10 Biggest WWE Developmental Success Stories
8. Kofi Kingston
Though naturally gifted from an early point, Kofi Kingston is one of the few performers who can unanimously credit WWE's troubled Deep South and Florida Championship Wrestling groups for serving a vital purpose in his rapid ascent to the company's main roster.
The Ghanaian wrestled his first match in February 2006, and had barely scratched the surface of the New England independent scene before WWE came calling that September.
After a little over a year in the controversial territories, Kofi arrived on the big stage via ECW, by then WWE's experimental third brand. He again rose quickly, lasting only six months on the derided show before earning a spot on Monday Night Raw via the annual draft.
A slew of awards followed, as he snatched Intercontinental and Tag Team Titles in his first full year, and almost snatched a spot in WWE's upper echelon before a red hot feud with Randy Orton was inexplicably cooled.
He looked destined to remain a reliable (read: loser) midcarder for the remainder of his career until the remarkable success of The New Day. Alongside Big E and Xavier Woods, Kofi had his first taste of life as a heel before the act became too popular to suppress. He remains the workhorse of the triumvirate, and was a key factor in the group breaking Demolition's longevity record with the tag team titles in 2016.