What To Do With Kofi Kingston?

[TimetoShine]

First I want to start off, I just love this guy. He just has the look of someone who loves what he does, and he performs well in the ring.

My problem is, and this is more for him, where does he go without some decent mic time? His Jamaican accent is great, but he hardly gets any time to talk, which in turn doesnt really help him get his teeth sunk into a really good feud. I see a lot of potential in this kid, but someone needs to help mentor him or he will not realize his true potential.

There is always the chance that creative is just not letting him talk, his feuds seem to almost spark up overnight without any real story behind them. He needs a much more personal feud, and IMO the sky would be the limit for him. I know right now it would be difficult to happen, but Chris Jericho comes to mind. If there is a better story teller then Chris right now in the WWE I would love to hear the name, but I doubt there is one. And Chris is more then willing to put someone over, but at this point, I dont even feel Kofi needs to be "put over". He is already over with the fans, he has his catchy in ring moves ala the Five Knuckle Shuffle, or The Worm.

I would hate to hear that he just cant talk that well, that would be a shame for all the potential his career has. I can really picture him in the main event in a few years on a regular basis if he can develop that extra part of his character.

Anyone else have some good ideas on who/what can really help him? Pleaseeee for the love of Kofi dont say he cant be helped LoL

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

If you ask me, he needs to be in a US title feud with someone other than Big Show. Someone who has power backstage and is willing to let Kofi win matches.

The only person that comes to mind here would be Jericho, like you said. Take a look at the Jericho/Mysterio feud right now, its completely brilliant. That is because Jericho has so much power backstage that he can edit the storylines as he pleases.

Here lies the problem however, They wont move Kofi to SD! to feud with Jericho for the US title, because having 2 mid-card titles on the same show just doesnt make sense. The WWE wouldnt move Jericho to RAW because he is in a great feud with Mysterio.

Bottom line- Unless Kofi finds someone who has alot of power backstage to feud with, He's pretty much a career mid-carder.

 

[The Todd]

I don't think Kofi needs changing much at all. He doesn't scream main event and will probably never be right at the top. I can see him being a mid-carder for life type superstar with the occasional multi-man World Championship showing.

The best thing for Kofi may be Smackdown as he would get more of a chance to showcase his skills. Smackdown is where Hardy, Punk and Mysterio have made the main event, it would be the same wih Kofi and he could get the mic time you want from him. Staying on RAW and his job is to entertain in the five minute matches he has where he provides excitement and be in the US division, which he is oding superbly well. If they tried giving him a superpush, it probably wouldn't be bought into by the fans.

Kofi may be remembered as a Ricky Steamboat type who can be relied on to give entertaining matches but never reach World Championship status in the WWE.

 

[jonyblade2007]

I really don't like the guy. I know he has skills but he don't have that extra spark. Perhaps from lack of mic time. I don't know him as a character. I know him as a wrestler that is pretty damn good. But in the end that doesn't sell tickets

 

[Sandman18]

Kofi and Evan Bourne could have some great matches but they never have fueds for this title...Rey and Jericho had the feud of the year IMO and it was great to bring more validity to the IC title...I totally agree Kofi has something special, but your right about needing someone to put him over...jericho is above the IC title in terms that we all want to see him going for WHC title, but he wanted a good feud and put Mysterio and IC title over...RAW does not have anyone that could help Kofi and I hope they don't think Show can.

 

[MyselfTheThird]

Either Kofi or Bourne would have to turn heel and I believe you could have a Feud Of The Year candidate, if Big Show didn't feel compelled to inject his sorry ass into it.

 

[HypnotizedHero2010]

big show is useless. you can't have a good match with him. kofi needs to get a good feud going with some1 over the title. maybe the miz or the now heel carlito. if he has a feud with the bigshow it will be useless

 

[Saddler The Great]

Being part Jamaican, I like him too. But like most of you guys I don't seem him being a main eventer. I don't know what he's missing but I don't think he has main eventer in him. I wouldnt be surprised if he didnt get a title run in his WWE career...What I think WWE should do, is later on in the next couple of years...give him a title shot and let him win with a roll up, or something surprising, and give him a short title reign of like 1 month or so...it would work both ways because Kofi would have a World title on his resume, and the WWE would get a bigger fan base from Jamaica (similar to Khali and India)

 

[PsychoWard]

Your so right! They need to let kofi start getting on the stick more. A idea I have is, if they build Miz up with the fued him and cena have up to summerslam. That will give the Miz a great push to become a better heel to go after kofi for the US title.

During that time stick kofi in a fued with bourne. Keep them both face, but make the matches about who is better airial performer in the ring. Obviously it will be bourne, but that doesn't mean he will win the U.S title.

