Out of all the awards WWE Backstage announced, this is probably the one that has the fewest arguments against it or any of the nominees as they’re all equally deserving. As far as Moment of the Year goes, few could match it as it was achieved on the grandest stage of them all.
WrestleMania has had a great deal of Moments since its inception in 1985. We’ve seen boyhood dreams come true, the fall of a Giant, and the Streak. Kofi Kingston added to that list by having his memorable moment of the year at a WrestleMania. Like Madison Square Garden, certain things are expected when this event comes around, and Kingston didn’t disappoint.
The @WWE Moment of the year is: @TrueKofi winning the WWE Championship at @WrestleMania.#WWEBackstage pic.twitter.com/s2jdxxg9sl
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 25, 2019
Not only did he create a WrestleMania moment, but he birthed a cool phenomena called Kofimania. While it wasn’t as high powered as Hulkamania, it’s just as memorable for many reasons. Like Hogan, Kingston is beloved by fans and his “power of positivity” is the kind of thing people need to hear in an era where we’re constantly bombarded with negativity. It gives children and adults an added message that’s not beating us over the head as we seek escapism. Plus, he and the New Day are just fun to watch.
His competition was stiff
Becky Lynch winning the Raw and SmackDown women’s championship at WrestleMania
This was another WrestleMania moment and a close second to Kingston’s, I’m sure. What Becky Lynch did was historic and she’s one of the most popular wrestlers in the promotion. There wouldn’t have been any bad feelings or much to say against her had she won.
Natalya and Lacey Evans holding the first women’s wrestling match in Saudi Arabia at Crown Jewel
This was groundbreaking on so many levels, and it’s deserving for Lacey Evans and Natalya to receive recognition for this. While professional wrestling is scripted and the winners predetermined, the fact they were chosen for this match instead of Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bayley, or Sasha Banks speaks volumes to how important they are viewed by Vince McMahon and others in the promotion.
Braun Strowman tackles Bobby Lashley through LED wall
Okay, this was awesome. It was Heyman’s first show as executive producer of Raw and it promised a change in direction of the show. Unfortunately, unlike the other nominees, this didn’t propel the show forward or break through the PG barrier like we all hoped it would. Raw quickly became stagnant again and has since limped along. Now, if the show had continued pushing boundaries, this would definitely be something to consider, but it’s the lowest of the options by far with its lacking legacy.
