*MERGED* The [Official] Kofi Kingston Thread

[Mr Snigglez]

A guy who is happy all the time as heel? That would surely draw heat from fans. Imagine, Kofi beating the living stokings out of Cena. Have cena being stretcherd out the arena and all the while kofi has a big happy im a nice guy smile on his face.

 

[Marko Markovic]

I dont think that they(WWE) would ever go racial in that way Hardinhoff

Kofi is great as a face,if he is getting the push I would like to them to do it as face-Kofi.Heel Kofi i can not imagine but at the other hand I couldnt imagine face Orton(Ok mostly face,but still) but look at him now.Kofi needs to stay face because crowd responds at him well now.His mic skills are mediocre to me at best(we didnt even know that he could talk before Bragging rights) but he is good in-ring performer.On the other hand his push is from what ever reason forgotten and I dont think he would be important in near future so heel push could help him but I doubt it will happen.CM Punk was face but his transition to heel was more natural to me because I tought he could pull it off more naturally(witch he prove last year).I doubt Kofi has the power to pull that transition well and for that reason if he is getting pushed I believe it would be better for them to do it as face because I dont believe that he would work well as heel

 

[ITrippedTheShockmaster]

The way his character is designed would make it pretty difficult to turn him heel. He's a happy-go-lucky guy, who has only shown a mean streak a couple of times (especially when he went off on Randy Orton on RAW that one night. I was impressed).

IMO, it would take something major to turn him heel, and he'd have to do it against a mega-face like Cena. Kofi's pretty well over with the fans, and that may be a downfall. Althought, I could see them flipping him heel and making him kind of like Carlito when he first came into the WWE.

Being as he's pretty much over with the fans and is an absolutely great talent, I'm curious as to why WWE isn't pushing him like they were (Ditto for Evan Bourne). With a mega-face like Shawn Michaels now out of the picture, that gives them room to push someone else into that role. Kofi or even Evan would be perfect for that.

And personally, I'm getting tired of people bringing up another NOD group being formed. That angle (wrestlers of non-white descent claiming discrimination) has come and gone. It worked in its time. Please let it go and don't tarnish it's legacy in terms of its effect in pro wrestling (like they should have with DX and NWO).

 

[Hardinhoff]

Shockmaster and Marko, you both bring up great points. The NOD thing IS played but I was looking at it more as a vehicle for Kofi.

My next question is: Is Kofi past the point of a Rocky Maivia-like heel turn? I don't have to go into what I'm talking about of course but could it be possible that they could give Kofi the mic and make him so sugary sweet that people start to despise him?

That may be impossible in PG-WWE land but if they were looking for a way to do so they could. I'm sure the point was made but with Orton becoming a tweener/face, someone has to step up. It'll be disappointing because of Orton's MONSTER heel status, but we'll see what happens.

 

[cena4eva]

Fisrt of all I think it would be hard to do becuase he's just to firggin happy all the time. However, if E makes Kofi a happy heel, he could walk around calling himself pyschotic and insane. He laughs at the pain of others and he will be a heel that walks around to people pronouncing hes a heel. He just has to show more anger issues than maybe the e can use him in that manner.

 

[pgerasucks]

i think kofi could for sure work as a heel if he was to have a character like when he fueded with orton. how he had such a bitter hatred towards his enemy except put him against a major face that is really over with the kids like cena,trips or maybe even orton again depending on how far this face turn goes.
or like the guys above said form the new nation and something that could get them over is they could have them fued with bret hart and the hart dynasty but that could also backfire and turn hart heel if it wasnt done right since bret isnt as nearly over with the fans he used to be.


another tweak to the nation idea woul be to bring them back as faces with henry being the leader since he was in the original nation or bring ron simmons back as a face have him win the wwe championship or maybe give henry the championship or put a face with the championship in the nation somehow and eventually have kofi turn on the champion and start a fued between the two with kofi as the great heal i know he could play and the babyface nation backing up whoever the champion is and eventually have kofi win the title when the time is right

haha by the way i was really getting into that face nation idea in my head while writing this i think kofi definitly has the it factor to be the next stone cold or rock if the E would give him a real heel push i think he would still get cheared just because how great of a performer he was face or heel like rock and austin his little jamaican logo on his tight could be the next brahmah bull or smoking skull and trouble in paradise is a great finishing move and name it could be the next rock bottom or stone cold stunner does anyone agree with any thing i said?

