Kofi Kingston: Big E Refused To Sell His Soul To Become WWE Champion

Kofi Kingston reflects on seeing Big E win the WWE Championship.

The New Day openly speaks about their brotherhood all the time. Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E have been a faction for nearly seven years and in that time, they have only grown closer as their careers have skyrocketed.

Big E was in the corner of Kofi Kingston when he won the WWE Championship from Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 in 2019 and Kofi Kingston got to celebrate with Big E when he won the WWE Championship from Bobby Lashley on Monday Night Raw on September 13.

Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Kofi Kingston explained why seeing E capture the championship without ever having to sacrifice who he is as a person amplifies the moment so much more.

“He refused to sell his soul to become the best,” Kingston says. “When you lose yourself, that taints the experience. E was true to himself. To see Big E get to the top seeing him do it his way, it just amplifies this even more.”

Continuing on, Kofi explained that he was more nervous watching E’s short cash-in than he was during his WrestleMania performance two years ago.

“I was way more nervous watching E’s match than I was during my own at WrestleMania a few years ago,” Kingston says. “It’s one thing to see somebody work for something and grow and then finally attain the highest point of their profession, but it’s a whole other thing when you know that person deeply and personally.

“Myself, Woods and E, we are all brothers. I’ve watched E grow so, so much. He took this opportunity to be a wrestler and ran with it. He has never rested on his laurels. He’s always getting better, whether it’s on the mike, his physical shape or in the ring. He never holds back or takes a night off. He always prides himself in getting better. So it’s amazing to think where he started and see where he is now. It’s an inspiration. He wanted this, and he put in the work every step of the journey—and he did it. Everything happened the way it was supposed to. It was such a big moment for all of us.”

Unfortunately for them, their first night back in action together did not go as they would have liked as they lost in 6-man tag team action to Roman Reigns and The Usos on Monday Night Raw.

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