After summerslam, the miz can go fully after kofi... because creative and Cena put him over at summerslam. If jericho is an "A" on the stick The miz is a grade below, his vocab might not be like chris's but he has shown he can work a crowd.
Let Miz tell the story, while kofi is getting his feet wet in the process. I think you can have a great fued there.

 

[MyselfTheThird]

He's Ghanaian in real life, but I get what you're saying.

Kofi and Evan could put on a nice feud if WWE would turn one of them heel. Maybe start that after NOC. And yeah, keep Show out of it.

 

[Sandman18]

I hope with Carlito being heel they can develop him...Primo I am not big on. I guess make Bourne a heel but both of them guys could be the faces and involve Miz and Carlito in the picture....I would like to see maybe a huge multi wrestler fued leade to SummerSlam which they can do a battle royal or Armageddon Hell in Cell...all just wishful thinking

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

I put up a thread a couple weeks ago about how I thought that Kofi Kingston's mic skills were actually very good. Sure, WWE doesn't allow him to talk too often, but when he does... he makes sure that his point gets across. To be successful in the WWE, you need to be able to talk and if WWE doesn't give Kofi enough time to talk, there's no way that he can show off his mic skills. Like Sandman18 said, a fued with Carlito could probably work wonders for both men. Since Carlito is now a heel, he will get more mic time and bad mouth his face opponents. Carlito's done that in his past heel runs, so this time wouldn't be different. Kofi Kingston, if given the chance, can really shine on the mic and I hope that WWE will realize that he has potential.

 

[Scott Star]

Kofi reminds me a lot of Rob Van Dam (hopefully without the smoke) and he's done some pretty wild stuff in the ring. The style he wrestles now would have to be changed drastically in order for him to turn heel but that's always an option down the road. For now, I agree with the majority here, I'd like to see him drop the US Championship after a nice run and get moved to SmackDown! and at some point, feud with Chris Jericho, who could put over a broomstick and make it look believable.

As far as Evan Bourne goes, it'd be cool to see these two team up but the tag division is all but extinct and Bourne just won't survive as a heel, much like Mysterio wouldn't. The style he wrestles relies on crowd pleasing flash and unless you turned him into the next Brian Kendrick, I doubt he could pull off a heel very well.

Case in point: MOVE KOFI TO SMACKDOWN! Lol

 

[MyselfTheThird]

Make Bourne into a Billy Kidman-type, as long as we don't get the same-old "smaller heel gets squashed by 7-foot babyface who can't wrestle for shit". Being a face or heel should not determine one's fighting style, just his mannerisms. Just have Bourne take the stick and diss the fans or beat Kofi Kingston senseless out of nowhere(with a stick, why not). Have them go at each other over a series of promos, because Bourne having an attitude change might get McMahon to pay attention.

 

[Slam Master]

He needs more face time (microphone, interviews, backstage segments, vignettes, etc.) Its a shame because RAW has mid-carders that have been left to do nothing (As I like to call it RAW is the place where midcarders go to die). He's a great athlete so they should give him another good worker to have a program with.

Kofi feuding with another solid mid-carder could work. His MVP program should be done, I think the Regal thing should be over, so tt would be a good way to elevate the Brian Kendrick. He's basically disappeared since he got drafted. Those two feuding would bring out some great matches because their both good workers.

If Kofi had a program with an established guy it would also help, but without the face time it won't matter who he's with.

 

[truk24]

Personally I think he should be in a permanent tag team situation. He isn't entertaining at all, and he just has some really cool moves. Kofi moves well, and he is solid in the ring. However I wouldn't mind it if the WWE fired him, and let him go to TNA.

 

[DDelaware2009]

Was just about to say what the guy before me (truk24) said. I think a Kofi and Bourne tag team would be crowd-pleasing, and also help them both reach their max contrubition to RAW, given its current state. Meaning, look at the roster: HHH, Cena, Orton, and HBK back soon...plus Batista back before the year is out. Yes, RAW is yearning for some fresh blood at the top, but I think its safe to say these two are not the answer, at least not yet (and maybe ever, in some people's opinion). Instead, let Legacy feud with Kofi and Bourne - that would be fun, and in fact then these two - Kofi and Evan - can get in some action (ie. 6- and 8-man tag matches) with Orton, Cena, HHH, etc. that they likely wouldn't get in on otherwise. Instead they would just float around aimlessly between feuds with no heat getting put on their programs. Proof? Well, they just moved Mark Henry over, turned him face, and let him pin the World Champ. That should tell you how WWE feels about the potential of the second-tier faces on RAW, at least currently.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Well, as has already been mentioned, the guy has had virtually no mic time. While he's developed his character pretty well overall simply through his personality and matches, he needs to be able to really develop himself and really connect with the audience.

