To the surprise of everyone in the wrestling world, The New Day, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, decided to leave WWE. The charismatic duo was well respected and beloved universally, which made their departure all the more heartbreaking and shocking. Fans expected both men to retire in the Stamford-based promotion.
Although Kingston and Woods were considered veterans, Kingston was one of the longest tenured performers in WWE. The Ghanaian star signed with WWE in 2006, and his run lasted for two decades. He had a successful career as a singles star and Tag Team Specialist.
Naturally, Kingston gave us plenty of memories over the last 20 years. He found plenty of success in the Tag Team division, but he had an incredibly successful singles run. Considering the length of his career, it was difficult to narrow down a few. Hence, there are several honorable mentions:
- Kofi Kingston uses an announce table chair to hop his way back into the 2013 Men’s Royal Rumble match
- Kofi Kingston defeats Dolph Ziggler to win the Men’s Intercontinental Championship on SmackDown in January 2011
In this article, we focus on Kingston’s greatest moments as a singles star. Since the focus is on his individual accomplishments, his accolades as a member of The New Day will not be acknowledged here.
#5. Kofi Kingston’s Handwalk Prevents a Certain Royal Rumble Elimination
When one thinks of the greatest Royal Rumble performers, the list will include names like Kane, Shawn Michaels, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. However, the title of the “Royal Rumble Highlight Reel” should go to Kofi Kingston. Over the course of his decorated career, Kingston participated in the Rumble an astounding 16 times.
The Dreadlocked Dynamo was never considered a favorite to win, nor did he ever eliminate more than a couple of stars. Nonetheless, the Rumble became synonymous with Kingston over the years. The 44-year-old high-flyer found unique ways to avoid eliminations. He had carved a nice reputation for himself, and the “Kofi Kingston Royal Rumble Save” became an annual tradition.
However, one tremendous feat of athleticism stood out above the rest. It happened during the 2012 Men’s Rumble match. Kingston handwalked his way back into the Rumble match. Since his feet never touched the ground, he was never eliminated. The moment went viral, setting the bar high for Kingston, who repeated similar stunts in the coming years.
