WWE SummerSlam 2019 preview: WWE Championship match

The very real history between WWE Champion Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton makes this championship match a must-see at SummerSlam.

By now most viewers know that heated rivalries are a scripted part of the storyline to make the matches more intriguing. But every so often a dose of reality gets sprinkled into the mix, making the tension that much heavier.

At SummerSlam, Kofi Kingston will take on Randy Orton in a WWE Championship match. This is a rare match built on a rivalry that altered Kingston’s career over 10 years ago.

As Kingston explained in a recent interview with The Ottawa Sun, he was on his way to becoming a main event player in the WWE until Orton derailed him.

"For those who don’t know, 10 years ago in 2009 I was on my way to the main-event scene and I was wrestling a top-tier guy like Randy Orton. The direction it seemed to be going was I would get main events — it didn’t happen. I come to find out Randy Orton had a lot to do with holding me back, using his influence to make sure I never got to the main-event scene."

Which brings us to now and the WWE Championship match at SummerSlam. Kingston is looking to settle a personal score and show just how deserving he is to be at the top. Orton wants to take the title from him and end Kingston’s fairy-tale championship run proving he was right all along. It’s fine storytelling that weaves personal with professional and sets up a SummerSlam match that could likely steal the show.

Former WWE Superstar Chavo Guerrero sat down with WrestlingInc.com where explained why Orton is so special.

"“He’s so good; his timing is impeccable. His presence in the ring is so good. He’s got you from his entrance to his exit and he commands the audience. I remember the first time I saw him do that Viper thing … I thought to myself, ‘Man, why didn’t I think of that? That’s so cool!'”"

A victory over the likes of a veteran like Orton would give Kingston’s title reign legitimacy and a personal validation that he earned his spot.

SummerSlam is August 11, 2019 at 7:00 PM ET (Preshow at 5:00 PM ET) on the WWE Network