Of Dawns and Twilights: New Day’s Impact in WWE | Column

“Don’t forget to smile in any situation. As long as you are alive, there will be better things later, and there will be many.” — Eiichiro Oda 

 

Often in stories, I appreciate the funny moments. Bright, whimsical, wholesome, and full of light amid times of darkness and harsh realities. It makes those serious moments hit harder and reinforces that they do not last. Not so long as love and joy are to be found. That’s why the shock of New Day’s departure from WWE in 2026 struck wrestling fans so hard. Their impact is undeniable. Unforgettable. And now it reaches its dawn; night came without most knowing the moon circling its eternal orbit. On May 2, 2025, BodySlam’s own Cory Hayes and Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that New Day would mutually part ways with WWE.

Bodyslam and Fightful’s @SeanRossSapp have learned that Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have mutually agreed to part ways with WWE pic.twitter.com/oEV3pREH6B

— Cory of Bodyslam.net (@Cory_Hays407) May 2, 2026

For over a decade, the trio of Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E entertained fans. Sure, it took them a moment to find their identity, but when they did, something magical happened. There was a chemistry, a fire in three men who forged a brotherhood that brought laughs, tears, and memories even in the darkest of times.

 

All three men were long-tenured. Their history is well-documented. Starting in 2014 with a gospel gimmick, New Day transitioned to a trio of goofballs who nerded out about anime, video games, and big meaty men slapping meat. Yet, they achieved greatness outside of the jokes.

 

Fans eventually responded to this. They chanted “New Day sucks!”, which eventually transitioned to “New Day Rocks!” Over the years, New Day became a fixture in the company, where fans formed a strong connection. Woods would take advantage of this with a trombone to add an instrument to the crowd’s lyrics. Laughter would echo with every innuendo, pun, and joke. Audiences would join in with their catchphrases.

 

From 2015 to 2016, the group held the WWE Tag Team Champions. Dethroning Tyson Kidd and Cesaro on the April 26 edition of the 2015 Extreme Rules became a huge moment for the stable. There, they would hold a record-breaking reign of 483 days thanks to Cesaro and Sheamus at 2016’s Roadblock: End of the Line on December 18. The Usos would surpass this reign on the November 11, 2022, episode of SmackDown. The Samoan brothers held the title for a 622-day reign.

 

They’d continue onward to have an exciting run as the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, with wars against The Bludgeon Brothers, The Dudley Boyz, The Bar, Gallows and Anderson, and most notably, The Usos. The future Bloodline members had an intense rivalry with E, Woods, and Kingston, with their 2017 Hell in a Cell Match at the similarly named event being a standout. When asked about memorable Hell in a Cell bouts, many fans will likely point you to this one, outside of the Attitude Era and Ruthless Aggression Eras.

Considering the high unpopularity of the 2018-2022 era WWE, it’s remarkable that New Day had incredible moments that shone through the murk of bad booking and lazy creative. These years left many with a feeling that WWE was anti-fan. Though this sentiment hasn’t changed, especially in the company’s current climate, WWE allowed fans this one hope.

 

KofiMania.

 

After a heated Gauntlet Match on February 12, 2019, the veteran Kofi Kingston took part in a six-man Gauntlet Match. Due to an injury that derailed the originally planned contender, Mustafa Ali, Kingston was slotted into what was going to be a simple Elimination Chamber Match a week later.  Eliminating WWE Champion Daniel Bryan in an upset, Kingston’s hope diminished against the monstrous Samoa Joe. Squeaking by with a narrow elimination, Kingston suffered at the hands of the sore loser when AJ Styles came to his rescue.

 

Then, something beautiful happened.

 

Styles pleaded with Kingston that there would be no shame in forfeiting his spot in the gauntlet. He’d still make it to Elimination Chamber, he’d still be in the match. Kofi pushed back. Eleven years. He’d waited for this moment for eleven years. His voice quaked with something dissimilar to rage or pain; spirit coursed his very veins until the Phenomenal One acquiesced. They battled until Styles submitted him with a Calf Crusher. Ultimately, Kingston tapped in, as Big E and Xavier Woods helped him to the back.

Kingston, despite the setback, had insane, insane momentum behind him as fans roared for his achievements and booed his setbacks. To me, this was the moment KofiMania hooked me. Right there, from the get-go. The Elimination Chamber Match, the subsequent gauntlet matches, and social media promos from Big E and Xavier Woods, and the win over WWE Champion Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35, all from this moment.

