Kofi Kingston Getting the Most Out of Life Now With WWE

[Black Widow]

It hasn't taken Kofi Kingston long to get to his current spot in WWE. Go back a few years ago and he had just graduated from Boston College and was working in the corporate world. But that wasn't the life he wanted.

So, he decided to follow his childhood dream and got into wrestling. His first match was in 2005, and the following year he was already on WWE's radar as they signed him up for the developmental system. Less than two years later, he made his debut with the ECW brand and continues to climb up the ladder with the company.

He'll literally be doing that this Sunday at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view (8PM ET / 5PM PT) when he will be a part of the Smackdown brand Money in the Bank ladder match. FanHouse recently spoke with the current Intercontinental Champion about the big match, him becoming more of a feature guy in the company, the influence Shawn Michaels has had on him and more.



FanHouse: Before we get into the show on Sunday, how excited were you watching the World Cup and seeing Ghana go as far as it did?
Kofi Kingston: Oh man, it was awesome! I was such a wild ride. A lot of people asked who I cheered for, Ghana or the United States. I have to keep it real, I did cheer for Ghana the whole way through just because it meant so much to them. It was awesome to go that far, to be Africa's last hope, the only African team to win a match in the World Cup while it was in Africa. It was awesome man. They did really, really well and they should be proud of themselves.

Share4 When it comes to the Money in the Bank match, you've been in this match a few times before and you know fans are expecting an exciting match and some tricks to go along with it. How much does that experience help going into this match?
It's definitely going to help. Money in the Bank is one of those matches that gets better each and every time. As everyone knows, at WrestleMania, Money in the Bank is the match that people really anticipate and look forward to. It's become a staple match. Now, this is the first Money in the Bank pay-per-view that we've had, and you don't get one but you get two Money in the Bank ladder matches which is just unheard of. It's huge. Again, just to go off topic a little bit, to let you know how big this is, Mattel has come out with Money in the Bank figures and rings which is specific to this pay-per-view. We're just going all out from all types of angles. This is something we're looking forward to. I'm not sure what's going to happen but I guarantee that it's going to be a very, very exciting match to say the least.

It's funny that you mention the Mattel ring set because I got one sent to me and I got a couple of action figures including yours. I thought you had ripped abs in person and then I saw your action figure and was like 'whoa.'
(laughs) Yeah. You know, to be honest, Mattel has done a great job as far as the detail. I'm sure you can look at those and see that the detail behind these figures is just incredible. They go all out. They scan our faces, they scan our bodies. Yes, those abs are true to life as well as the biceps and whatnot. They really do a good job of making it as real as they can. I'm definitely happy that we partnered up with them this January. They've done a great job.

When it comes to the Money in the Bank ladder match, is it difficult to come up with new things since we have seen this match and ladder matches before? How much pressure do you put on yourself and how difficult is it to come up with something new?
It gets harder and harder every time. I definitely do put a lot of pressure on myself to come up with something new and innovative. I think that's what the WWE Universe looks forward to. I know they're like 'well, how are they going to top the last one.' It's gotten to the point where everybody knows it's going to be awesome but there's definitely an expectation as far as new and innovative things. We'll see what happens man. This Sunday there's going to be a lot of that going on, especially being that there is a Raw and Smackdown Money in the Bank ladder match. We're going to be competing with each other to try and put on the better show. People are definitely going to get their money's worth.

You've been in WWE for several years now. I think last year was a big year for you. How big was the feud with Randy Orton for you and stepping up?
It was definitely a big feud. I will say that Randy and I were enemies with benefits. He kind of pushed me to a point where I had to push back and it was one of those things where I was forced to step up. Being in the ring with someone of Randy Orton's caliber, it's definitely a learning experience and I learned a lot from being in the ring with him. I think the most important thing was it forced me to step up and show people a side of Kofi Kingston that they might not have necessarily seen or even knew existed. It was a lot of fun and I was just glad to be in the ring with him and just to be a part of that whole experience.

What were your original thoughts when you found out you were going to be moved from Raw to Smackdown?
I thought it was a very good opportunity to be honest. Smackdown was the only roster that I had never been a part of. I was with the Raw side, I was with ECW when I first came out. I had a few appearances on Smackdown but I never actually had a chance to be on the roster. So now that I am, I think it's been an opportunity to be one of the main guys in there and be one of the guys, one of the flagship guys on the show. I thought it was an opportunity again to step up and kind of encounter a new frontier. It's been very good so far and we'll see where it all goes.

Why do you think you've blossomed so much on that brand?
I'm not sure. I think it's been a natural progression. I've always been just really hungry. I always tell people, for me being in WWE, my goal is to be the best, not just to be satisfied with being there, satisfied with having 'made it.' It's not enough for me. It's important for me to keep climbing that ladder -- no pun intended with the Money in the Bank pay-per-view coming up -- but climbing the ladder to the WWE higher ranks. That's the direction I've been going and it's been going well. I'm looking forward to stepping up in the future.

