| • BIOGRAPHY |
 Early careerA standout wrestler at Massachusetts powerhouse Winchester High School, Kofi enrolled at Boston College. After completing a degree in communications, Kingston made his professional debut in 2005. He competed primarily in the New England area, including stints in the Millennium Wrestling Federation, New England Championship Wrestling, the Eastern Wrestling Alliance, and Chaotic Wrestling under the ring name Kofi Nahaje Kingston. World Wrestling Entertainment (2006-present) Developmental territories In September 2006, he signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and was assigned to Deep South Wrestling (DSW), a Georgia based developmental territory. He debuted in the new company, using the same ring name, in a dark match loss to Montel Vontavious Porter on September 21.For the rest of 2006 and the beginning of 2007 he appeared in DSW, as well as its Kentucky based sister promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he was placed into a tag team dubbed the Commonwealth Connection with Harry Smith. 2007 was also his first exposure to the main WWE roster, when he worked dark matches on March 5 and 26 before episodes of WWE Raw against Charlie Haas and Trevor Murdoch respectively. For these appearances he used the ring name Kofi Jamaica. When he returned to the developmental territories he shortened his original ring name to Kofi Kingston, and continued to use both ring names throughout his duration there. That May he also worked house shows, defeating Shelton Benjamin in Greenville, South Carolina on the 5th,and Val Venis in Roanoke, Virginia on the 6th. When Florida based developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling opened in June, Kingston was relocated there, appearing at their first show on June 26 teaming with Eric Perez against Keith Walker and Ryklon Stephens in a losing effort.[14] Kingston worked there for most of the remainder of the year,[14][15] until he was called up to the main WWE roster. ECW brand A series of vignettes for Kingston's television debut began airing on the weekly ECW television show starting on December 6, 2007.[16] view During this introduction phase the videos, official WWE website, and the ECW commentators all made note that he would be the first Jamaican-born person to wrestle for the company. He debuted on January 22, 2008 with a win over local wrestler David Owens.After wrestling sporadic matches, Kingston was involved in his first major match; a 24-man battle royal during the Wrestlemania XXIV pre-show with the winner receiving an ECW Championship match, but was eliminated by Mark Henry. Since Kingston's debut in ECW, he remained undefeated in singles competition for months. However, after defeating him in two consecutive matches, Kingston received his first loss on the May 20, 2008 episode of ECW to Shelton Benjamin. He would continue his rivalry with Benjamin which would end on the June 24 edition of ECW when Kingston defeated Benjamin in an extreme rules match. Raw brand As part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft, Kingston was drafted to the Raw brand.  Hailing from the tropical climate of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaican Superstar Kofi Kingston brings unique in-ring abilities, style and lingo to Raw.
For weeks, WWE fans were offered a glimpse into Kingston’s island paradise where the vibrant Superstar took troublesome matters into his own capable hands. Mixing it up with his lightning quick arsenal while maintaining his bright, amiable smile, Kofi undoubtedly made ECW his own private Island of the Extreme. Kofi has engaged in a series matches against Shelton Benjamin as of late. Although he had done incredibly well in them, Benjamin is responsible for giving Kingston's his first loss in WWE. Rather than slowing him down, this has only inspired Kofi to work harder and do ever better in the future. The day after defeating ECW's Gold Standard in an Extreme Rules Match, Kofi Kingston was randomly drafted to Raw in the Supplemental Draft on June 25. The Jamaican Superstar will now be looking to make an impact on Monday nights. |