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Brian James, also known as Road Dogg, has given his take on why Brock Lesnar ended Kofi Kingston’s WWE Championship reign so abruptly.
On October 4, 2019, Lesnar defeated Kingston in an eight-second match on the first episode of SmackDown on the FOX network. The manner of the New Day member’s defeat was widely criticized by fans at the time.
James has worked for WWE in several behind-the-scenes roles over the last decade, including producer and writer. He spoke on Sportskeeda’s “The Wrestling Outlaws” show about the possible reason why then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon booked such a short match:
“I think it probably was FOX, Brock Lesnar, cross appeal,” James said. “He’s a [big] name and Vince loves him, and Vince is drawing with him, and so tried and true, ‘Hey, let’s shock the world, send him out there, and kill him in a minute. Blah, blah, blah.’ I can hear him saying it now. It is what it is. Maybe Big E would have given a better battle.” [12:57-13:26]
As James referenced, he initially wanted Big E to enter the WWE Championship picture in early 2019 instead of Kofi Kingston. However, McMahon preferred Kingston in that spot instead and ultimately booked the veteran to win the title from Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35.
What happened after Brock Lesnar defeated Kofi Kingston?
While the majority of WWE Champions receive rematches after losing their title, that was not the case for Kofi Kingston. The 41-year-old did not cross paths with Brock Lesnar in a singles match again after their short contest on SmackDown.
A week after losing his title, Kingston returned to tag team division storylines alongside his fellow New Day members, Big E and Xavier Woods. Lesnar, meanwhile, defended his title against Cain Velasquez, Rey Mysterio, and Ricochet before losing to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36.
Kingston finally received another one-on-one WWE Championship opportunity when he unsuccessfully challenged Bobby Lashley for the title at Money in the Bank 2021. Since then, he has mostly competed in tag team matches with Woods.
Did you enjoy Kofi Kingston’s WWE Championship reign? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
Please credit Sportskeeda’s “The Wrestling Outlaws” and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.
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