10 Best Wrestlers Of 2019 (So Far)
3. Kofi Kingston
That KofiMania was the biggest thing heading into and coming out of WrestleMania 35 in a year when WWE pulled the trigger on a first-time-ever women's main event speaks volumes of Kofi Kingston's surge. Gratifying, exciting, and completely organic, his rise from midcard tag act to WWE Champion has provided many of 2019's greatest thrills.
February saw the New Day man grab an opportunity that may not have existed without Ali's injury, and he hasn't let go since. Stirring performances in his SmackDown gauntlet and in the Elimination Chamber's final fall established the moment. From there, a Fastlane screwjob poured more fuel on Kingston's sympathy fire before finally, at long last, after leaping every hurdle, Kofi did battle with Daniel Bryan, helping craft a near-perfect modern WWE Title fight on wrestling's 'Grandest Stage.'
An instant classic yielded the most emotional title win in years. Creative inconsistencies have threatened to blight his run, but Kingston's personal standards haven't dipped an inch since then. The 37-year-old is at the peak of his powers after over a decade on the main roster, showing, definitively, that all he ever needed was a chance to bring his babyface fire into a bigger spotlight.