Original Pitch For WWE Title Change At WrestleMania 35 Before KofiMania Revealed

SmackDown co-lead writer has revealed that he tried to push for a different member of New Day to win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35.

The April 7, 2019 PLE saw New Day’s Kofi Kingston defeat Daniel Bryan to become WWE Champion.

‘Road Dogg’ Brian James – who was the SmackDown lead writer from 2016 to April 2019 and recently returned to this role – didn’t see this as the story he wanted to tell, however, revealing that he saw Big E as the champion.

Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, James noted that he was told by another writer that he was wrong and that Kofi Kingston was the correct choice.

James explained:

“I wanted Big E to win the title at KofiMania. I thought Big E was the guy, and a guy on my writing team who now writes for NXT said, ‘You’re wrong boss. You’re wrong. It’s Kofi.’

“And I didn’t realize that Kofi had such a personal connection with the fan base. I was just looking for who’s the next guy and I didn’t think oh, the guy’s sitting right here. I was trying to make this guy over here and, yeah, never been so happy to be wrong though. What a moment.”

The full WWE match can be seen below this news story, James going on to address the aftermath of the story that was told, stating:

“You can go back in time and fuss about what happened the next week or the next year or whatever. Who cares? Kofi won the title at WrestleMania, and nobody can ever take that away.

“Big E had his moment. It was gonna come around, just it wasn’t time yet. I saw something that it was there. It just wasn’t time yet. The timing was Kofi. It was Kofi time and have I never been so happy to be wrong and couldn’t be more happy for the guy it happened for too.

“If I was writing again, we’d do it one more time, because I think it would work again. I 100% think it would work again.”

In the interview, James would also address his perception that he and WWE star CM Punk hated each other, realising that this was far from the case despite a decade of supposed animosity.

James was revealed as the new co-lead writer of WWE SmackDown on February 15, 2025, following the shows move to three hours.

SmackDown co-lead writer 'Road Dogg' Brian James says he pushed for Big E to win the WWE Championship instead of Kofi Kingston at WrestleMania 35:

"I wanted Big E to win the title at KofiMania. I thought Big E was the guy, and a guy on my writing team who now writes for NXT… pic.twitter.com/1gQVggulXM

— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) February 20, 2025