 

[Dwayne_Jason]

I think Kofi simply needs a feud right now. I mean he's over with the fans but the problem is that he's not really thought much of. He's the mid card guy that everyone likes but won't buy a ticket for. But if he's in a feud that'd be more interesting because his character is sorta like the "mess with me and i'll mess with you." I mean I think after the Sheamus-HHH fued is over maybe he can go against Sheamus. If he's moved to smackdown he should go on feuding with Drew or a midcarder. I think he has a great way to make it a very good feud due to his mean streak especially if he gets REALLY personal and that's what WWE is about nowadays.

 

[Drunken Aviator]

I was really hoping he was going to win mitb by using stilts.

If he turned heel I'd like to see him attack people then he goes back to his happy self like he thinks he done nothing wrong

 

[KOFINATIC]

Kofi needs a feud with someone, Miz would work nicely (someone needs to shut miz up), if that doesn't work then he should be traded to smackdown where he can feud with Punk or Jericho, I've wanted Kofi to feud with Jericho for a while now, so hopefully that happens after the draft next month . I miss Angry Kofi I really enjoyed when he destroyed the NASCAR (should've used a bat though) That side of Kofi was a shock, it was cool bring it back & keep him face. If he turns heel I want him to do a Dr. Jackal Mr, Hyde character.

 

[Kayoh]

I don't understand all of the love for Kofi on this site. It seems like half of the people here want him to get pushed to the moon, given a title, and turned into the next John Cena. I just don't get it! He had a lame ass Jamaican gimmick and he couldn't get over, now he claps his hands and says Boom Boom Boom as if it draws anything. And above ALL else, I don't think I've see him in a match THIS YEAR where he didn't botch something. He's just terrible.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, why do people actually like this guy? And am I off base at all for thinking that he's overrated?

 

[Schizophrenic]

The guy has alot of heart and goes out there and puts everything in the ring and I think alot of people see that and are supportive of that. And I haven't seen many matches where he botched something (then again I don't watch wrestling for the botches so maybe I missed it) and the only one I have seen him botch was Mania when he ran up the ladder but how often does he do that? It's not like he's the only guy to mess up in the ring.

 

[BWEEZY2009]

The Boom Boom was apart of the Jamaican gimmick.. He used it in his debut match on ECW. Don't know how you call his new gimmick the boom boom gimmick. To be honest the only really big differences is now he's from africa in his intro and he wears more colors (ring attire)

He's very athletic and when he stood up to Randy Orton he made a lot of fans. I'm not saying he should get the strap either.. but your thread has Troll written all over it.

 

[Kayoh]

Honestly I'm not trying to troll. I just don't understand why Kofi is so popular. I'm trying to do two things: first of all, figure out if my opinion is in the majority or if I'm one in few people who doesn't like Kofi. And second of all, find out just what makes people who DO like him, like him.

The first botch I can definitely remember was the whole Orton thing when he wouldn't stay down for the punt. If you think about it, all it took was for Mr. Kennedy to screw up one time with Orton and he was fired soon after, so why is Kofi still around?

Another botch that really stands out in my mind was when he kicked somebody in the head. I don't remember who it was or how long ago it was, but it was right at the turnbuckle, he kicked (I'm starting to think it was Kane?) the guy in the head for REAL, and busted him open. The WWE doesn't EVER intentionally show blood anymore so when somebody is bleeding these days, it was a botch.

And the most recent one was at Mania trying to run up the ladder.

 

[trendkiller]

I tend to agree with the OP on this one.

Kofi has done jack all since he beat up RKO's car. Yes, that was sweet and intense, but since doing his Leg Drop of Boom on Orton through a table, he's just been cruising along, doing nothing special, and even when he gets the chance, he botches it.

