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If you've watched the NETFLIX series, GLOW, which incidentally deals with professional wrestling, one of the things that is mentioned over and over again is how all the money is in the chase. Kofi Kingston rose to the mountaintop and became the Champion at WrestleMania 35.
To say that his run has been cold since then would be an understatement. The sense of the underdog fighting against the odds to topple the vicious heel champion was the core of his story, and the essence has been lost since.
I really do think that his days as the Champion are quite numbered, despite the fact that I remain a fan. And in this article, I shall provide 5 reasons why I believe that such is the case.
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#5 Two big wins
All of us watch shows beyond wrestling and it's almost impossible to predict the events that will transpire on the said programs. We still do not know who will sit on the Iron Throne and rule Westeros. Neither do we know the identity of the Gargoyle King even in a teenage drama series like Riverdale.
But in WWE, every fan can sense patterns that pretty much give away what's going to happen on the show. Like there's a reason why Kofi Kingston picked up two back to back victories on RAW and SmackDown Live, firstly against Daniel Bryan and later against Sami Zayn and AJ Styles. It indicates that Kofi Kingston will be made to look strong, before the title is snatched from him.
Of course, WWE has a chance to swerve us all and pretty much prove that I'm jumping to conclusions for no reason at all. But I'm pretty sure that I am right in this case!
#4 The declining viewership
Fewer people watch television now than at any point in history, with the wealth of entertainment options available to the general population. Even if you consider that the numbers that WWE has racked up ever since WrestleMania have been abysmal. And this is true for both brands but especially SmackDown Live (read results here).
Last week's episode of SmackDown Live drew a sum total of 1.833 million viewers only which was a 11.5% dip from the previous week's show. It is also a record low viewership for the brand, for a non-Holiday show. The signs are quite alarming indeed and we are sure that Vince McMahon and his bunch of merry men are all taking steps to curb this dip in viewers.
One of the ways to counter falling ratings is to replace the existing cast with new faces. Could this lead to a new Champion being crowned as well?
#3 The return of the part-timers to WWE
So, what does WWE often do when the ratings decline? They call upon renowned names from the past to solidify the roster.
There's every chance that Goldberg, Lesnar, and The Undertaker are only returning to WWE for a cameo at the show in Saudi Arabia. But the truth is that you shouldn't be surprised if indeed their return leads to them coming to SmackDown Live and possibly becoming WWE Champion too.
I think that someone like Goldberg as the WWE Champion may be the wrong decision from the perspective of fans, but it would have macro ripples across the world of sports entertainment. It would essentially bring back a lot of lapsed fans and induce them to follow the product again on a weekly basis.
I wonder if the plan is for Lesnar to become a part time champion on SmackDown Live following the FOX deal that's coming.
#2 Networks making Vince McMahon change his gameplan
Originally reported by Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer and later by my colleague Sripad for Sportskeeda, the real reason for the Wild Card rule is presumably Networks dictating to Vince McMahon that changes have to be made to the product:
Fox wanted more storylines that are going to be on both RAW and SmackDown. You know, NBC Universal was real upset about the ratings especially in the third hour and was asking questions about: ‘Our ratings are this, this, and this why’d we give away Roman Reigns?'
If the Networks forced Vince McMahon to change up his own gameplan and introduce something he wasn't all that keen on, then it follows that they may want someone established as the WWE Champion too.
FOX may want Roman Reigns as the face of WWE. And because they've paid a billion dollars to WWE, they can certainly make such a demand too.
#1 Not the same electricity anymore
Remember the build to WrestleMania, especially every time Kofi Kingston squared off with the likes of Daniel Bryan? There would be a sense of anticipation in the atmosphere, a feeling of magic in the air, a touch of something quite special.
The issue is that even though fans respond positively to Kofi Kingston, the reaction is far more subdued right now which is a shame. It's almost like once the fans got what they wanted, their excitement for it just dropped quite significantly.
Vince McMahon may just be tempted to put the title around the waist of someone like Roman Reigns or even Goldberg to bring new eyeballs to the product by the time that the FOX deal actually takes place. Maybe if Kofi Kingston chases the title then, the crowd will be more invested.
And then lose their interest the moment he nabs the gold again.
