10 Incredible Wrestling Title Wins (…That Led To RUBBISH Reigns)

Kofi Kingston's 2019 was an invincible exhibition of pro wrestling mastery. What started as a menial replacement spot in lieu of Mustafa Ali's legitimate injury rapidly turned into something so organic that it could never have been the original story WWE had in mind for Kofi Kingston at WrestleMania 35. Indeed, the cherished New Day man finally getting his flowers on the biggest platform rang true to how subtly great the WWE product was at the time. It wasn't perfect, but it was such a widespread revolution from what was expected of the promotion.

Kofi's WWE Championship win over Daniel Bryan came at the climax of a 24-minute sports entertainment epic. There was, for a minute, honest belief that WWE wasn't going in the direction that was generally wanted, so much so that when the three count was made in Kofi's favour, MetLife Stadium rightfully became delirious. It was baffling that WWE had done the right thing on the same night as Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins' own fan-service victories - and yet, here Kofi Kingston was, the new WWE Champion.

The reign which followed, though, was an inexplicable string of repetitious matches vs. Randy Orton, Dolph Ziggler, and Samoa Joe. It was immediately irksome; Brock Lesnar's seven-second defeat of Kofi that October was startling, but not unexpected.

Kofi Kingston's WWE title victory indeed was magical. His run was not.