Kofi Kingston gauntlet match announced for WWE SmackDown

Kofi Kingston’s road to WrestleMania 35 will continue on next Tuesday’s episode of SmackDown.

This week’s show ended with the announcement that Kingston will face Randy Orton, Samoa Joe, Cesaro, Sheamus, and Rowan in a gauntlet match next week. If Kingston wins, he’ll challenge for Daniel Bryan’s WWE Championship at WrestleMania.

It had been hyped all show that Kingston would be getting a “WrestleMania opportunity.” A promo segment with The New Day and Vince McMahon closed the episode. Kingston said he’s never been one to complain and isn’t going to start now, but he needs McMahon to tell him what he has to do to get the title shot.

After the gauntlet match was announced, Joe, Cesaro, Sheamus, and Rowan tried to attack New Day but were fought off.

AJ Styles issued a WrestleMania challenge to Orton earlier on this week’s SmackDown. Joe, who currently holds the United States title, was pinned by Rey Mysterio in a tag match.

Kingston was originally announced as Bryan’s challenger for Fastlane, but he was replaced by Kevin Owens as part of a storyline where McMahon said Kingston wasn’t deserving of the title shot.

At Fastlane, there was an angle where McMahon made Kingston think he was added to the title match. Instead, Kingston lost to Cesaro & Sheamus in a handicap match. Bryan retained the WWE title against Owens and Mustafa Ali in a triple threat.

Kingston was in a gauntlet match for nearly an hour on the February 12 episode of SmackDown. He defeated Bryan, Jeff Hardy, and Joe before being eliminated.

Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana is hosting next week’s SmackDown.