Latest news with #KofiKingston
Newsweek
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Former WWE Champion Announces Engagement
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. While pro wrestling fans are obsessed with what their favorites wrestlers do inside the ring, they are just as fascinated with what happens in their regular day-to-day, hence the success of shows like 'Total Divas' and 'Total Bellas.' More Pro Wrestling: Released WWE Superstar Retires From Pro Wrestling Now, a beloved WWE Superstar has revealed that he is taking one of the biggest steps of all: marriage. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23: WWE Wrestlers Kofi Kingston (M), Big E (L) and Xavier Woods (R) pose during a media call at Bondi Beach on January 23, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23: WWE Wrestlers Kofi Kingston (M), Big E (L) and Xavier Woods (R) pose during a media call at Bondi Beach on January 23, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. Don Arnold/WireImage/Getty Images Former WWE Champion and host of various WWE shows Big E announced that he had proposed to longtime girlfriend Kris Yim, the sister of fellow WWE Superstar Mia Yim. "I can't wait to be your husband, [Kris Yim]," Big E lovingly shared on Instagram. Big E went on to thank Last Supper Society, a culinary design studio that creates unique storytelling dining experiences, for "making this day perfect." More Pro Wrestling: AEW Star is Already Teasing Major Reunion With Released WWE Superstar Multiple current and former WWE Superstars took to the comments to give their congratulations to the newlyweds, including Charlotte Flair, Cathy Kelley, Ridge Holland, and Wade Barrett. However, names that were surprisingly missing were his former New Day stablemates Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, who kicked Big E out of the group in one of the best heel turns in recent memory. In fact, they have gone so far in turning on Big E that Kingston even photoshopped their former partner out of photos celebrating his WWE Championship win. 4/7/2019 We made history by beating the odds & achieving what many believed to be the impossible. Tonight, 6 years later to the day, we've earned the chance to add to our legacy, further solidifying ourselves as the Greatest Tag Team in history.#ThankGodForTheNewDay #wweraw — Kofi Kingston (@TrueKofi) April 7, 2025 More Pro Wrestling: Former WWE Talent Reportedly Signs With AEW After a career as a powerlifter, Big E signed with WWE in 2009. For the next three years, he was part of the developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) as Big E Langston. In 2012, FCW was rebranded as NXT, marking the beginning of a winning streak for Big E. He eventually won the NXT Championship in January 2013 by defeating Seth Rollins. On the main roster, Big E would quickly make a name for himself by winning the Intercontinental Championship. However, his biggest success would come in the formation of The New Day with Kingston and Woods. Originally conceived as villains, the power of positivity was too much to ignore and they quickly became one of the most popular stables/tag teams of all time. In his WWE career, Big E has taken home the WWE Championship, the NXT Championship, the Intercontinental Championship twice, and eight tag team championships. More Pro Wrestling: WWE Reportedly Signs Multiple AAA Talent After Mass Releases WWE Interested in Working with Ronda Rousey Again: Report For more WWE and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Forbes
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Everything To See And Do In Las Vegas For WrestleMania 41 Week
WrestleMania 41 emanates from Las Vegas, Nev. this April for only the second time in WWE history. The last WrestleMania Vegas—WrestleMania IX at Caesars Palace—gave WWE one of its greatest WrestleMania set designs to atone for arguably its worst WrestleMania. WWE is operating at or near Peak Cinema in 2025, breaking one live gate record after another with sky-high ticket prices headed into WrestleMania Easter. WWE's plethora of sponsorship deals include a recently announced partnership with Clash of the Clans which will feature a branded match at WrestleMania 41. That alone might be better than WrestleMania IX. WrestleMania week is a pro wrestling super hub. WrestleMania generated over $1.25 billion for its host city of Philadelphia last year, and countless promotions benefited from the biggest week in wrestling with piggybacking events. In 2025, however, WWE will be defying the laws of physics by piggybacking on itself. With more WWE-branded events than ever before, many indie wrestling promotions will now share a space with WWE ID shows. Wrestling-themed nightlife staples such as Remix Rumble and WaleMania's 10th anniversary will now coexist with four consecutive nights of WWE's WrestleMania After Dark in the Fontainebleau Hotel. WrestleMania is such a large-scale event, WWE had to stage a takeover of its own creation. And the takeover has already started with help from the New Day. As part of the ongoing rollout of WWE 2K25, five WWE Superstars—Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Dakota Kai and Tyler Breeze—played 2K25 on a 100,000 square foot screen at Resorts World in Las Vegas. Resorts World, home to a WrestleMania-week slots tournament hosted by former WWE announcer Kayla Becker (F.K.A. Kayla Braxton), will be a popular location among wrestling fans and talent. The venue is in close proximity to several means of transit throughout the city, such as the Las Vegas Loop, the Las Vegas Monorail and the M Ride. Fans will be able to use these methods of transportation to arrive at Allegiant Stadium, home of WrestleMania 41, the T-Mobile Arena (SmackDown, NXT Stand and Deliver and WWE Raw After Mania) and the Las Vegas Convention Center (WWE World.) WWE World takes place from April 17 to April 21, where there will be meet-and-greets with top stars such as Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Damian