The rise of Kofi Kingston has been something that has really caught the WWE Universe by storm. Despite currently being replaced in the WWE title match at Fastlane, most predict that the New Day members will certainly see a title opportunity down the road, perhaps even at Wrestlemania.
It would be a crowning achievement for Kofi should he actually become WWE champion, which would make him grand slam champion after 11 years in the company, as Kofi is a former Intercontinental Champion, United States Champion as well as a multi-time tag team champion with his partners in the New Day.
A resume like that should have been enough to give Kofi a championship match based on merit alone, but like any organization WWE doesn’t make decisions solely on merit. It took an unexpected injury and last minute substitution at the Elimination Chamber for people to see what Kofi was capable of in the ring. We saw Kofi go through a gauntlet match that not only saw him pin the WWE champion, Daniel Bryan, but also Jeff Hardy and Samoa Joe. He then became one of the final two men in the Chamber match before losing to Bryan.
But in case people forget, Mustafa Ali was supposed to be in Kofi’s position originally as one of the Elimination Chamber’s participants. Ali recently returned on Smackdown helping Kevin Owens fend off Bryan and his associate Erick Rowan, and it looks like the former 205 Live standout will be included in the WWE title picture at some point.
Ali may never have become Cruiserweight champion but he’s impressed enough people to transition onto the main roster on Smackdown, and before a back injury he was supposed to be in the Chamber match where Kofi was. So I’m wondering if Ali wasn’t injured would he have seen such a push and organic fan reaction as Kofi Kingston has gotten?
With Kofi, it was more natural to spin the sudden meteoric rise in the imagination of the WWE Universe: an 11 year veteran in the company has finally gotten what he deserves. But Mustafa Ali? A former competitor in the Cruiserweight classic who never won the Cruiserweight title and only pinned Daniel Bryan once?
I guess the narrative would have unfolded that he was the ultimate underdog had Ali gone through the gauntlet like Kofi and ending up as one of the final two participants in the Elimination Chamber title match. It just harkens back to the day when the Rock first came on the scene as Rocky Maivia and suddenly he was the Intercontinental Champion. Fans at that time had the collective feeling that it was “too much too soon”.
That actually worked out for the Rock as he turned heel and came up with the character in the late 90’s that most people are familiar with today. With Kofi is what easier; he’s already a seasoned WWE veteran and multi-time champion and it was an easier sell as a story about finally getting his shot. With Mustafa? I think WWE would have had a harder time selling that story coming out of nowhere to get a coveted title shot. AJ Styles (one of the longest reigning WWE champions in recent memory) singing Mustafa Ali’s phrases would have sounded even more ludicrous.
But then again, this is 2019 when someone like Donald Trump can become US President with no experience. I’m not doubting Ali’s abilities in the ring, but these days anyone, especially in WWE it seems, can capture lightning in a bottle and capture the attention and imagination of the Universe.
An average professional doing the 9-5 grind who really loves wrestling across all platforms. Here's hoping wrestlers finally get some basic workers rights in 2021.
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