WrestleMania 35: Kofi Kingston Vs Daniel Bryan - WWE Championship, results, video highlights and analysis - Kofi Kingston WINS!
Kofi Kingston wrestling at WrestleMania in a singles match for a world championship has been an eleven-year journey for Kingston himself, and a rollercoaster few months for us in the WWE Universe and it all came to a head at WrestleMania 35.
Kofi's opponent 'The New' Daniel Bryan has never been better, and this particular underdog story has been one of WWE's best ever with Vince McMahon throwing obstacle after obstacle and Daniel Bryan coming full circle with the 'B+ Player' talk.
Both men made their way to the ring with their respective partners. The New Day the perfect hype-men for Kingston as they always are, came out with presents for their teammate.
The match started slowly with rest holds and breaks to allow the 80,000 strong crowd to chant for Kofi Kingston. The atmosphere was electric but tense in the opening moments.
Kofi livened things up with some athletic moves and a dive to the outside but Bryan slowed things down with a Surf Board submission move. Kingston fought out and got some more momentum with a nasty Double Stomp and a near fall.
There was more back and forth until Kingston attempted another high-risk move that didn't pay off because he went crashing head and chest first into the announce table. Bryan then took control of the match punishing Kingston with a series of strikes and a particularly nasty top-rope move whilst Kingston was caught in the ropes.
The match slowed down and the crowd got quiet as Bryan started to ground Kingston with rest holds and submission holds. Several WWE Superstars are shown watching from backstage and cheering Kingston on, but the 'Dreadlocked Dynamo' is fading as a result of Bryan's work.
Bryan hit Kingston with his repeated corner dropkicks and then got Kingston in a Boston Crab. Kingston was trying not to tap as Big E and Xavier yelled at him not to. Kingston was able to reach the ropes and break up the hold.
Things build-up towards a top turnbuckle spot that saw Kingston hit Bryan with a frog splash to the champions back. The pair then start exchanging back and forth blows in the middle of the ring until Kingston attempted Trouble in Paradise and Bryan countered. There's more back and forth and counter after counter until both men end up down after a Lebell Lock attempt.
There's an amazing sequence that saw Kofi Kingston scout a move from Bryan and hit the SOS for a near fall, but Bryan reversed the pinfall attempt into the Lebell Lock and wailed on Kingston who just about managed to get to the ropes, leading to a huge roar from the crowd.
The crowd goes positively mental following a sequence that started with Yes Kicks from Daniel Bryan until Kingston psyched himself up and started begging Bryan to kick him. Kingston then started kicking him back.
Things spilled to the outside and Kingston ended up getting cut off from Bryan by Rowan. The New Day try to help but get fought off, Kingston hit Trouble in Paradise on Rowan and then Big E and Xavier Woods rallied to get Up Up Down Down to take Rowan out of the match.
Kingston then re-entered the ring and ended up getting hit by Bryan's running knee creating one of the loudest kick-outs from a near-fall you will ever hear. Bryan got vicious and started stomping on a hapless Kingston's head. Then Bryan locked in the Lebell Lock for a third time and almost won via KO.
Kingston fought out of the hold and got a prone Daniel Bryan on the floor, an invigorated Kingston then returned the favour with vicious stomps to Bryan's head. Kingston stalked Bryan waiting for him to get up, and nailed him with Trouble in Paradise for the win!
Result: Kofi Kingston Def. Daniel Bryan to become new WWE Champion