#41: Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston, WWE WrestleMania 35 (4/7/2019).
Today is Juneteenth, the day in which the last remnants of slavery were finally put to rest. So, to celebrate, this week's theme is a celebration of black excellence in professional wrestling. Often times in pro wrestling, wrestlers of color are stereotyped or put into a corner or made to do the same old same old. The five matches I've watched for this week feature men and women who were presented just as they are - extraordinary performers not held back by stereotypical booking.
Up first is this little gem from the last WrestleMania I watched start to finish. It's for Bryan's WWE Championship. When Mustafa Ali became injured and thus lost his spot in February's Elimination Chamber Match, Kofi Kingston took his place - and a little movement known as "KofiMania" began.
Fans everywhere rallied together for Kofi - a long time mainstay in WWE once seen as nothing more than a good hand - to get the biggest opportunity of his life. Standing opposite of him is the hero of Earth Day, Daniel Bryan. His Eco-Friendly Heel character from around this time is extraordinary, and he played the perfect foil for Kofi's road to championship glory.
KofiMania is running wild before the bell rings, as the crowd are molten to see this one. I miss the eco-friendly belt. It had some character. Side headlock takedown by Bryan to start out. Kofi with one of his own, and Bryan counters into a head scissors. Bryan escapes a back slide and monkey flips Kofi, who lands on his feet. A drop kick sends Bryan to the outside. Kofi dives over, landing back first onto Bryan.
There are wrestlers backstage supporting Kofi - including poor Mustafa Ali. This is Kofi's first singles match at WrestleMania, and it's also his first WWE Championship match ever. No pressure! Hard uppercuts to Kofi in the corner, and right back into the side headlock. Bryan catches Kofi midair and goes for a surfboard lock. Kofi escapes and kicks Bryan in the side.
Kofi connects with a double stomp for 2. Bryan takes the back and forearms it. Flying clothesline from Kofi. Boom Drop follows. Bryan rolls to the apron and Kofi baseball slides him to the outside. Kofi dives to the outside and lands midsection first onto the announcers table. That looked nasty. A knee to the side and back from Bryan. He drops Kofi on the top rope gut first. Bryan goes to the top and hits a diving knee to the back. He gets 2 off of that.
Bryan wraps his arms around Kofi's midsection, tugging away to make it harder to breathe. Kofi is back to his feet and he pushes Bryan into the corner. He connects with nice back elbows to the head. A drop toe hold sends Kofi into the middle turnbuckle. Running dropkicks follow. Kofi leaps out of the corner with a double stomp, and Bryan catches him in a Boston Crab.
Big kicks to the chest in the corner from Bryan. Corey Graves commentary is inauthentic. It always feels like he's just reading from a script. Kofi elbows Bryan off the top rope several times. Kofi hits a big splash to the back of a standing Bryan for 2. Forearm exchange in the middle. Kofi goes for Trouble in Paradise, and Bryan counters into a Boston Crab and they exchange small package pins.
Close range crossbody from Kofi gets a close 2. Bryan catches the arm in the LeBell Lock, and Kofi escapes. Stomp out of the corner by Bryan drops Kofi. Kofi blocks the running knee into a roll up. It gets 2. SOS gets a 2, and Bryan rolls right into the LeBell Lock. Kofi gets to the ropes. Kicks to the chest by Bryan. Kofi is back to his feet, and he's getting fired up. He's daring Bryan for more. And the crowd absolutely explodes. Kofi connects with kicks of his own.
Inverted Suplex from Kofi gets 2. Erick Rowan, Bryan's big heavy at ringside, cuts Kofi off at ringside. He tosses Xavier Woods over the desk and takes out Big E. Kofi hits Trouble in Paradise, and takes him down. Midnight Hour by New Day takes Rowan out. Kofi catches a diving Bryan with a strike. Back in the Ring, he misses Trouble in Paradise, and Bryan hits the Busaiku Knee. Kofi kicks out, and the crowd is so hyped!
Bryan grabs the hands and stomps Kofi right in the face. LeBell Lock is in for the 3rd time. Kofi, with the help of the crowd, escapes and forearms Bryan. Now Kofi has the wrists and he stomps Bryan's face. Kofi comes out of the corner with Trouble in Paradise. He gets the 3 and the win for his first WWE Championship!
This match benefited hugely from the crowd. I remember watching it live and thinking it was amazing. Time says otherwise. It is simply a good match that is bolstered by an incredible atmosphere. A 3 star match with a 5 star match. That's not a negative thing to say, either. The work here is really well done, and everything lands the way it should. Everyone involved plays their part well, and in the end, the right guy went over.
Kofi deserved this win for all of his hard work. He did not, however, deserved losing to Brock Lesnar on Smackdown's debut on Fox in less than 10 fucking seconds.