10 Times WWE Actually Elevated Midcarders To Become WWE Champions

2. Kofi Kingston

Kofi Kingston was on the verge of becoming a career midcarder before memorably winning the WWE Title at WrestleMania 35. It definitely looked like his headline aspirations had faded before WWE ran with Kofi as Daniel Bryan's challenger, and that only made his 180-day reign more joyful.

Once the company abandoned their bid to push him in 2009-10 (partly due to a Randy Orton hissy fit), Kofi slumped back into an endless cycle of of Intercontinental, United States and Tag-Team feuds that kept him at the same level for almost a full decade. It wasn't until New Day came along that Kingston's relevance was renewed.

Even then, WWE didn't seem interested in presenting him as a top guy.

If Kofi's 'Mania push proved anything though, it's that longevity counts for something in the eyes of fans who lived that journey too. The sheer emotion that accompanied Kingston's MetLife win over Bryan should remind WWE of the affection fans have for those who worked hard in spite of their midcard status.