Can “The Man” Get Momentum Back From Kofi-Mania?
There could be only one. From the time the first bell was struck, there could be only one. One star that consumes our hearts. If your love is the world of pro wrestling, there can be only one. One star from any era that made you explode out of your seat, that one wrestler that could literally force you to hate the performer standing across the apron.
Hogan or The Warrior? Flair or Dusty? The Rock or Stone Cold? “The Man” Becky Lynch or Kofi-Mania? Sometimes, these megastars are pitted against each other in the ring. Other times, they have absolutely no assimilation at all. There can be only one superstar that, to you, was “over.” Being “over,” as they say, is far rarer than one may assume. Being “over” can be fleeting, like a whisper in the wind. Also being “over” is very unpredictable and can disappear in an instant or worse turn into something else.
The audience of pro wrestling is a living and breathing organism and, at one time, was an important part of the experience that is wrestling. Much the same as it is to an individual fan holds true to the heartbeat of the wrestling universe. There can be only ONE.
This situation is all too real right now, two organically “over” megastars have arisen over the last year.
The Rise of “The Man”
First was “The Man” Becky Lynch, a quirky, dare I say awkward, performer when first arriving on the scene. Less we forget, it was only last summer that “The Man” was trying to incorporate dance moves; yes, dance moves into her move repertoire. Don’t get me wrong, Lynch was the biggest star going into 2019, deservedly so. Her rise to stardom didn’t happen quickly or by accident.
Lynch has deserved every bit of success that she has received. She was even able to stop licking her teeth during interviews, which cannot be overlooked. Late 2018, Lynch was on top of the wrestling world, looking down at all other female stars below her. The catalyst was so hidden, so unimaginable to the demise of “The Man,” that no one saw it coming.
Some even now can’t admit or understand the correlation between the two biggest draws of 2018 going into 2019.
Kofi-Mania running wilder than ever has destroyed the appeal of Becky Lynch and there is absolutely no way to get it back. Or is there?
Kofi Kingston has been a steadfast soldier of the WWE for 11 years. Kofi started his WWE career off as a fresh-faced, clean-shaven star with a “Jamaican” gimmick. Kingston has that vibe; he is just simply a likeable guy, and he emits that all day, every day. When Mustafa Ali was injured and couldn’t compete in the Elimination Chamber, Kingston as his replacement was a no-brainer. Kingston is always entertaining; he is simply can’t-miss. No one in their wildest dreams could have foreseen what was about to happen – Kingston was about to become the biggest star in the entire world. Kofi-Mania exploded all over “The Man” madness, and the hysteria of Kofi-Mania is something Lynch’s appeal couldn’t fend off.
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Some people will look at the fall of “The Man” as a failure for Lynch. That is without a doubt incorrect – Lynch has thrived in the roll as the face of the women’s division. She is who the people want; sadly, it will not matter in the end. Lynch got what she deserved. Due to the reaction from Lynch’s fans, “The Man” deserved a massive push. She got it, and now, that push is floundering by no fault of her own. Kofi-Mania has engulfed “The Man” hysteria and very small glimmers of the Lynch hype can shine through on rare occasion.
However, as quickly as it arrived, Becky Lynch is no longer “over.” This is a very critical time in the career of “The Man”: the appeal of Becky can easily and rapidly turn into hatred. In a very Romanesque way, Roman Reigns was beloved when he wasn’t being forced upon the WWE Universe. Lynch is now being forced upon the WWE Universe; case in point, WrestleMania main event. The women’s title match deserved main event status before the Elimination Chamber. After, it did not. Kofi Kingston has pulled drastically ahead as the most “over” star since Daniel Bryan and the YES movement.
Hope for Lynch?
Through natural interest and intrigue, the fans have chosen Kofi Kingston to now be “The Man.” Super confusing, I realize, but without a shadow of a doubt, Kingston is who the people have chosen. The saddest part is that the WWE fans didn’t realize that they were choosing between Kingston and Lynch. Now that the choice has been made, how can Lynch be saved?
Because once she turns into Roman 2.0, there is very little that can bring her back into the good graces of the fans. Once it feels like we, the fans, are being force-fed Lynch, we will turn on her faster than a Kevin Owens’ storyline twist. Reigns luckily has size, pedigree and while it’s not spectacular, his in-ring work is head and shoulders above Lynch’s.
Popularity comes and goes. Rebounding from having a down time in popularity is one thing. Rebounding from being the most “over” star in the wrestling industry to being force-fed to fans, that’s something completely different.
So what now? How can Lynch be spared from being the next most-hated performer in the WWE? Easily, The Four Horsewomen must ride.