He's got seriously weak mic skills, his moveset in the ring is as repetitive (if not more so than) as Jeff Hardy's and he hasn't got half the charisma people attribute him with, in my opinion. The only, ONLY, reason he's over with the live crowd is the Leg Drop of Boom - they barely even pop for his weak finisher "Thunder in Paradise". (Excuse me, Hogan called and wanted his 90's movie title back).

He looks sloppy in the ring and does not entertain me in the slightest. I wish someone could tell us skeptics just what it is that they see in him?

 

[Blade]

The first botch I can definitely remember was the whole Orton thing when he wouldn't stay down for the punt. If you think about it, all it took was for Mr. Kennedy to screw up one time with Orton and he was fired soon after, so why is Kofi still around?

Are you talking about the Raw where he wasn't supposed to get punted, and Orton was just pushing Kofi over repeatedly cause he was pissed off that Kofi sold a move that was bothched by Ted Dibiase?

Yeah, cause that was sooo Kofi's fault.

Another botch that really stands out in my mind was when he kicked somebody in the head. I don't remember who it was or how long ago it was, but it was right at the turnbuckle, he kicked (I'm starting to think it was Kane?) the guy in the head for REAL, and busted him open. The WWE doesn't EVER intentionally show blood anymore so when somebody is bleeding these days, it was a botch.

This is a botch that has happened to a crap-load of wrestlers lately. Obviously your memory isn't serving you properly, but it was Batista he kicked. But so what if there was blood? Take a closer look at Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels from last weekend. By the end of the match, both men's arms were bleeding. Or maybe one was bleeding and it accidently rubbed off on the other. But either way, that was the most perfectly wrestled match I've seen in a long time, but at least one of them still ended up bleeding. But because it wasn't their head bleeding, it was hard to notice.

It happens to the best wrestlers in the world. Stop picking on Kofi.

And the most recent one was at Mania trying to run up the ladder.

In fairness, which MitB participant hasn't botched a move during the match at some point?

Christian and Punk botched last year, John Morrison botched the year before. Shelton has probably had a couple of botches. Ladder match have some complex, hard to pull off spots. Get over it.

The only, ONLY, reason he's over with the live crowd is the Leg Drop of Boom - they barely even pop for his weak finisher "Thunder in Paradise". (Excuse me, Hogan called and wanted his 90's movie title back).

That's funny, I don't remember Hogan having a movie called TROUBLE in Paradise in the 90's, must have missed that one.

Why do I like Kofi? Because he entertains me. Because he has the ability to suck a crowd into a match. His match with Orton at TLC last December was a great match, and if you didn't enjoy that match, then you're a lost cause. And the crowd like him alot, which means he's gotta be doing something right.

Yes, he is over. Did you watch the match where he qualified for MitB? A loud Kofi chant broke out near the end of the match. And I doubt it was because the crowd hated his opponent so much they cheered for him, his opponent was Kozlov. No, they chanted Kofi because they like him. And did you hear the pop he got a Wrestlemania? As loud as Christian's.

People like him because he's entertaining, energetic, innovative, fun and he's a decent all round wrestler. You may not have that opinion, but alot of people do. You shouldn't be questioning it, because here's the great thing about opinions, everyone's entitled to one.

Hope I've cleared some of that up.

 

[Coco]

I'm going to have to side with the original poster on this one. All I see is a sloppy high flier who tries to be innovative but often fails in his execution. The crowd latched onto him, so it became prudent to push him. However, if it came down to straight execution, Kofi isn't in the same league as other fliers in the WWE at the moment. Tyson Kidd and Evan Bourne spring to mind immediately. Add ti the mix a finisher that involves too much revolution for Kofi to ever hit convincingly and the kind of mic skills that don't exactly jump off of the screen at you and you have a talent who doesn't exactly scream for a push based on the merit of his ability. In short, thank God for him that he's over and seen as motivated by some with influence.

Not a fan. Not even close.