As to him not being main event material, never say never. A year and a half ago, many said the same thing about CM Punk. Like Kofi, Punk's another young, athletic smaller guy that had virtually no time on the mic, at least not until lately. Also, like Kofi, Punk is a guy that won a decent load of titles over a period of time. If Kofi can develop himself on the mic, I could see him potentially going to main event level.

 

[phemom]

kofi needs to get a good feud going with some1 over the title. maybe the miz or the now heel carlito.

I like this, my problem w/Kofi booking is that he doesn't get to wrestle the more athletic people. He's not gonna have good matches w/MVP,William Regal, or Jack Swagger....but Miz, Borne,and Carlito (who is a great heel and puts on good matches) would be good.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

What do you mean what to do with him? There is nothing wrong with him. He is one of the few guys who regularly puts on good matches and gets a good reaction from the crowd. He is fine were is at, in the mid card, carrying it. I dont understand this thread. He is exactly were he should be

 

[Tenta]

Going to have to agree with Norks on this one. There's nothing wrong with the man that can't be fixed with a little more TV time. The man puts on some exciting matches, and has a pacing that makes it highly entertaining. I'd personally like to see Evan Bourne turn heel, and watch the two have a series of matches for the US title, with a possible ladder match to blow off the feud. Would it be a spot fest? Yes, and I'm not denying that one bit. But it would be a great match to boost the credibility of the US Belt, and give both Kofi and Evan a good rub.

Although, if there is anything I'd do, it would be to develop his character. One can only last so long as a happy Jamaican, with "controlled frenzies". At some point, he has to develop a bit more of a personality. Otherwise, I'm a huge advocate of Kingston, as can be seen in my belief that he deserves a main event push over MVP, and feel he's developing quite well.

Kofi doesn't NEED anything in particular. Just keep him where he is, and let him thrive.

 

[Extreme Pimpin]

What Kofi needs is more tv time rather than just 5-10 minutes against Evan Bourne and needs a consistent feud with someone instead of a 2 week programme with MVP that showed potential but never followed through with it i belive now Cena is done burying The Miz he needs to win back credibility by feuding with Kofi and since The Miz is one of the best people at doing promoshe can help bring out the character in Kofi which has been underutilized thus far due to the self indulgent, egomanical, meglomaniac that is Triple H forcing to watch him no sell Legacy since even before Wrestlemania WWE needs to fire Brian Gewirtz for letting Raw get stale due to the lack of push to the wrestlers like Kofi who deserve the push.

 

[anklebreaker]

If it were me i'd turn kofi heel and make him into a jamaican militia type character. He'd come to the ring in the militia type uniform and be this hard nosed don't take no crap from anyone like SCSA.

He'd come to the ring every week looking for recruits trying to build an army. And every week some would come out and want to join and he may or may not decimate them at his whim. Some would would come to the ring and oppose him for whatever reason and feuds can start from there.

imagine the possibilities. Run ins by surprise recruits, etc. It could be shocking.

Could you imagine the promos. Stories from the homeland all the injustice and disgusting things he's seen in his life. That alone would be a writers wet dream.

 

[Razor]

Anyone else have some good ideas on who/what can really help him? Pleaseeee for the love of Kofi dont say he cant be helped LoL

You mean, besides his feud with the main-event level Big Show? The one that has Big Show acting as though Kofi has him on the ropes every match they're in? The one that afterwards will have everyone believe that he can beat someone as strong as Big Show, and so via extrapolation most anyone in the main-event? Must not be.

If you want another feud for him, a feud with Swagger after Swagger is finished with MVP would do fine. Swagger can pick up the US title belt, proclaiming "He's from Jamaica! I'm the two-time All American American!" Plenty of heat for Swagger, and plenty of time for promos. Or, if you really want someone else, Miz. All the Miz does is promos.

But, really. The Big Show feud is just fine. It's there to start Kofi's push as a legit contender. Which it's doing. I don't know if you saw the match two Mondays ago, but Kofi had Big Show on his ass. Sure...Kofi was wrecked as well, but Big Show was having some problems. Which shouldn't have happened, unless Kofi was kicking some ass.

 

[Mantaur Rodeo Clown]

Your problem with Kofi is that he's not getting enough mic time? He doesn't need it, he's exciting enough in the ring to bypass it. People wouldnt care about him talking, they just wanna skip to the leg drops and kicks.

And how theh ell is him moving to smackdown ever going to fix anything? Getting buried under john Morrison, Rey Mysterio, Dolph ziggler and R-Truth? Or being the leader of the mid-card on the A show. Jericho isnt Jesus. He cant just make a feud gold, and him in the mid card was just done.

Whoever said he needs a feud with someone with pull backstage is just.....no. How is the Big Show not big enough talent? He's been World Champion in 3 companies, main evented Wrestlemania and is even a former US Champ. How is that not enough for a great feud?

The only thing Kofi Kingston needs is a long US title reign. Which is he getting RIGHT NOW.