A casual joke quickly turned into a real-life brawl when Kofi Kingston, fueled by liquid courage, challenged Vince McMahon to a fight on the airport tarmac after a four-hour private jet journey with his boss in 2010.
Flowing drinks, a private jet, and a shocking brawl with the boss – the wild story of Kofi Kingston vs. Vince McMahon! Photo Credit: WWE. Artwork by Pro Wrestling Stories.
When Kofi Kingston Fought Vince McMahon at an Airport: The Lead-Up
A bit of liquid courage and an off-putting joke led to Kofi Kingston challenging Vince McMahon to a fight on an airport tarmac in 2010! Photo Credit: WWE. Artwork by Pro Wrestling Stories.
In his third autobiography, The Best In The World: At What I Have No Idea, Chris Jericho opened up about the events that unfolded after Vince McMahon made disparaging comments to Kofi Kingston following a four-hour, alcohol-fueled private jet journey.
"WrestleMania was going to be held on March 28th, 2010, at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, featuring a quadruple main event of Vince vs. Bret Hart, Cena vs. Batista, Michaels vs. Undertaker II, and Jericho vs. Edge.
"It was slated to be one of the biggest Manias ever, and a few weeks before the show, I was asked to fly on Vince’s private jet from Raw in Nashville to Phoenix for a press conference.
"It was about a four-hour flight, and Vince, John Cena, Kofi Kingston, John Laurinaitis, and I passed the time by playing cards, listening to AC/DC and The Rolling Stones (of course), and drinking straight Jack Daniel’s."
Liquid Courage and Tensions in the Air
Chris Jericho openly shared what happened after Vince McMahon’s cutting remarks ignited a bold response from Kofi Kingston. Photo Credit: WWE.
Jericho continued, “After the confrontation with HBK in France, I no longer drank brown spirits, as Jack and Jericho still didn’t get along. But I was hanging with the boss, and there wasn’t anything else on the plane, so I indulged.
"Bad idea because after four hours of being on the same aircraft, Jack kicked Jericho’s butt. I was completely drunk (all of us were) when the plane landed, and I was in a nasty mood. Drunkicho was back, literally."
Vince McMahon’s Disrespect Sparks a Fight
Kofi Kingston confronted Vince McMahon on the tarmac, fueled by liquid courage and a desire to stand up for himself. Photo Credit: Muscle & Fitness Magazine, WWE.
"The plane pulled up on the tarmac, and we stayed aboard for a few extra minutes to finish up our drinks. Kofi got up to leave, and Vince made some sort of jokey comment along the lines of, ‘Maybe you’ll get over one of these days.
“I thought it was an unfair remark and caught up to Kofi on the runway,” Jericho admitted.
At that point, Jericho told Kofi:
"You have to go back on the plane and challenge him to a fight right now. If you don’t, he’ll know he can walk all over you whenever he wants. If you go challenge him, he’ll love it and respect you for it."
Jericho clarified the advice he gave:
I wasn’t ribbing Kofi. I legitimately meant what I said and wanted to see him stand up for himself. To his credit, he only thought about it for a few seconds before marching back up the steps of the jet. I followed closely behind.”
Kofi Kingston Confronts the Boss, Vince McMahon
A tense moment unfolded as Kofi Kingston challenged Vince McMahon to a fight, proving that respect in wrestling often comes at a price. Photo Credit: WWE, Muscle & Fitness Magazine.
‘How’s your dad?’ Vince asked me as I got to the top of the stairs,” Jericho recalled. “‘Tell him to give me a call! I really like that guy and would love to chat with him again!’ They’d met once.”
Kofi then spoke up with a newfound confidence in his voice, “‘Vince, do you have a problem with me?’
Vince looked at him in surprise as Kofi repeated the question.
“‘Maybe I do,’ Vince replied. ‘Do you wanna do something about it?’
Kofi, realizing he had come too far to back down, responded, “‘Do you want me to do something about it?’
“‘Do you want to do something about it?’ Vince repeated, locking eyes with Kofi from his chair.
“‘Do YOU want me to do something about it?’
“‘Do YOU want to do something—’ Vince interrupted mid-sentence, double-legging Kofi to the ground.
The two scuffled briefly, rolling around in the aisle until Vince, laughing, got up,” Jericho remembered.
“‘That’s the way to do it!’ Vince said, laughing as he exited the plane.
