WrestleMania 35 was a historic night for Kofi Kingston and The New Day as Kingston became WWE Champion. But it could have been even bigger for the trio as they nearly used an original theme and entrance for the match against Daniel Bryan.
On the latest New Day: Feel The Power podcast, Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods revealed their plans for Kofi's entrance that ended up on the cutting room floor.
"We reached out -- We have many, very talented friends. Woods has known Mega Ran for quite some time and through Woods, we've known Mega Ran for quite awhile. Also, Wale. Mega Ran worked on the beat and we reached out to Wale....," said Big E before allowing Kofi to pick up the story.
"What we were trying to do was come up with something a little more serious and pay tribute to the past because it was such a moment that brought so many people together and would have only happened because so many people came together so strongly. We wanted to pay tribute to all those people, all the parties involved," explained Kofi. "We reached out to Wale, Mega Ran, and the creative process was amazing, going back and forth and them coming through with a sample and us nitpicking and sending it back. I even had my mom record an intro in the native Ghana language, essentially saying 'Kofi, this is what you've always wanted since you were a kid. Raise up and go get it. Now is your time.' The way it all came together was majestic. With the theme, we were going to dress up as African warrior inspired entrance gear and we would come out and we wanted to have African dancers surround us doing traditional African dance then we come through the dancers and start vibing with them. Then, behind us, we would have people from all different ethnicities, body types, shapes and sizes, old, young. Like 50 deep, all wearing old Kofi Kingston shirts all the way up to New Day shirts. Because it was all of us that came together for this moment. Then, the song on top of that was tribal drums but a sped up version of the New Day clap."
Big E noted that the theme gets you ready for battle.
Xavier weighed in, believing that the theme would have further added to the moment.
"The biggest thing, from my standpoint, I'm always trying to think 'how does this work in a storytelling aspect?' Having everything in that entrance and us essentially sending you on to like 'go get your prize' but everyone is sending you on. There's such a difference in a performer who...some people can get the rocket -- you come in, get booked well, become IC Champion, become Heavyweight Champion, you stay up at the top of the card. You obviously worked hard for what you got, I wish everybody could get the rocket. 98% of people don't get the rocket. It's a totally different kind of grind to get to that point where you're fighting for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania without the rocket. It's a very different vibe. To not be able to put our stank on it, still, top ten greatest moment of my life to be out there to watch that happen. But I really feel it would have added so much to the moment. Especially because that moment will never be recreated," he said.
Kofi's victory was still a monumental moment in wrestling history as he became the first African born WWE Champion.
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