Former World Champion ‘Of Course’ Wants The New Day To Join AEW
The New Day’s Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston are in search of their future home for wrestling.
Since being shockingly let go by WWE on May 2, the duo has been abiding by the 90-day no-compete clause, giving them enough time to choose their next destination.
Ever since the news broke about Woods and Kingston’s release, several wrestlers in AEW have made an indirect pitch for the company’s higher-ups to bag the services of the former tag champions while they are available.
The Hurt Syndicate’s Bobby Lashley, on the other hand, made a direct pitch while speaking on 3NT Wrestling and Dirt Sheet Radio.
The likes of MJF and FTR shared Instagram stories, referencing The New Day, which generated quite the buzz among wrestling fans. In addition to FTR, the Jacksonville promotion’s tag division includes names such as Cope & Christian, The Young Bucks, JetSpeed, and The Conglomeration.
At the time of their release, Kofi Kingston had served two decades in WWE, whereas Xavier Woods had completed 16 years.
Why Did The New Day Leave WWE?
The New Day’s release came as a surprise to many fans, who wondered about the reason behind the decision.
Media outlets then reported that the Stamford promotion asked them to restructure their contracts and take a pay cut, which they declined, instead asking for their release.
At the same time, other reports claimed that one wrestler had agreed to a massive 50% cut to their salary, although they did not disclose their identity.
Incidentally, The New Day’s Kofi and Xavier had signed a new 5-year deal in 2025, which would have seen them be part of the company till 2029-30.
A PWInsider report stated the following:
A pretty majorly pushed talent was reportedly asked to take a 50% pay cut last week and allegedly did. The name of the talent is unknown as it cannot be confirmed 100% that this was the case, but the timing of that claim was interesting as it took place a day before news broke of Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods’ departure.
Swerve Strickland Wants Kofi Kingston And Xavier Woods In AEW
Former AEW World Champion has endorsed the signing of Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods to All Elite Wrestling.
The 35-year-old’s comments came during an interview with TMZ’s Inside The Ring, where he claimed that he wanted nothing but the best for them.
Strickland also placed his confidence in The New Day duo, stating that they knew their value, which was the most important thing.
When asked by the interviewer if he was going to work with Woods and Kingston, Strickland only had positive things to say.
Of course. Absolutely. I also just want them to do what’s best for them. If they want to take a five-year hiatus, they’ve earned it. They’ve more than earned it. They know their value as well, and that’s the most important thing. I hope that’s the lesson that everybody learns in this, not just as a fan but a professional as yourself in this industry. They know their value. They understand who they are. They understand what they bring, what they brought and their legacy they leave behind. [H/T: WrestlingNews.co]