Big E has recently addressed the heavy criticism surrounding the creative direction of his departure from The New Day. During the December 2, 2024, episode of WWE Raw—which celebrated the group’s 10th anniversary—Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods officially kicked Big E out of the stable. The angle saw the duo chastise the former WWE Champion for not being there for them during his recovery from a career-threatening neck injury sustained in March 2022. Since the segment aired, Big E has not returned to WWE television, leaving many fans questioning the purpose of the emotional split.
Speaking to Jon Alba of Sports Illustrated, Big E admitted that he agrees with the fan backlash regarding the lack of follow-up. He noted that while he was involved in the general discussions about the idea, the execution ultimately left the audience without a satisfying conclusion or a way to transition the heat to an active performer.
“I think that is a very real criticism. Creative, as you know, is a give and take. I’m only one component of it. There are a lot of other people involved. The creative team kind of just talked to me about the general idea and I initially thought at least being able to kind of, not pass the baton, but if Kofi and Woods were going to work with another team, and I was able to kind of give them my blessing, or I had an idea I wanted to do around Rumble to kind of foil Kofi and Woods. Because I’m with you in that, us continuing to build this angle or to build heat with someone who’s not coming back, I think doesn’t make sense. It leads fans astray. But I thought if anything, Okay, if we’re going to do this, there’s a way for me to kind of pass the torch to someone else or give them my blessing, or say, I’m aligned with you, or say, whatever it is,” Big E said.
Big E further elaborated on the “too many cooks” nature of the WWE creative process. He acknowledged that the performers tried to make the best of the situation they were handed, but the reality of his physical condition made a traditional wrestling payoff impossible. Big E has transitioned into a successful role as a pre-show analyst for Premium Live Events, but he remains transparent about the narrative flaws of the New Day breakup.
“There are a lot of cooks in the creative kitchen, and we felt like this was us making the best of what we were given, and yeah, that’s kind of how that went down. But no, I agree with you and a lot of people who felt the same, and I saw a lot of that feedback after it was clear that I wasn’t coming back in a timely fashion, that it was, ‘Okay, why are we putting so much stock into an angle where one person is never coming back? There’s no retribution?’ So I think that’s a very real criticism. I heard it, and I think people have a right to feel that way,” he added.
Despite the controversial split, Kingston and Woods found success as a duo, capturing the WWE World Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 41 in April 2025. Later in the year, the group evolved further by adding Grayson Waller to their ranks, as the “A-Town Down” star introduced himself as “Big G” to fill the void left by Big E.