the mic. I'm suprised this feud hasn't been done by now, especially with Punk having done nothing of note post-Rey Mysterio bar forming the S.E.S which didn't exactly take the world by storm. I'ld love to see the feud culminate in a 5 on 5 Survivor Series match with both men captaining teams before they begin their respective Royal Rumble attempts. I think the SS match was one of the key ways Kofi got over during the Orton feud and i would love to see him repeat the trick again against Punk.

 

[MacSquirrely]

If Kofi gets to feud with Punk, the best outcome would need to be along the line of- CM Punk keeps beating Kofi, make this last months- a long running feud but then have Kofi get a win when it counts like a mid-card title match.

 

[#hamler]

A Kofi/CM Punk feud is exactly what both need right now. Kofi, like the OP said, is stuck in the middle. He's getting lost in the Smackdown shuffle and has stooped so low, to feuding with Jack Swagger. CM Punk has stepped away from the main event scene and he is finding it hard to get back into the spotlight. Not to mention he's gotten a bit lost as of late. Kofi/Punk would put on great matches and eventually move up the card and eventually get in the main event scene.
Kofi will probably be an underdog type of champion unless his mean streak either turns him into a tweener or a full heel. Turning him into a tweener/heel will shoot him into contendership for the World Championship. I think Kofi deserves a shot, he deserves a mainevent spot on the roster and needs a good push as a "I will do anything to be champion" type of character.

 

[The Crock]

A Kofi/CM Punk feud is exactly what both need right now. Kofi, like the OP said, is stuck in the middle. He's getting lost in the Smackdown shuffle and has stooped so low, to feuding with Jack Swagger. CM Punk has stepped away from the main event scene and he is finding it hard to get back into the spotlight. Not to mention he's gotten a bit lost as of late. Kofi/Punk would put on great matches and eventually move up the card and eventually get in the main event scene.
Kofi will probably be an underdog type of champion unless his mean streak either turns him into a tweener or a full heel. Turning him into a tweener/heel will shoot him into contendership for the World Championship. I think Kofi deserves a shot, he deserves a mainevent spot on the roster and needs a good push as a "I will do anything to be champion" type of character.

Hold on, you want him to feud with CM Punk (Heel) and you want him to turn Heel? A Heel vs Heel feud wouldn't work at all, it's much better if Kofi stays a Face and still has that bit of a mean streak. His mean streak is definitely something I enjoy about his character, I love seeing him mess up Orton's car or destroy Drew McIntryre... but a FULL Heel turn wouldn't work. Especially not right now. Maybe after his first reign he can make that huge turn, but I doubt it'll happen any time soon.

 

[#hamler]

Hold on, you want him to feud with CM Punk (Heel) and you want him to turn Heel? A Heel vs Heel feud wouldn't work at all, it's much better if Kofi stays a Face and still has that bit of a mean streak. His mean streak is definitely something I enjoy about his character, I love seeing him mess up Orton's car or destroy Drew McIntryre... but a FULL Heel turn wouldn't work. Especially not right now. Maybe after his first reign he can make that huge turn, but I doubt it'll happen any time soon.

Tweener. Much like Randy Orton or Triple H. Remember how Triple H would do anything to win a championship even if it meant eliminating his best friend Shawn Michaels in the Elimination Chamber a few months back. Kofi should do this. His mean streak is nice but having him as a tweener he would stop trying to get on the crowd's good side and his main focus would be World Championship gold. Yes I realize I said heel but a tweener persona would work great for Kofi's mean streak and he'd be taken more seriously.

 

[The Crock]

Tweener. Much like Randy Orton or Triple H. Remember how Triple H would do anything to win a championship even if it meant eliminating his best friend Shawn Michaels in the Elimination Chamber a few months back. Kofi should do this. His mean streak is nice but having him as a tweener he would stop trying to get on the crowd's good side and his main focus would be World Championship gold. Yes I realize I said heel but a tweener persona would work great for Kofi's mean streak and he'd be taken more serious.

Kofi is much better as a face. He's a lovable guy to the crowd, why in the hell would you change that? Why should he go around stabbing people in the back? The only reason that ever works for Orton or HHH is because the crowd LOVES them, Kofi doesn't have that connection yet. Let him make a connection as the nice lovable face first and then let his character develop. No need to fix something that's not broken.

 

[#hamler]

Kofi is much better as a face. He's a lovable guy to the crowd, why in the hell would you change that? Why should he go around stabbing people in the back? The only reason that ever works for Orton or HHH is because the crowd LOVES them, Kofi doesn't have that connection yet. Let him make a connection as the nice lovable face first and then let his character develop. No need to fix something that's not broken.

