Kofi Kingston On WrestleMania 35 Storyline Message Being Bigger Than Race, Fans And His Push, More
Kofi Kingston recently spoke with Yahoo to promote Sunday's WrestleMania 35 match with WWE Champion Daniel Bryan. Kofi said he realizes how big the match is, and he still has a lot of work left to do as he's not gotten to the point of relaxation yet.
"It's pretty unique to have a singles match at WrestleMania, it's rare to have it for the WWE championship and to have it be supported by the people at such a high level is also rare," Kofi said. "I think the fact that I have been doing this for so long, I realize how big it is. I have also been around so long to know that as fast as it went from 0 to 100, it can go from 100 to 0, you just never know what will happen tomorrow. I'm not at that relaxation point yet. We still have a lot of work left to do."
There's no word yet on what Big E and Xavier Woods will be doing on Sunday, but Kofi said he feels like the whole thing is about The New Day, not just him.
"I feel like it's not just about me. I may be at the center of it, but the New Day, our goal has always been to elevate one another," he said. "We always are trying to figure out ways where we can make each other look good, make each other more successful. This whole scenario, it speaks volumes for what the New Day has always been and it epitomizes what we've been at our core."
Kofi has quickly become one of WWE's most popular Superstars this WrestleMania Season, and he credited the fans for the current push.
"I had no idea where it was going to go and I think the WWE Universe had a lot to do with where it is right now," Kofi said. "If they weren't behind me, who would have cared. I'm always indebted to them and I'm very grateful that they have supported this wild ride so far."
It was noted that there are racial undertones to Kofi's Road to WrestleMania 35 storyline, as he is not just a champion for the people, but one for African Americans. It was also noted that Kofi, Woods and Big E have all used very specific language to get their points across while cutting promos for the build-up to the match against Bryan. Kofi said it's very important for people like them to have representation in WWE.
"We always say that it's very important to have representation," Kingston said. "As a child, one that would be watching the WWE product, I think it's very important for children to look at the screen and see somebody that looks like them doing incredible things. I am so proud to be a beacon of light for people who look like me."
Kofi also believes that the message extends beyond just one community. He continued, "They can look to TV — regardless of race — as a human and that it is possible to overcome impossible odds. I take a lot of pride in being the center of all of that and being the representative for all of that. Being able to identify with so many people, I think that's the reason why this movement has been so powerful. It's more than just race, or one particular thing. It's so many different things, so many elements of hope that we're able to provide."