Kofi Kingston - Wrestlemania, "People Like Us" Meaning, Emotionally Connecting To The Crowd

Kofi Kingston joined Dave and Bully in studio to discuss his WWE Title opportunity at Wrestlemania, leaving the phrase "people like us" for open interpretation, connecting emotionally to the crowds and more.
#WWE #KofiKingston #Wrestlemania
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[@kyledamron]

As happy as i am for the women to get to main event, Kofi vs Bryan is my main event im so invested in this match

[@carloscadena8976]

I agree

[@scottsalas9981]

Same

[@stsolomon618]

I 100% agree

[@EliasBonzo]

No disrespect for the women vbut why are they the main event??!! We take them seriously, they are not the REAL main event...

[@yureion]

KOFI WONNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! one of my favs since he came in cant think of many who deserve it more. so happy for him. seeing the new day get emotional with him was beautiful.

[@-BigMike-]

E and Xavier have always put Kofi on a pedestal. I think their gimmick can be silly, but I respect the hell outta them for the way they treat the business and their friends. In my opinion, they could all 3 be top tier talent as single stars, but together they're amazing. The New Day/Usos matches are some of my favorite matches of the last 5 years. Good stuff Busted Open.

[@7an7ara]

It's been a brilliant couple of years for tag matches. Any combination of the New Day, Usos, Shield or the Bar is/was guaranteed gold.

[@KingJackson11355]

I hope Big E comes back so they are together soon. It’s been a while since the three have been together

[@robertsmith6664]

It's about time way togo Kofi. Awesome show thanks off posting..

[@nameredactedmessageretract7225]

I love his positivity and just pure glee. He constantly kept it positive, never disparaged anyone, or had a bad thing to say about anything. Even when they were trying to stir the pot a little he kept it positive and kind. Such a one of a kind guy.

[@smashwrestlermachinexzibtt6707]

i hope kofi Kingston will win the wwe champion at wrestlemania 35 this Sunday

[@TheBraunMachine2011]

Me too, I think he will though, it's gonna be a great WM moment too. :)

[@lamontking87]

If kofi don’t win tomorrow night I’m done with wwe 💯🅿️ Kofi deserves this he is a main event guy

[@cuhinpete219]

I just want kofi to be booked as a great champion and win the title multiple times

[@BlackHeart-ph3cg]

Thats my hope for kofi too

[@cuhinpete219]

martin luther I’m sure Vince hate it deep down inside

[@dizzygang6038]

Kofi Man i can't believe it bro you are the champion 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@vikkorheel9966]

Ali would not be getting nowhere near the same reaction that Kofi is getting. Wwe universe is not emotionally invested in Ali he should turn heel on Kofi that would be a good look for him.

[@BlackHeart-ph3cg]

I stilll wonder how ali even got off 205 live i really dont think he is that good

[@vikkorheel9966]

@@BlackHeart-ph3cg exactly yo if it was Ali nobody would have cared.

[@BlackHeart-ph3cg]

@@pisto30 in general i think he should go back to 205 live

[@benjicalavera3218]

sigh, turning someone heel cannot be the solution to everything. Ali's entire thing has been to show people that someone with the name mustafa or ali or davari etc doesnt always have to be the bad guy. To change that perception, and be a light and heart in these times of darkness. He just hasnt had enough time to dig into anything yet, yll are so impatient. Give people a chance, people were not emotionally invested in the miz or womens wrestling, or kofi at one point in time. These things just take time, but i encourage yll to have some patience. Give people a chance. Y'll obviously have not been watching 205 live, but those guys have been killing themselves putting on the best show they can in under an hour. Once things are gone thats when yll will start to appreciate lol

[@orlandodanielperez5131]

Exactly.

[@leir2005]

I really, really hope that Kofi wins this Sunday. Wait until closer to SummerSlam to turn Big E against him, if Big E turns on him at Mania Kofi will never get back to the title picture

[@alexrobinson3970]

the new cb

[@benjicalavera3218]

Why are you people so intent on breaking them up??

[@gman2015z]

@@benjicalavera3218 prob cuz 4 straight years as a tag team together is way too long these days. DX was a tag team where I wish they stook together but couldn't.

