Freddie Prinze Jr. Pitched Kofi Kingston Gauntlet Match A Decade Ago

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Freddie Prinze Jr. Pitched A Kofi Kingston Gauntlet Match Over A Decade Ago

By Eric Trigg

Published Mar 14, 2019

Freddie Prinze Jr. claims he tried pitching an idea for a Kofi Kingston gauntlet match to the WWE over a decade ago when he was on the creative team.

Actor and former WWE creative team member Freddie Prinze Jr. claims he pitched an idea for Kofi Kingston running the gauntlet over a decade ago. While many aren't aware, Prinze did work in the company's creative department for a while before being released. In fact, most of the writers that have been working with the promotion come from Hollywood, as the company reportedly started signing them several years ago.

Recently on SmackDown, WWE has been teasing a potential match taking place at WrestleMania XXXV between Kingston and WWE champion Daniel Bryan. The build-up for the match began at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. Bryan and Kingston participated in the titular match for the championship and they were the final two participants. The two went back and forth until Bryan finally managed to put Kingston away to retain his championship. While the spot was earned, it wasn't originally Kingston's, as he replaced Mustafa Ali at the last minute after Ali suffered an injury. Despite that, fans got behind The New Day member after he put on a thrilling performance in a gauntlet match against the other competitors from the elimination chamber match. Now, with Kingston set to endure the gauntlet again, Prinze claims he pitched an idea for a Kingston gauntlet match over a decade ago.

Kingston noted on his Twitter that he always knew his path to the WWE championship wouldn't be an easy one, but that he will make it there after conquering the gauntlet one last time. Prinze chimed in to claim that he pitched a similar idea years ago, but no one wanted to listen to him. This isn't surprising as most of what the current creative team pitches must first get approved by WWE CEO Vince McMahon, who usually feels his thoughts are the best way to go creatively. It's possible that McMahon was the one who rejected the idea, but now wants to push the narrative on television. Check out Prinze's tweet below:

Kingston has never captured world championship gold, but now it looks like the WWE is ready to let Kingston lead the company due to his recent performances, and fan reception. Despite his lack of world titles, Kingston is a decorated veteran in the company, as he has held the tag team championships for both Raw and SmackDown on numerous occasions. He has also had a successful singles career, with multiple Intercontinental and United States championship reigns to show for it. However, it is obvious the WWE didn't plan on having Kingston in a major title match at WrestleMania this year and all of this is just due to unfortunate circumstances. McMahon himself recently stated the company would look to give the audience more of what they want and right now, Kingston is the fan favorite, so the company must deliver on their promises.

While Prinze's claim could be false, it's not surprising to hear that an idea for Kingston was pitched decades ago. Back in 2009, he was involved in a heated rivalry with Randy Orton, and it seemed like he would be the one going over in the feud. WWE has an opportunity to capture a historical moment at WrestleMania XXXV when Bryan and Kingston face off for the WWE championship.

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Source: Freddie Prinze Jr.