Backstage Update On The New Day’s WWE Departure
The New Day has effectively ceased to exist as a WWE faction as of Saturday, May 2.
Earlier in the day, it was reported by Bodyslam and Fightful that both Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods had quit the Stamford promotion. In October 2025, Big E announced his retirement from in-ring competition due to a neck injury he had sustained in early 2022. Despite hoping to fully recover and return to wrestling, he was unable to.
The announcement of their departure comes one week after the wrestling company released 24 superstars on April 24, including Kairi Sane, Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Motor City Machine Guns, and the entire Wyatt Sicks faction.
The departure signals the end of Kingston’s two-decade-long run in the company. Kofi signed a developmental contract with WWE in 2006 and debuted on the ECW brand two years later.
Between 2008 and 2012, he became a 4-time Intercontinental Champion and a 2-time United States Champion, winning the latter for a third time in 2013.
In 2014, The New Day was officially born in November. It marked the beginning of a dream run for the trio of Kingston, Woods, and E.
While Woods went on to become a 12-time WWE Tag Team Champion across both Raw and SmackDown, Kingston won the titles 15 times.
Kofi Kingston also won the WWE Championship once, when he defeated Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35.
Backstage Reaction To The New Day’s WWE Departure
Kofi Kingston had been a WWE loyalist since debuting on the promotion’s main roster in 2008. Woods, on the other hand, joined the company in 2010 after leaving TNA in March that year; he made his main roster debut in 2013.
According to a report by Fightful, the company’s sources were said to be surprised by The New Day’s departure, as they assumed the duo to end their careers in the Stamford promotion.
The report also claimed that other companies are already lining up to sign the former WWE star, including AEW.
WWE sources were shocked by the departure of the New Day, with many sources assuming they’d be WWE lifers, especially Kofi Kingston.
In very unsurprising news, major AEW names are already pushing for them to get signed by the company.
A lot more details on ring-name usage,… pic.twitter.com/YTVWyOWlot
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) May 2, 2026
Kofi Kingston, at 44, is still one of the most athletically gifted wrestlers. Xavier Woods is only 39 and has more to offer to the wrestling world before he calls it a career.
It remains to be seen which promotion snags the duo together or whether they join two different promotions.
Along with Kofi and Xavier, JC Mateo and Tonga Loa of the MFTs were also released on Saturday.