[@benjicalavera3218]

@@gman2015z they have actually been together for 5 years. which is long for any era especially this one. I get that, i just never understood why teams have to break up just so they can have a singles run. Why can't they do that and still be a team? I just say that because they always break up teams with the same angles/story lines. They have been reusing shawn/marty janetty for years lol theres nothing fresh to that. i have fun question for you, if you were to break them up what kinda story or how would you go about it?

[@gman2015z]

@@benjicalavera3218 hasn't been 5 years yet until like December. What i would do is make Big E the champion but do a story where the guys break up as a team but do brotherly battles. Maybe have Vince enforce a tournament with the stipulation that if New day loses, they break up.

[@JumugiDesunra]

Kofi won the WWE Championship!!!

[@danielhurst4885]

what a great guy

[@diw.824]

TNA had more black champions than the WWE had

[@thealjohnsonshow2188]

+Dre Wright Yep.

[@mightyblack1]

Dre Wright Amen.

[@gman2015z]

That's cuz TNA was better and free at Universal Studios when WWE never does anything free at theme parks.

[@captaindeadpool2655]

Shut the fuck up. There are wayyyyyy more white people who have been screwed over by the WWE. Don't go down this WWE Is racist. EARN your fucking place in the main event. Mark Henry, good but not that good. Bobby lashley is a good wrestler but doesn't have an amazing personality. Booker T was amazing, fair enough he should of gotten more. R truth........surprised how far he came because he's just not a Main eventer. Kofi is great in ring but hasn't created a great character up until now. Who else deserves it other than Kofi or Booker.

[@InfamousRelliK]

If R Truth droppred the silly stuff I think he'd surprise you. His heel work was good.

[@akinretoyejustin]

KOFI MANNIAAAA RUNNINNN WIILLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDDD!

[@b2thec]

Drink every time he says "Know what I mean?" or "Know what I am saying?"

[@TheBroadStreetBullie]

My Guy.

[@KD_SWAGGER]

Congrats to Kofi Kingston on winning the WWE Title! This is a great interview!

[@richiediagostino1468]

Congrats to Kofi Kingston on winning the universal Championship much love

[@Jake888]

Puriest athlete in wwe

[@uwasntthere8218]

Jake888 no Shelton ??

[@TheBraunMachine2011]

Kofi is awesome, no doubt but what about Shelton Benjamin? I would hope one day Shelton gets his opportunity like Kofi did, I'd say his shot at the WWE Title is long overdue, especially since he's been there even longer than Kofi.

[@toogifted6491]

I remember going to a Smackdown taping back in early 2008 and Kofi Kingston coming out for a match and nobody knew who the fuck he was he was so new and now look at him eleven years later with the title amazing man

[@mistamaog]

I started the Kofi Mania chants at WrestleMania

[@straccii26]

STONE COLD got his big moment "King of The Ring 98' " when it was mean for TRIPLE H ... the Rest is History ... I'm pulling for KOFI💯

[@therealkevinpowell]

How true ... as good as Steve Austin was, it was being able to take advantage of an opportunity that originally wasn't his to become that megastar ... if Trips didn't do the curtain call, we might be talking about how Stone Cold never got his due [perhaps debating whether he was really *that* good to deserve it]...

[@stefanmahahic9740]

Great guy!

[@16THESAINT]

I swear he better win

[@lmbarnes3]

Go Kofi!

[@alexnas9634]

personally i hate when people say "hes a good role model for black people" or "shes a role model for woman and girl power!" why cant a boy or man idolize and have a woman as a role model, or a white kid looking up to a black man as a role model, STOP using race and sex as leverage for good role models, a good role model has no sex or colour, its about the person. I'm White and i looked up to Will Smith from the fresh prince cause he was like me, goofy, charming and always put himself out there, and for me i also looked up to him cause he was confident with woman and himself, i never once thought "oh man too bad im not black like will smith to look up to him" i never ever look at race or gender, i dont know why society always does this and put people in a box we need to love each other and not seperate by race or sex, "people like us" is a good way to involve everyone, i just hope it doesnt get held down by race only.