 

[Big Sexy]

I don't understand all of the love for Kofi on this site. It seems like half of the people here want him to get pushed to the moon, given a title, and turned into the next John Cena. I just don't get it! He had a lame ass Jamaican gimmick and he couldn't get over, now he claps his hands and says Boom Boom Boom as if it draws anything. And above ALL else, I don't think I've see him in a match THIS YEAR where he didn't botch something. He's just terrible.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, why do people actually like this guy? And am I off base at all for thinking that he's overrated?

Let's see Kofi has been solid on the mic when given the opportunity, he puts on very entertaining matches, and he proved he could hold his own with the big boys during his feud with Orton. He's also 10X better then your boy Drew McIntyre

I'm not saying Kofi should be the WWE champion right now but there's nothing wrong with him continuing to get a push. His push has slowed down since his feud with Orton but just a few weeks ago he interfered on Cena's behalf in the RAW main event and then a week later he got a match with Batista so it hasn't completely stopped. Hopefully they continue to let him grow and maybe later this year or next year he can get in the world title hunt.

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

The kids love him. 'Nuf said. There were people back in the 80s who sucked so much that people loved. Kofi isn't such a bad entertainer (notice I said entertainer, NOT wrestler). He needs a heel turn sooooo bad right now. I mean, I too am tired of his act and has been the moment he got pinned by Randy Orton. And speaking of Randy, now that he's a tweenter, Kofi should turn major heel. I mean, he could be Raw's answer to CM Punk. BUT, alas, the WWE caters to those kids so he'll stay right where he is. One more thing: I just knew he was gonna win Money in the Bank and go on and win the title at Summerslam. The WWE either botched that or has NO faith in him.

 

[trendkiller]

That's funny, I don't remember Hogan having a movie called TROUBLE in Paradise in the 90's, must have missed that one.

So it's GOOD that he has a finishing move that a regular watcher of RAW can't even remember the name of, because it has a generic, godawful name and is so sloppily executed it might as well be a flying forearm?

Why do I like Kofi? Because he entertains me. Because he has the ability to suck a crowd into a match. His match with Orton at TLC last December was a great match, and if you didn't enjoy that match, then you're a lost cause. And the crowd like him alot, which means he's gotta be doing something right.

So, because the crowd goes "Boom, boom" along with him, they like him? And that is why YOU like him? Drinking the Kool-Aid and everything's good, yes? His match with Orton was a botchfest, as far as I recall, and the sole reason it didn't suck rat-dick was because Orton could carry a broomstick to a decent match.

It's funny you should use the word "suck" in conjunction with the term "ability", when talking about Kofi, by the way.

Yes, he is over. Did you watch the match where he qualified for MitB? A loud Kofi chant broke out near the end of the match. And I doubt it was because the crowd hated his opponent so much they cheered for him, his opponent was Kozlov. No, they chanted Kofi because they like him. And did you hear the pop he got a Wrestlemania? As loud as Christian's.

I saw the match. There was a weak chant near the end of the match, that Kofi inevitably mis-managed by not being able to stall bringing the match home for ten seconds and THEN taking it away.

His pop at WrestleMania was in a league of it's own. The minor league. Kofi doesn't hold a candle to Christian as far as in-ring ability, overness or charisma goes.

People like him because he's entertaining, energetic, innovative, fun and he's a decent all round wrestler. You may not have that opinion, but alot of people do. You shouldn't be questioning it, because here's the great thing about opinions, everyone's entitled to one.

Hope I've cleared some of that up.

Of COURSE I should be questioning it, what do you think is, church? I question opinions because I want to understand and perhaps learn something; blindly accepting opinion is a very silly way to go about it. And if you're not sure enough about your opinion to defend it and/or justify it, then perhaps you're not so sure about your opinion, period.

I don't question everyone's RIGHT to an opinion, but I have every right to question the opinion itself.

Because, you see, I find him to be disinteresting, bland, boring, botch-prone and sloppy, so I want to know what it is about him that makes people think he IS in fact interesting and exciting, because I don't see it.

