Former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston talks about his real-life ‘controlled frenzy’ scuffle with Vince Mcmahon on a jet.
Vince Mcmahon has a peculiar way to test his superstars. In the world of professional wrestling, your in-ring or mic skills are not enough to prove your worth, sometimes some situations test your intestinal fortitude. Kofi Kingston found himself in one such situation.
According to the autobiography of Chris Jericho, The Best In The World: At What I Have No Idea, it was the season of Wrestlemania 26, John Cena, Kofi Kingston, and Chris Jericho were sharing a ride with Vince McMahon on his private jet. Everybody had a couple of drinks as it was a 4-hour journey.
Wrestlemania 26 was hyped to be the biggest Mania ever as there were a quadruple main event matches. Vince vs. Bret Hart, Cena vs. Batista, Michaels vs. Undertaker II, and Jericho vs. Edge.
Upon landing, amid all the excitement for the forthcoming PPV, Vince Mcmahon cracked a joke on Kofi Kingston that Kofi didn’t look kindly on. Kofi initially took the joke in his stride and got off the Jet. However, Chris Jericho gained on him and advised him to do something about it or he will be stepped upon by him anytime in his career. Kofi, who was 28 at the time climbed back up in the jet and addressed Vince Mcmahon who was 64.
Kofi asked Vince if he had a problem with him, to which Vince said “maybe I do, You wanna do something about it?”
The conversation egged both men on to take a step. It took a turn for the worse when Vince double-legged Kofi as they were arguing. Kofi however, got him in a Whizzer. Both men were on top of each other until Vince Mcmahon got up laughing and said “That’s the way to do it!”
Confused Kofi looked at Chris Jericho and got a big thumbs up.
Chris said in his book: “I’m not sure if he gained Vince’s respect that night, but he sure gained mine”.
Kofi reflecting on the day of the ‘drunken stupor’ ten years later
In a chat with Fightful, Kofi said
“All of a sudden, he started laughing, ‘Ah, if I’d have known that you want it.’ I’m thankful that Jericho told me to go back on there because who knows, in this weird world of wrestling, if I don’t go on there, all of a sudden, ‘he doesn’t have what it takes.’
“I don’t know if I would have had the career that I would have had. A very different time back then. It was a wild night, for sure.
Kofi was thankful that that little altercation did not ruin their relationship though they were in the early stages. The incident did not cause any animosity between the two as Kofi went ahead to become a future WWE champion.