Before you made it to the WWE main roster, you came up through its developmental system as have so many other current superstars. What's that like now going through the ranks with these guys and now being with them in WWE?
It's actually interesting now. It's changed a little bit because you have NXT, which has been geared specifically for rookies and guys that might be coming out of developmental. It's almost kind of a bridge to WWE and the main rosters with Raw and Smackdown. It's cool and I think it's a good opportunity for those guys too, especially with NXT to be able to step up. I don't know if a lot of people know but I'm actually a pro. We have pros who mentor their rookies. I'm actually a pro on this season of NXT and there's a lot of talent out there. The guy who I've been mentoring is Michael McGillicutty (Joe Hennig) and he's the son of Mr. Perfect which is really cool for me because I looked up to his father and he was one of the guys who got me into WWE. So for me to be out there with him -- and again I don't have all the answers or anything like that -- but I have a lot of insight and information, little things that I've picked up over the years that I can pass on to him and help him become the next WWE breakout star. I think he's doing a great job so far.

Do you wish there was an NXT when you were just getting involved in wrestling?
I don't know. I'm not sure. I can't really complain about how things happened for me. I had to work my way from the bottom to where I'm at now. I don't think I would change anything. I think the NXT program is definitely an opportunity. It puts multiple rookies on the stage in front of the WWE Universe where they might not necessarily have gotten that opportunity in the past. As far as it being easier or harder I don't think it's either or. It's just different. It's a different way for guys to come up through the ranks and an interesting way for people to get to know these rookies.

About four or five years ago, you graduated from Boston College and you had a corporate job. What made you say I've had enough of this and I want to pursue wrestling?
Well, to be honest, to pursue the WWE and become a WWE superstar has been my ultimate goal as a kid. We all have childhood dreams, right? Being in the WWE was mine. I think as far as a turning point, I always knew I wasn't working towards my dream as I was going through college. I met a lot of great people, had a lot of great classes and definitely learned a lot. But when I went to the corporate world, I just wasn't being fulfilled. I would just kind of go in there like a robot and just go do my work, go home, wake up the next day and do the same thing the next morning. I wasn't being fulfilled and not getting the most out of life. There was one big turning point where I actually got a big tax return back and I spent that money on my training school. It was about $2,000 and I put all that towards training for WWE and I was rolling the dice to see what would happen. I'm definitely glad that I did because it's just been a wild ride for me. I've been very fortunate to achieve quite a bit in a short time span. Again, it's one of those things where I always encourage people to follow their dreams. If you really really believe it can work for you, it definitely will work out. You just gotta want it and pursue it.

I've heard that Shawn Michaels had a huge influence on you before you got into wrestling and then when you got into WWE. What was it like getting the opportunity watching him up close and personal at WrestleMania this past year where he had his retirement match?
Oh man, it was bittersweet. It was bittersweet because of everything Shawn Michaels has put into WWE. Like you said, he was just a big influence on me and a lot of people there right now. He was an influence for us even getting into the WWE and having a dream to become a superstar. To have him backstage and have him mentor, give you feedback about your matches, it was unbelievable. At WrestleMania last year, watching him retire was ... I'm glad I was there but it was one of those things you never wanted to see happen. At last, all good things come to an end and I was just glad I could be there, be on the show and witness that match live.

Do you think he will come back for another match?
I don't know. He seems pretty adamant about not coming back. I don't know. I guess you never say never but I'm leaning towards ... Shawn is a really big family guy. He's really wanting to spend a lot of time with his family and he's earned that right. Yeah, I think that's probably what he's going to do. Who knows.

Getting back to the Money in the Bank ladder match on Sunday, can you prepare for how physical a match like that can be? You've got so many things going on and so many different bodies and you know it's going to take a toll on your body.
Oh yeah, It's definitely going to take a toll. I think as far as preparation, that's what you have to prepare for. Your body is going to go through some, it's definitely going to go through some pain. No one has gone through a Money in the Bank ladder match without bumps and bruises and some scratches and nicks. But you go out there and you don't feel it. Actually, I remember the first Money in the Bank match I was in, I didn't feel any pain until I got in the shower. I had all these cuts and nicks and bruises that were really stinging because of the hot water that was pouring down on them. It's one of those things, as far as preparation, you can't really prepare for it because there are other guys who are all trying to do the same thing that you are and are just as hungry as you are. It's just one of those things were you have to take advantage of that moment, and hopefully when your window of opportunity is open you have to be able to jump through it and grab that briefcase. It's definitely going to be a very exciting pay-per-view to say the least with two Money in the Bank ladder matches in one night in addition to both world championships being on the line. It's just going to be a stacked pay-per-view and we're excited about it and looking forward to it.


Fan House

[Konan]

thanks for the update

[DUKE NUKEM]

thanks for posting Ryan