Come on, give me some examples, then. When was a particularly entertaining event taking place that involved Kofi? A segment, a match, anything that YOU enjoyed. And don't give me the RKO feud, because what I asked was: "What has he done since then?"

 

[bazza187]

i hope this doesnt end up as spamming but i just have to say in reply to trend killer saying a regular raw watcher cant remember his moves name he did it is called trouble in paradise it was trend killer that got it wrong its not thunder in paradise its trouble in paradise and yes kingston does make mistakes and can be quite stale at times but at times so did a young shawn michaels so did brock lesnar and so did many others he will improve with time i will admit i like watching his matches and think he is ok though

 

[Kayoh]

Good to know I'm not the only person who isn't a fan of Kofi. I haven't used this word yet, but I'm gonna throw it out there: Lazy. Everything about his in-ring performance, at least to me, seems lazy. He doesn't sell shit, he has too many botches, and everything he does seems to be half-assed and/or sloppy.

And to the guy above who said that his botch with Batista (thanks for the name btw) is something that's happening often, you can't use HBK/Taker as an example. That was an epic match and a No DQ match, so even on PG WWE blood isn't a big deal. Kofi kicked Batista in the fucking head to make him bleed. Two completely different things. Come on, man!

 

[trendkiller]

i hope this doesnt end up as spamming but i just have to say in reply to trend killer saying a regular raw watcher cant remember his moves name he did it is called trouble in paradise it was trend killer that got it wrong its not thunder in paradise its trouble in paradise

Reading comprehension, mate. That, and punctuation. Invaluable skills, trust me.

I am the regular RAW watcher I was referring to. I couldn't properly remember the name of the move (obviously). The fact that the person I responded to tried to make a joke out of it, makes me think he thinks it's ok for a regular viewer to not know the name of the finisher of one of the supposed upper mid-card guys.

I understood I got it wrong. That's why I posed my question.

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

Kofi is very good actually, yes he botches moves here and there, but what young guy doesnt? To be honest, I have a lot of faith in Kofi, yeah you can make the argument, "He's to hyper and energetic, he wont make it anywhere!" But in essence, so was The Rock when he first started.

When The Rock first started, he was Rocky Maivia and he was a lot like what Kofi Kingston is now, hyper, fun-loving, and energetic. However, as the years went on, he started to lose that gimmick and turn into the legend known as The Rock.

If you give Kofi a year or two, you will really start to see a different superstar. He's decent on the mic, but that's easy to improve on. Once he loses the whole gimmick he has right now, and turns heel, he will start to look more and more like The Rock in terms of ability.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I'm not a big Kofi Kingston fan either. The guy is amazingly athletic, but I haven't seen him put on enough big, lengthy matches to support a big push. I haven't seen enough from him on the mic to support a big push.

I think there are just too many unanswered questions I have about this guy. I see a lot of people talking up his feud with Orton... I felt bad for Randy. Kofi hasn't shown he can stand with a guy like Orton in a 15+ minute match. It hurt Randys character a bit, IMO.

I think this guy, above all others, is in serious need of gimmick change. He needs to get rid of the colorful pants, the dumb music, etc. and just wrestle. I think he needs to work on expanding his moveset. The guy is about as athletic as they come, but watching him hit the big dropkick and BOOM BOOM BOOM isn't enough.

I'm not saying Kofi sucks or anything like that. I'm just saying I haven't seen anything special about him outside of his athletic ability. I think some of you are jumping to conclusions when you say he should get a world title. Why? What has he done to deserve one yet?

 

[Travaje]

I'm somewhere in the middle. His gimmick is okay. I like the music, I like the pyro, the S.O.S., and all that. He appeals to the Cena crowd. He's likable with his big smile. He's a decent wrestler.

But is he main event material? No. He's not. I would never buy him as a World Champion. He has a good place in the midcard. Put him in tag teams or in feuds for the midcard titles. That program with Randy Orton, Kofi got over not because Kofi's so awesome, Kofi got over because Orton was so hated at that point in time that any midcarder in that spot would have received the same reaction.

Just because you're a midcarder doesn't mean that you suck. Everybody has a spot.