Will Bryan/Kofi be another HHH/Booker T? Submitted by Going Broadway on 03/14/2019 at 06:47 PM
By J.D. Bachman
On March 30, 2003, one of the greatest Wrestlemanias of our time also held one of the worst moments in wrestling history.
While Wrestlemania 19 hosted such classics as HBK vs. Chris Jericho, The Rock vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle, and even Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon in a bloodbath, it failed in one of its pinnacle matches:
Booker T vs. Triple H.
In the build-up to the match, the use of racism to paint Triple H as the heel ultimately pushed the narrative of the story.
Don't believe me? Below is an excerpt a face-to-face promo on a Raw leading up to Wrestlemania where Triple H laid out Booker T's "place"
"...somebody like you doesn’t get to be a world champion. People like you don’t deserve it. That’s reserved for people like me. That’s where the confusion is. You’re not here to be a competitor. You’re here to be an entertainer. That’s what you do. You entertain people. Hell, you entertain me all the time. Go ahead, do a little dance for me. Go ahead. Give me one of those Spinaroonies. Entertain me. That’s your job. Don’t be embarrassed. You’re here to make people like me laugh. With your nappy hair and your ‘suckas.’ Hell, I was laughing all week long after you won that battle royal.”
Racism.
Does this look familiar? Vince McMahon more or less told the world that Kofi's "kind" isn't WWE Champion material. While you would expect a payoff and for the marginalized and victimized hero to become the victor, this ultimately didn't happen at Wrestlemania 19 when Triple H went over Booker T in one of the worst and most unforgivable booking decisions in WWE history.
When we reflect on that time that Vince McMahon called John Cena his n**ga in front of Booker T, we know have come full circle with this bullshit.
So here we are in a similar circumstance where while Bryan is not the racist heel, the CEO is instead. Has anyone figured out why Vince McMahon has been a complete dick to Kofi other than terrible writing and logic? (Or racism?)
Or is McMahon's lack of logic part of the story? It certainly isn't painted that way...
McMahon will gladly replace the Irish Becky Lynch with All-American blonde Charlotte Flair...because he's a dick.
McMahon then later replaces Kofi with the same French Canadian who headbutted him a year ago in Kevin Owens for Fastlane...because he's a dick?
Then Stephanie McMahon forces Becky Lynch to compete for her spot at Wrestlemania at Fastlane even after she won it at the Royal Rumble and she is no longer suspended...because she's a dick?
...and Shane McMahon randomly attacks the Miz and his father at Fastlane because...he's a dick?
A family full of dicks...
None of this makes sense in kayfabe, and as someone with a writing major, it's a little insulting.
However, what will absolutely and truly also not make sense is Kofi Kingston NOT going over Daniel Bryan to become the first ever 100% African-American WWE Champion. However, as history has shown, the WWE truly has a racist past.
Wrestlemania 35 is a way for the WWE to finally put that to bed for good.
...and seriously, for a company that makes money hand-over-fist, you would think its owners would be in better moods and not...dicks...
