Kemo
04-05-2019, 08:26 PM
Kofi Kingston has a chance to win the WWE Championship on Sunday. He plans on representing all people who have struggled and that is what the phrase “People Like Us” is meant to convey.
Jim Ross recently commented on his podcast he feels the “People Like Us” phrase used by New Day members in the build-up to this match too closely alludes to the topic of race and racial injustice.
Race should never have been brought into the @TrueKofi storyline.
It’s a classic, underdog story.
Race, Religion & Politics have no place on rasslin tv, IMO.
Hope to see you #WrestlemaniaWeekend
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) March 27, 2019
Kingston appeared on Busted Open radio and clarified that “People Like Us” is not meant to mean someone of a specific race, gender, or nationality, however, but rather just people who have struggled.
“We left it open-ended for a reason,” Kingston said. “It means a lot of direct things. For example, myself, I wear pigtails in the ring, I wear pink, I skip, I clap, I twerk, you know what I mean? You don’t see someone like that in the main event.”
Race does play a role in the Kofi Kingston WrestleMania storyline, however.
“There’s obviously the element of race concerned in it, right? You haven’t seen many African-American champions hold major titles. So, that is definitely a big piece of it.”
In particular, Kofi is cognizant of being a role model to younger fans.
“So, I think what’s awesome about this whole storyline is that so many people can identify with it. Whether it be people who are like black children, who are looking at the screen, and they see black men doing excellent things and excelling and doing excellent things. Now, they believe they can do excellent things.”
Kofi also spoke about how his WrestleMania storyline transcends race.
“But also, from the perspective that kind of transcends race, is the fact that this is a legitimate 11-year journey,” Kofi continued. “People like us, like people who work as hard as they possibly can, who are told “no”. Even before I became a WWE Superstar, I was told I was never going to make it because I wasn’t big enough.”
“People who are always climbing obstacles – climbing mountains, only to find more mountains at the top of those mountains and having to climb again. You know, ‘people like us’ it involves – it’s everybody who has struggled, you know what I’m saying?”
WrestleMania 35 takes place this Sunday from MetLife Stadium and will broadcast live on the WWE Network.
Jim Ross recently commented on his podcast he feels the “People Like Us” phrase used by New Day members in the build-up to this match too closely alludes to the topic of race and racial injustice.
Race should never have been brought into the @TrueKofi storyline.
It’s a classic, underdog story.
Race, Religion & Politics have no place on rasslin tv, IMO.
Hope to see you #WrestlemaniaWeekend
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) March 27, 2019
Kingston appeared on Busted Open radio and clarified that “People Like Us” is not meant to mean someone of a specific race, gender, or nationality, however, but rather just people who have struggled.
“We left it open-ended for a reason,” Kingston said. “It means a lot of direct things. For example, myself, I wear pigtails in the ring, I wear pink, I skip, I clap, I twerk, you know what I mean? You don’t see someone like that in the main event.”
Race does play a role in the Kofi Kingston WrestleMania storyline, however.
“There’s obviously the element of race concerned in it, right? You haven’t seen many African-American champions hold major titles. So, that is definitely a big piece of it.”
In particular, Kofi is cognizant of being a role model to younger fans.
“So, I think what’s awesome about this whole storyline is that so many people can identify with it. Whether it be people who are like black children, who are looking at the screen, and they see black men doing excellent things and excelling and doing excellent things. Now, they believe they can do excellent things.”
Kofi also spoke about how his WrestleMania storyline transcends race.
“But also, from the perspective that kind of transcends race, is the fact that this is a legitimate 11-year journey,” Kofi continued. “People like us, like people who work as hard as they possibly can, who are told “no”. Even before I became a WWE Superstar, I was told I was never going to make it because I wasn’t big enough.”
“People who are always climbing obstacles – climbing mountains, only to find more mountains at the top of those mountains and having to climb again. You know, ‘people like us’ it involves – it’s everybody who has struggled, you know what I’m saying?”
WrestleMania 35 takes place this Sunday from MetLife Stadium and will broadcast live on the WWE Network.