6 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (23 March - Results & Review)
5. Je’Von Topples ‘Big G’
The “Kofi Kingston trying to mentor Je’Von Evans” storyline has been an understated positive on WWE programming recently, and the latest chapter Monday night was another plus for the angle.
Evans tangled with Grayson Waller in a match that might as well have been fought for Kofi’s affection, at least as far as Waller was concerned. The announcers made the point early on that Grayson had been helping out New Day for several months without ever being formally invited to join the group, while Kingston just up and decided one day that he wanted to take Je’Von under his wing.
Waller wrestled like he had something to prove, hitting a flipping Unprettier at one point and trying to keep up with the uber-athletic Evans. But the Aussie lost his patience when Kofi wouldn’t help him during the match. Je’Von proved to be too much, picking up the win with an impressive super-Frankensteiner and an OG Cutter.
What really is incredible to realize is that Kofi Kingston has been around long enough to legit be an elder statesman who wants to take on a young star to mentor. There’s an intriguing premise here: New Day as a heel act has been an utter failure, and it’s hard to see how they will truly recover.
Evans offers a couple of interesting scenarios: Kofi (or a returning Xavier Woods) could turn on him, and that could reinvigorate hatred in the New Day, while leaving Je’Von to find a tag partner to feud with them; or Evans could be the catalyst to turn Kingston (and New Day) back to being babyfaces.
Either situation would be a marked improvement over this perpetual “treading water” plane they’ve existed on for the past year.