Priest, Drew McIntyre, Mike Tyson, Jey Uso and The Undertaker. Undertaker will have a busy week after reprising his 1 Deadman Show in the BleauLive Theater at the Fontainebleau Hotel. This is the same location as the 2025 WWE Hall of Fame with headlining inductee Triple H. WWE World will also feature the largest superstore in WrestleMania history with exclusive merchandise, memorabilia, autograph signings and immersive exhibits. WWE, in partnership with Medium Rare, announced its first-ever WrestleMania After Dark experience at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Las Vegas. WrestleMania After Dark takes place every night from Thursday, April 17 to Sunday, April 20 at LIV nightclub with live performances from DJ Valentino Khan, Metro Boomin, Machine Gun Kelly, Flo Rida and Rob Gronkowski. WrestleMania After Dark will include appearances from a bevy of WWE stars such as The Usos, Liv Morgan, Bron Breakker and Rey Mysterio. Saturday the 19th will be especially packed with WWE NXT Stand and Deliver inside the T-Mobile Arena, WrestleMania Saturday and a potential Yeet Celebration at WrestleMania After Dark featuring Jimmy and Jey Uso. Wrestling enthusiasts won't have to wait until night time to mingle with fellow fans and stars, as former WWE Superstar Mojo Rawley (Dean Muhtadi) will host Slam Fest day parties at Palms Casino Resort on April 19 and 20. The Palms Pool event is advertising Mandy Sacs (F.K.A. Mandy Rose), Shelton Benjamin, MVP and Ric Flair, who will be hosting a 'Woo!' contest on the 19th. Flair recently noted he will be in attendance for John Cena's potentially record-breaking 17th world title win in Sunday's main event against Cody Rhodes. The Palms will also be a venue for one of WWE's many co-branded shows during WrestleMania week as part of its emerging WWE ID program. WWE ID will present tournament matches in partnership with GCW: The Collective at the Palms on April 16. WWE ID Tournament matches, which will eventually crown the inaugural WWE ID men's and women's champion, will also take place in FSW Vegas from the FSW Arena. WWE ID promotion KnokXPro—headed up by WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi—will feature a weekend of events from April 16 through April 18 in the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. WWE ID's potentially game-changing involvement in the indie wrestling scene has been the cause of spirited debate in the wrestling community. Some feel WWE ID is good for the wrestling business as it will showcase smaller promotions, while giving wrestlers a path to the mainstream superstardom that they seek. Others fear WWE ID could experience the same pitfalls of NXT UK, while sucking the soul out of independent wrestling domestically. Regardless of the fate of WWE ID, WWE has every right to capitalize on the event it created. As a two-night showcase amid a week of hype, WrestleMania has turned into a festival, and the residual interest in outside shows is a business unto itself. Most importantly, any show with a connection to WWE will have onsite medical staff, thereby mitigating tragedies like Vincent Steele's fatality during a local New York wrestling show last month. This despite the rapid response from first responders who were on the scene within minutes of Steele's cardiac event. In years prior, WrestleMania week was the most lucrative timeframe for independent wrestling promotions to piggyback on the biggest wrestling event of the year. This meant wrestling fans were spoiled with a diverse array of renegade live entertainment. Everything from Bloodsport to Ring of Honor emanated all in one city. Now owned by rival promotion AEW, ROH Supercard of Honor will not take place during WrestleMania weekend per usual, and many of the more high-profile shows will happen under the WWE ID brand. Whether this is a sign of the corporatizing of WrestleMania week events, or a necessary sea change to make indie wrestling more professional, remains to be seen. Wrestlecon is a WrestleMania-week institution and one of the largest gatherings of pro wrestlers from the past, present and future of this business. This year's Wrestlecon emanates from the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. In between wrestling events, WrestleMania tourists can play Topgolf at the MGM Grand, or Swingers Indoor Mini Golf at the Mandalay Bay for those with a stronger short game. No genre brings out the jubilant child among exuberant adults like pro wrestling, and Vegas' Play Playground at the Luxor does just that. With virtual reality, physical games and tactile games to name a few, the Play Playground is Chuck-E-Cheese for adults, equipped with a full bar. The Play Playground will play host to a video game tournament on Friday hosted by WWE's Mike Rome. For the more psychedelic tourist, the Omega Mart offers an interactive supermarket with several trap doors that lead to imaginative exhibits within an alternate reality. With origins dating back to 2009, Omega Mart features a display of custom-made products and contributions from over 300 artists that have to be seen to be believed. There is no shortage of meals and dining in Las Vegas. Wally's at Resorts World is a popular option for brunch, and the wood oven French Toast comes highly recommended. Beer Park in the Paris Hotel sets the perfect vibe for a pregame at a tailgate without the parking lot. For those looking for the best steak in Vegas, it's a tie between Orla at the Mandalay Bay and Barry's Downtown Prime at Circa Resort and Casino. Before attending any of the late night WrestleMania events, such as WrestleMania After Dark, fans are encouraged to enjoy a post-match drink at Glitter Gulch Tiki Bar. Las Vegas has something for everyone, and the entire city will exist in concert with WrestleMania and wrestling-themed activities. The theme will be 'Pick your Poison,' and with the latest-emanating WrestleMania of all time in Sin City, fans will have plenty of time to indulge.
