5 Surprising moments in WWE in 2019

#3 KofiMania

There is real emotion in this photo.

Kofi Kingston has always been one the most underrated talents in WWE. He has been with the company since 2008. Before 2019, he was a former 4-time Intercontinental Champion, 3-time United States Champion, 8-time Tag Team Champion and part of one of the best stables, The New Day, in WWE History. But he never was a main event player.

When Mustafa Ali got injured before Elimination Chamber in February, it was surprising to see Kofi Kingston added to the match. The surprising moment grew when he lasted over an hour in a gauntlet match to determine the last entrant in the Chamber itself. It was even more shocking when the final two men in the Elimination Chamber were the hottest babyface, Kofi Kingston, and the defending WWE Champion, Daniel Bryan. The crowd was completely behind Kofi as he sadly feel just short, but in the process, KofiMania was born.

The months leading into WrestleMania were the best of the year. Kofi's attempts to overcome multiple obstacles as Vince McMahon and Daniel Bryan told him he wasn't worthy of a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 35 were inspiring. Having his New Day brothers win a tag team gauntlet match to get him his shot was amazing. And finally, defeating Daniel Bryan in a brilliant match at WrestleMania to win his first WWE Championship was the feel good moment of the year. The emotion of everyones faces was genuine. The good guy finally won.

Say what you will about the rest of Kofi’s WWE Title reign. The journey to get him to his first WWE Championship match was just about perfect storytelling. It was one of the most pleasant and unexpected surprises of the entire WWE year.