You said it yourself crock, "somethings missing". The whole face Kofi isn't working right now. He's getting lost in pointless feud with Jack Swagger. I agree he isn't over enough to be a tweener, but I assure you, the mean streak is the beggining of a push. A tweener push. Kofi needs to focus on gold. I'm not saying he should start stabbing people in the back, but he should want gold first, and crowd pleasing second. If you're not there to win gold, then leave.

 

[The Crock]

You said it yourself crock, "somethings missing". The whole face Kofi isn't working right now. He's getting lost in pointless feud with Jack Swagger. I agree he isn't over enough to be a tweener, but I assure you, the mean streak is the beggining of a push. A tweener push. Kofi needs to focus on gold. I'm not saying he should start stabbing people in the back, but he should want gold first, and crowd pleasing second. If you're not there to win gold, then leave.

A solid feud is missing, not an element to his character. A lot of guys get these great builds toward something and then they go back to being a nobody (see MVP) because their characters are changed for no reason. Like I said, until he becomes an established star who is very over with the crowd... don't change him. People need to stop saying that guys need to turn, it's redundant.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

I'm Not Kofi's Biggest Fan, but I don't exactly dislike him either. I'm indifferent I suppose. Personally I feel he's talented enough to progress up the card and SmackDown seems like the place to do it. There is a distinct lack of Main Event faces on SmackDown and Kofi could be one of the possible people to step up.

However, the booking team doesn't seem to have a clue what to do with him now. He's just lost for the final time in his feud with Ziggler, thus making it painfully obvious that Ziggler is ranked as higher on the card than Kofi. For Kofi to progress up the card and not regress down it, he's going to have to remain in the mid card for a little while longer.

I'd personally love to see him feud with swagger as I feel that their styles could work well together. Swagger is a fairly over heel and an ex-World Heavyweight Champion. He's essentially the perfect opponent for Kofi at the moment. A decent sized feud between these two could well send Kofi over into the main event, especially if he wins the feud.

 

[Dum Dum Dudley]

Tweener. Much like Randy Orton or Triple H. Remember how Triple H would do anything to win a championship even if it meant eliminating his best friend Shawn Michaels in the Elimination Chamber a few months back. Kofi should do this. His mean streak is nice but having him as a tweener he would stop trying to get on the crowd's good side and his main focus would be World Championship gold. Yes I realize I said heel but a tweener persona would work great for Kofi's mean streak and he'd be taken more seriously.

I don't think a tweener turn would suit his gimmick. He burst on to the scene as the 'happy-go-lucky' Jamaican and not much has changed except he's now billed from Ghana. Also, to be a tweener, you really need to have a connection with the audience or be incredibly over; 2 things Kofi is not at this moment in time.

If Kofi started turning on people and dishing out Trouble in Paradise left, right and centre, the audience would be confused and not really grasp if he is to be cheered or booed. If he TIP's Del Rio and then Rey, he won't get the reaction Austin and Orton got/get because he isn't over enough.

I still believe Kofi needs a feud with Punk to showcase his talents, and then hopefully make a connection with the audience. With Punk such a good heel and getting a ton of heat every week, Kofi will then get a slight rub of Punk just by facing him. Ziggler is a solid midcarder but for Kofi to blossom, he needs to stay face and feud with Punk.

 

[Tha Wolfpac]

Crock I like your idea of a Kofi, CM Punk it could really help him reach that spot he had against Randy Orton. But as of right now it looks as if CM Punk is going into a feud with Luke Gallows. (SNORE).

Kofi Kingston has all the wrestling potential in the world, but i think he needs a bit more promo time to sell himself to the crowd and show attitude and a bit of an edge to his character, this is what he needs in order to grow.

 

[hArdyPUNKmArk]

I would like to see Kofi feud with Punk over the world title if he is ever to step into a world title program with someone. Kofi and Punk have history too as friends from ECW and they are former tag team champions so there’s history to branch from if they were to feud. I’m seeing Punk more and more as the new Jericho, ie. Someone who can lose but still be a complete threat to any main eventer. Having him feud with Kofi over the WHC and eventually dropping it to Kofi would help Kofi and wouldn’t hurt Punk. If Kofi were to feud and win against Swagger I think it would hurt Swagger who also needs another push.

Kofi has the potential and ability to be a world champion and should get his chance sometime. He’s similar to Morrison but I actually think he has better mic skills than Morrison which puts him a step ahead. His mic work in his feud against Orton was very good so we know he can talk well enough. Hopefully now his feud with Ziggler is coming to an end he can start to get more TV time doing promos because I believe that’s ultimately what he needs to get a bit more over and to be considered for a world title run.