“Kofi looked at me, searching for some kind of validation, and I gave him a big thumbs-up.
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Kofi Kingston Reflects on the Incident Years Later
Photo Credit: WWE.
"It’s one of my vivid memories in sports because it’s the wild world of wrestling. You know what I mean?" Kingston told Fightful in April 2020, reflecting on the incident ten years after his scuffle with the boss.
"We were on the way to a press conference. As we were getting off, Vince started trying me a little bit. He’s like, ‘You wanna fight an old man?’ I’m like, ‘Whoa, what is going on? What’s happening?’
"I got kicked off the plane because I wouldn’t fight him. ‘Uhhhh, okay.’”
The Advice Chris Jericho Gave Kofi
Kofi Kingston faces off against Chris Jericho on Raw, April 23rd, 2012. Photo Credit: WWE.
"Jericho did come down, and he said I had to go back up there because, in this weird world of wrestling, this is how you had to get respect. I’m like, ‘Uhhh, okay, I guess I’ll go up there and try to fight my boss.’
"We get up there, and we start going back and forth. All of a sudden, I got double-legged on the plane. I’m like, ‘Oh my God, we’re really fighting.’ This is crazy."
At the time, Vince McMahon was 64, while Kofi Kingston was a fledgling 28-year-old.
The Moment Vince McMahon and Kofi Kingston Brawled in the Aisle
Inside Vince McMahon’s private WWE jet, where tensions would build between Kofi Kingston and him in 2010. Photo Credit: WWE.
Kofi continued, "I had the Whizzer in. The ref probably wouldn’t have given him the two points. But you’ve got to keep in mind, the aisle in the plane was three or four feet long.
"All of a sudden, he started laughing, ‘Ah, if I’d have known that you want it.’ I’m thankful that Jericho told me to go back on there because who knows, in this weird world of wrestling, if I don’t go on there, all of a sudden, ‘he doesn’t have what it takes.’
"I don’t know if I would have had the career that I would have had. A very different time back then. It was a wild night, for sure.
"Anyone who is an amateur wrestling aficionado, if you have that Whizzer in, they can’t award control. Who knows what would have happened? I’m pretty sure I might have been able to get my legs out and get a sprawl on. It didn’t have to go that far. I don’t think it was about the actual takedown. Who knows.
"We were still kind of in the early stage of our relationship, so I don’t know if there was a shift or anything," Kofi clarified. "I’ve been really lucky to have a really really good relationship with Vince over the years. I’ve been really lucky to have experienced so much in my career.”
How This Fight Shaped Kofi’s Relationship with Vince
Kofi Kingston, the first African-born WWE Champion, stands tall after overcoming adversity—just like he did when confronting Vince McMahon in 2010. Photo Credit: WWE.
"Obviously, Vince [was] the one making those decisions at the end of the day,” Kofi Kingston added.
“I’ve taken a lot of pride in being able to deliver over the years and maximize the opportunities I’ve been given. I just keep trying to knock them out of the park every single time."
Fortunately for Kofi, everything worked out just fine for him in the long run.
The scuffle between Kofi Kingston and Vince McMahon wasn’t just a moment of reckless courage — it became a defining moment in Kofi’s career.
What could have been a disastrous confrontation turned into an opportunity to earn Vince’s respect, showcasing the unpredictable dynamics of Vince’s wrestling world.
As Kofi later reflected, this bold move may have shaped his future success, proving that sometimes standing your ground — even against your boss — can change everything.
It’s interesting to note that in recent times, Vince McMahon, now facing distractions of his own with various ongoing investigations and legal troubles, seems far removed from the days of in-flight scuffles and hands-on management.
The wrestling landscape and Vince’s role in it have evolved, but Kofi Kingston’s bold decision to stand up to one of the most powerful figures in the industry remains a legendary moment. Few have ever dared to challenge Vince McMahon in such a way, and this act of courage — standing toe-to-toe with the boss — is a testament to Kofi’s character.
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JP Zarka is the founder of Pro Wrestling Stories, established in 2015, where he guides the site's creative vision as editor-in-chief. From 2018 to 2019, he hosted and produced The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo, brother of WWE legend Macho Man Randy Savage. His diverse background includes roles as a school teacher, assistant principal, published author, musician with the London-based band Sterling Avenue, and being a proud father of two amazing daughters. He has appeared on the television show Autopsy: The Last Hours Of and contributed research for programming on ITV and BBC.
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