The New Day’s shocking WWE departure may have caught people backstage off guard just as much as it surprised fans watching from home.
According to a report from Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were reportedly only one year into a five-year contract extension that was set to keep them in WWE through 2030 before their exits became official.
The report noted that WWE informed the longtime tag team that they were effectively being released, though the company did offer both stars the opportunity to remain under new deals with reduced pay. Kingston and Woods turned down those terms after feeling WWE no longer had significant creative plans for them moving forward.
After more than a decade built around positivity, charisma, and one of the most successful tag team runs in wrestling history, the duo decided not to stick around without a clear direction.
It is said that WWE approached both men about restructuring their contracts despite the deals already being locked in through 2030. The belief internally was reportedly that “the company wasn’t doing anything with them,” leading Kingston and Woods to move on instead of accepting lesser terms.
News of the departures immediately created buzz throughout the wrestling world, especially among talent in AEW. The Young Bucks and FTR both appeared to tease interest on social media shortly after the story broke, fueling speculation about where The New Day could land once their reported 90-day non-compete clauses expire.
A future showdown involving The New Day and The Young Bucks would carry extra intrigue considering the history between the teams. During The New Day’s dominant WWE run and The Bucks’ rise in Ring of Honor, both sides reportedly pushed for a social media-driven rivalry that could eventually lead to a crossover dream match. Despite fan interest at the time, the idea never came together.
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