[@The1Sampson]

You're missing the point. No one saying that you have to be a certain race to be a role model for someone. I am a black man that identifies as a black man so when I see that throughout history no one that called themselves a black man has ever been the WWE champion I simply think that those honors aren't for me as a black man. But now that Kofi has done it it seems more attainable. But he's a lot more than a black man he's a person that worked hard and was not always respected but continue to work hard until he was given what he earned long before.

[@alexnas9634]

@@The1Sampson well put but your missing the point " But now that Kofi has done it it seems more attainable" thats the problem youth these days have no real guidence or self worth or confidence in themselves and their abilities, you shouldnt have to see another person reach success to feel its attainable(regardless if no black man has won or not) your just holding yourself back with that attitude, thats why i said what i said. I wasnt saying that you have to be that race but society puts so much importance on race and gender when it doesnt really matter about race or gender its about the person.

[@the-good-A-B]

@@alexnas9634it does work many ways here. The first Indian (India) WWE champion was Jinder Mahal. Seeing him as a champ in the WWE is inspiring to many upcoming Indian wrestlers. Getting out of sports entertainment, Larry Bird did wonders for white men who wanted to play basketball(he wasn't the first but was there most popular). The beastie boys inspired many white rappers. It's more about what you don't see than what you do see.

[@alexnas9634]

@@the-good-A-B ummm Jinder is Canadian lol. but as i said before we shouldnt have to see it to feel its attainable, your just holding yourself back. Dont follow lead, dont wait for someone else to do it.

[@the-good-A-B]

Just like the WWE rarely acknowledges The Rock's black roots, they Never acknowledged that Jinder's Canadian born. He's billed from India, not Calgary. However, many people won't take that leap. If I waited to become a teacher until I saw someone like me, I NEVER would have gone into teaching, never having seen one until I was in college. The world goes by what they see. That being said, there have been many wrestlers that could and should have done what Kofi did. I'm just glad it happened in my lifetime.

[@Rayne35]

Congratulations kofi

[@JoeCroninSHOW]

Kofi baby

[@brianboaz5737]

I'm so happy that he got his moment but even moreso than that the fact that Daniel Bryan was the guy who got to put him over

[@IcemanFabian]

#KofiMania Let's Get It BAAAAYYYYYYYYBY!!!👌🏻🙌🏻🤘🏻🔥🔥🔥

[@jamesforbes6711]

Class act

[@PhatGirlLuvr68Comix]

When Kofi wins the title does the Freebird Rule still apply?

[@MrAwesome12961]

I really hope so

[@thestemfiles]

I think that's only with tag team titles. But it would be dope!

[@RomeoBarnes]

No freebird rules are only applied to tag titles

[@gman2015z]

Why would you wanna share the most prestigious award in WWE with anyone when you won it all by yourself?

[@_vanessa.p7]

The freebird rule is only for tag titles

[@Newsky79]

KOFI MANIA! (CLAP-CLAP-clapclapclap) KOFI MANIA! (CLAP-CLAP-clapclapclap)

[@vikkorheel9966]

KOFIMANIA

[@508ctk]

This was better than the main event.

[@AbelBelayBITW]

Who else for a quick second thought that at 0:37 that was AJ Styles?

[@JosephSethole]

Abel Belay was looking for this comment

[@NeoKurow]

Now we need Big E or Woods as Intercontinental Champion

[@Mr49r1681]

Glad Kofi became WWE World Champ from Wrestle Mania after Farooq Ron Simmons and Booker T were WCW World Champions. New Day should give a shout out to The Freebirds, The Koloffs and Krusher Kruchev, Demolition and LOD; Hawk, Animal and Peewyuke.

[@gman2015z]

We need a WWE Championship main event again. It's been awhile and the Women's match was not that good. Plus the show was too long, ppl were so tired, and even Michael Cole lost his voice.

[@vontedareaper8091]

I hate watching wwe superstars who are currently under contract do interviews because instead of answering they always talk up the wwe instead of just answering the question you always can hear that oh god I gotta be careful how I answer this because big brother is always watching type response not talking down on the interview but saying that if they weren't always on egg shells the interviews would be 10 times better

[@gravestone93]

Even though they're listed as independent contractors, they're still representatives of the company.

[@gallonthegreat7036]

HE IS THE PANTHA !!!

