Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, best known as their time together as The New Day, are no longer with WWE.
News broke on May 2 that the legendary tag team had departed the company, much to the surprise of fans. Shortly afterwards, Woods and Kingston were removed from the active roster page to the alumni section, effectively confirming the departure.
A follow-up report by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select provided more context on the situation. It was noted that the duo will have a 90-day no-compete clause in place, which is standard for WWE main roster exits. Additionally, the report states that Woods and Kingston were asked to restructure their deals, which was refused, so they asked for their release.
Moving forward, Kofi Kingston could use his real first name Kofi in other promotions, but Xavier Woods is trademarked by the promotion. As expected, “New Day” is also the property of WWE. In terms of this release and other recent cuts, WWE parent company TKO has been reportedly tasked with shedding millions of dollars, with Kingston and Woods both on 7-figure deals.
One of the most decorated tag teams in the modern era, The New Day held the Tag Team Championships 12 times, with one reign lasting 483 days. At the time, this was the longest reigning with the titles in company history. Kingston also captured the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35, becoming the first African-born wrestler to capture that title.
Big E Addresses Kofi Kingston And Xavier Woods Leaving WWE
On his Instagram story, Big E reposted artwork from Jonathan Davenport, who has previously designed some of The New Day’s gear. The post sees Woods and Kingston leaving their gear in the locker room as they walk out of the door.
Big E was also an integral part in The New Day’s success. Finding success in the singles and tag divisions, Big E suffered a broken neck in 2022 and hasn’t wrestled since. In late 2024, an angle took place on Raw where Big E was kicked out of the group in storyline, leading to The New Day’s heel turn.
Featured image: WWE
