Kofi Kingston sees 11 years worth of gruelling work, commitment, and sacrifice culminate this Sunday. He will face off against the Planet’s Champion, Daniel Bryan, in a match for the WWE Championship. It’s been an arduous journey—a fact that isn’t lost on him.
Speaking with Yahoo Sports ahead of WrestleMania 35, Kingston shared that it is because his personal journey taking so long to arrive that he can appreciate it all the more.
“It’s pretty unique to have a singles match at WrestleMania, it’s rare to have it for the WWE championship and to have it be supported by the people at such a high level is also rare,” Kofi said. “I think the fact that I have been doing this for so long, I realize how big it is. I have also been around so long to know that as fast as it went from 0 to 100, it can go from 100 to 0, you just never know what will happen tomorrow. I’m not at that relaxation point yet. We still have a lot of work left to do.”
“I Am So Proud To Be A Beacon Of Light For People Who Look Like Me”
Recent weeks have seen Kofi and his partners in New Day tested, with obstacles thrown in their way at every opportunity by Vince McMahon. When Kofi was first cheated out of the opportunity during his Gauntlet match, both Xavier Woods and Big E teased quitting WWE. They have also leaned into race being a contributing factor, with Big E previously stating “people like us will only get so far.”
When asked about these racial undertones, Kofi highlighted the importance of representation.
“We always say that it’s very important to have representation,” Kingston said. “As a child, one that would be watching the WWE product, I think it’s very important for children to look at the screen and see somebody that looks like them doing incredible things. I am so proud to be a beacon of light for people who look like me.”
He extrapolated his point, highlighting that their message extends past a singular community:
“They can look to TV — regardless of race — as a human and that it is possible to overcome impossible odds,” Kingston said. “I take a lot of pride in being the center of all of that and being the representative for all of that. Being able to identify with so many people, I think that’s the reason why this movement has been so powerful. It’s more than just race, or one particular thing. It’s so many different things, so many elements of hope that we’re able to provide.”
This Sunday, Kofi finally gets his single greatest opportunity on the “Grandest Stage Of Them All” as he attempts to turn WrestleMania into KofiMania.