[@TCFontaine]

#FirstBlackChamp

[@BeardedDanishViking]

No.

[@AdisNukicCaptainBosnia93]

kofimania

[@donmartin3989]

I like kofis chances of winning. The title, but you know if he does win it vince machon will do whatever it takes to strip kofi of the title on smackdown live. If i were the new-day i would quit and go to (all elite wrestling) and rub it in vince machons face

[@dennismedina1629]

I dont wanna hear about kofi not being a believable champion. Foh these fuckers made jinder Mahal wwe champion and he held that title for a while. Kofi is a great athlete.

[@beyourownhero3644]

I went to bed after kofi won.. i knew becky gonna win..

[@Ukyo82]

New Day come like a joke in begin, I was think those guys gonna be biggest jobbers and was how they was presented and things what they achieve is amazing, those guys thrive and build themself by them own, I can said one thing - respect

[@mightyblack1]

It's about race Koffi,we know you can't say because WWE will trip.

[@benjicalavera3218]

It is, just by the nature of it but it's not just about that. It's about struggle it's about opportunities it's about something bigger than all that.

[@karlwilliams8906]

Yea, we know what hes talking about but hes gotta be PC or they will strip that title from his ass... it's just facts...

[@andrewjacksonbr]

When Kofi loses, lets not be surprised.

[@animalathletics6744]

Watching hours of wwe is not an investment lol. But good job selling Kofi that's the investment

[@rangerdanger9485]

They definitely have some kind of jealousy that they are world champions not in the sense that it makes a coffee or despise him but any athlete friend or not Friend family or not Family will be happy for you that you’re getting a shot but they will also be wondering when they’re going to get their chance if they don’t think like that or someone says they’re thinking somewhere like that then they all belong in the wrestling business you either want to be champion what are you just wasting your time

[@eyesofthefox]

He loves kicks and you didnt ask him about shoes? C'mon man...

[@asmreatz4686]

Love Kofi but he needs to stop mentioning that his opportunity came because Ali got injured. Like DUDE own your championship run. Say “fuck Ali. I earned this”.

[@joelewis4711]

Human Race ....I don't see race color gender religion sexual preference height weight nationality or disability ,,, We are all people

[@rangerdanger9485]

People like us he means a black man

[@TdScott342]

New Day breakup confirmed!!!

[@davidmadison9369]

BIG CON! They finally give a black wrestler the WWE Championship now that the Universal Championship is the biggest prize. If they unify belts it needs to be on Kofi.

[@burtmount4308]

rhronda is gona loose,kofiis gona win but seth is loosing :(

[@PlusUltraAdrian]

I would jump for joy if Becky, Kofi, and Seth wins.

[@BigSmokeJitsu]

If Seth lose at Mania he definitely WINNIN in Saudi Arabia

[@Expresivo3]

Seth won!

[@GrimReaper4383]

As much as I like Kofi. I just don't see him winning Sunday.

[@aaronbrooks3529]

lol, Daniel Bryan is like 155 pounds, you take him seriously though lol

[@nickpappas17]

Aaron Brooks dude Daniel Bryan is 215 for one. And two it’s not a weight thing it’s the simple fact that can you really expect Vince fucking McMahon to make KOFI KINGSTON the wwe champion? Not saying he doesn’t deserve it. It’s a simple fact Vince only likes big guys or established big names outside wwe

[@YourMarvelFan]

@@nickpappas17 Daniel Bryan is not 215. Don't listen to the billed heights wwe gives them. They usually lie by about 15 or 20 lbs

[@meatsauce3751]

npsoloman no way in hell is Bryan 215

[@uwasntthere8218]

Stolen From Africa u guys are nuts

[@vikkorheel9966]

if it was ali nobody would care.

[@TheCreativeTroy]

The fact that he isnt going on last with Daniel Bryan sickens me. The women need their own brand, not to share a stage with overshadowing mainevents. Kofi deserves to go on last, and the favt that we're forced to see this trash storyline because they're women only reinforces pc bullshit, they'll make more money off "Girl power" than a black man becoming WWE champion. Truth is, wwe doesn't REALLY give a shit.

[@omarpimentel5610]

I hope the new day breaks up and kofi beats dryan

[@vikkorheel9966]

KOFIMANIA