Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

[Troy]

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Shocking title I know but couldn't come up with anything better. Kofi Kingston returned on RAW tonight after a couple months layoff due to injury. In his return he defeated Fandango clean in a short match and debuted a slightly different look with the long tights instead of the trunks. Kofi has now been on the main roster for over six years and throughout that time has become a fan favourite that hasn't figure out how to break it through to that next level. He has been a very successful midcard wrestler winning the IC title four times, US title three times and the tag team titles on three occasions as well.

The question is is this his level or can he actually make some changes and be taken seriously further up the card? He has had a couple of bigger feuds but never a sustained run in and around the mainevent. At the moment it seems like being around the midcard titles and performing a crazy spot in the Rumble match is his level.

Do you think that he has the talent to go higher up the card or do you think that this is the right level for him? I know that the brand split doesn't really exist anymore but would you utilise him more on Smackdown since that mainevent is a step below RAW's and would be easier for him to break into?

 

[Killz]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

Can he go higher? Of course, everyone CAN go higher. Here's the problem the way I see it though - the main event scene currently consists of WWE "guys". Cena, Orton, Sheamus etc etc and that's your bread and butter. CM Punk is your next marquee name and Bryan is the most over guy on the roster right now. Ziggler is there at any time. Henry worked his best program in years with Cena. Ryback is still relatively fresh and CAN be saved. Undertaker/Kane/Big Show are all reliable options. Cesaro is a ridiculously good worker. The SHIELD are over pretty good for being away from the main event for a couple of weeks and you have at least 1, possibly 3, main event level talents in that group. What about Wyatt? He looks pretty good right now...

That pretty much accounts for the present, the next couple of years and the next TEN years theoretically. Where does an athletic, reliable fan favourite who doesn't have an attitude and doesn't kick up a fuss in the locker room belong? In the midcard. It's been the same for years. The business is as much about timing and capitalising on moments and crowds and pop culture as it is working hard. I want Kofi to be given a sustained push. It should have happened with the Orton feud. The fact we still discuss it means it meant something and people would have bought into Kofi in the main event. I just don't think Kofi has long left to make the jump because there is too much competition to be the next round of main event talent.

 

[Nate]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

Can he go higher? Well I guess that depends if creative wants him too. Blunt but that's how things work over there.

 

[Troy]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

I probably should have said "will" instead of "can" to make it clear what I meant, as I said it is a shocking title, just threw it up there in the end.

With Kofi I think that whilst there is always the chance that he can have a breakout feud and become a star I see him remaining a solid midcarder for years to come with the occassional run in the title scene. He is still over with the fans, and a guy with his style pratically always will be, so he is useful to WWE. He has never been the strongest talker and that is a key to excelling in the mainevent in WWE, yes some shocking talkers have managed to make it to the top before but that is due to them excelling in other areas. He is one of those dependable popular hands that they can throw into any midcard feud and he will get a reaction no matter what he is doing but I don't see him as a guy that you can sell a PPV on the back of.

If booked well enough I can still see him being over enough to be used as a challenger to the WWE or WHC title at a B PPV but unless something drastic changes I can't see him becoming a regular maineventer in WWE. Especially after seeing how WWE has used him in the Rumble match in recent years with the crazy spots it seems like they are happy with him being that kind of gimmick rather than a serious threat in the mainevent. He is still young at 31 but not everyone is supposed to be a maineventer and I think that he can grind out a very good career in WWE as an upper midcarder.

 

[Keith]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

Have been quite a big Kofi fan over the years, but do think that maybe he has a good level as a solid midcard guy who is going to win the odd title and have some pretty entertaining opening matches on PPV, but that it might take a lot for him to progress further. Still he does need something fresh so lets see what happens.

 

[Deezy]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

Kofi is just a 'helluva hand" meaning he is somebody to depend on for good matches, but not pushed past that. It's up to people like Kofi not to just settle, he needs to seriously get a report going with people on the writing team and politick like crazy to get higher up on the card, he had a good reaction from a somewhat dead crowd at Raw. He can expand on that, by simply getting someone to pitch him storylines, and find his voice because his promos are still what hold him back.

 

[Chris]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

KING KOFI KINGSTON would make him go farther, just saying.

 

[Keith]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

KING KOFI KINGSTON would make him go farther, just saying.

Hey why not, would be a way of making him stand out from the other mid-carders and if taken serious the KOTR could be a big deal again, if they chose to bring it back that is.

 

[Defiant]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

I don't see how anyone could really answer "no" to this seeing as WWE barely tried anything with him. They never pulled the trigger when Kofi was hot for some reason but I don't think it's too late, especially with the amount of championship reigns he can boast. I'd just like to see WWE actually give Kofi a shot and see if the people bite before we rule him out as a potential upper-carder.

 

[Mick Donalds]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

Nope. They've given him title after title for doing absolutely nothing, other than a few impressive memorable spots.

He can't cut a promo to save his life. It's time to let him go feud with Meth Hardy over in TNA

 

[punk13]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

I think he's probably gonna be doing the same thing he did before he left/got injured.

 

[Keith]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

Nope. They've given him title after title for doing absolutely nothing, other than a few impressive memorable spots.

He can't cut a promo to save his life. It's time to let him go feud with Meth Hardy over in TNA

Not everyone has to be able to cut a good promo to get over. The point of good booking is to expand on strengths and hide weaknesses. Of course it depends on where you are on the card, but if realistically Kofi will never be a main eventer then it doesn't matter too much.

Him having too many title reigns too soon is the problem I go along with that. Then again he remains very strongly over with the crowd and still has decent matches so he still has a role to play moving forward, and maybe with a fresh character and fresh feuds he could progress a level.

 

[Weez]

Re: *RAW Spoilers* Kofi Kingston - Gone as far as he can go or can he go higher?

Thought I posted about this already, but they can flip the storyline on with this guy at any time. The guy is literally one of the most decorated guys on the roster (Top 10% with those amount of reigns), but doesn't even get World title SHOTS? Shit, just.. have him get aggressive and angry. he doesn't have to heel turn but he's the perfect "Glass Ceiling" storyline.

I just realized the problem with flippy flyers. You just can't REALLy take them seriously. It looks like A dance. How do you look aggressive when you're dancing? lol

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

I've never seen anything in Kofi to be honest. Mic skills are basically non existent, he's exciting enough in the ring but looks really sloppy. He can jump and fly around though and that always pops the fans. Midcard is fitting for him.

 

[The Cork]

His promos ain't a massive problem, for me it's how fake he makes wrestling look, vertical jumping about 5 feet just to do a punch......black John Morrisson.

His role is kid friendly happy guy, he is bright and bouncy and thats what I assume ADD kids mark for. Can fill the Rey Mysterio void when he retires.