 

That emotional win at Mania will stick with fans forever, especially those watching in the moment. Tears flowing from Xavier Woods, Big E beaming, Kofi overwhelmed with both emotion and sweat. Even his children joined him in the ring.

 

The less said about how his reign was handled, let alone ended, the better. 

 

Big E’s eventual title ascension proved to be just as hopeful and inspirational when he dashed Seth Rollins’s Money in the Bank aspirations with a Big Ending. He’d then grab the briefcase and fight to contain his emotions as he celebrated. He’d later cash it in on Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship on the September 13, 2021, episode of Raw to great success.

 

The less said about how his reign was handled, let alone ended, like Kingston’s, the better.

 

Tragedy would strike on WrestleMania 38, when he suffered a botched overhead belly-to-belly suplex from Ridge Holland. This resulted in a broken neck, with fractures to his vertebrae. To date, he’s gone on to say that he’s effectively retired from pro wrestling action.

 

Alone again, Kingston and Woods marched on. They’d cause a stir of controversy on the heels of 2022’s NXT Deadline. Unseating Pretty Deadly as NXT Tag Team Champions, New Day thus became WWE Tag Team Triple Crown Champions.

 

Over the subsequent years, Kings and Woods grew progressively at odds with each other. From Karrion Kross and The Final Testament to Oddysey Jones and the LWO, it was clear they weren’t as communicative. Week after week, they’d bicker, and things weren’t as funny or lighthearted. Woods and Kingston brought out unbridled vitriol, soon to bubble over.

 

The pair agreed in December to hold a 10th anniversary celebration of the team’s formation. There, they mourned Big E’s absence and stated that they’ve grown apart. Big E, who’d been mostly seen on pre-shows and interviews, joined them. The former WWE Champion begged them to stay together, that he’d join them as manager until he’s ever cleared. For Kingston and Woods, it was far, far too late. He could have come back at any moment, but he chose to leave it behind until they were about to leave it behind. No, they wouldn’t allow it. Effectively turning heel, Kingston and Woods evicted Big E from the group. Albeit this excommunication, E had small solace, knowing his brothers would remain together.

The New Day, sans Big E, won their last WWE title together at WrestleMania 41, Night One, from War Raiders. Woods and Kingston held the World Tag Team Championships for 72 days before losing them to Finn Balor and JD McDonagh of the Judgement Day on the June 30, 2025, episode of Raw.

 

Taking Grayson Waller under their tutelage, Kingston and Woods simply existed for a time, mostly in backstage segments, before finally departing from WWE mutually on May 2, 2026.

 

So ends the New Day.

 

It’s been bittersweet writing this up. All of the bright moments, the levity and joy these three men brought, I’ve enjoyed reliving. The New Day’s Dragon Ball Z-inspired gear at WrestleMania 32 was forever made iconic with their giant box of Booty-O’s. Their reaction to Xavier Woods falling prey to a Stone Cold Stunner by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at the same event. Their hilarious back-and-forth promo with The Rock. The wins, the losses, and the everything in between.

 

They were guaranteed smiles from crowds and viewers at home. That connection isn’t easy for most to establish, but they made it seem so effortless. Moreover, they were outspoken on their stances on current events, such as Hulk Hogan’s return to WWE or the Black Lives Matter movement. Additionally, their feuds in 2017-18 injected life into WWE’s tag team division, particularly their rivalry with The Usos.

 

Considering these accolades and achievements and reputation, the fact that fans wanted so much more than the company had been willing to give to New Day is a testament to the stable’s unwavering power. I attribute this to the human story of this, told through comedy, tragedy, heartbreak, and glory. In a world where things are made corporate for the sake of content, there was art, there was feeling, and damn it all to hell, there was soul.

 

Wherever Kofi and Xavier go, I hope they find great fun and success in it. Personally and selfishly, I’d love to see dream matches in AEW against The Young Bucks, The Rascalz, RPG Vice, and more. They are quite well-suited to the company’s PWG-esque tags and multi-man matches. Away from the lens of WWE, I’m curious to see how they’d fare. Of course, if they run the independent route, they have the means to comfortably do so. Either way, I support what they and Big E do from here on out, together or separate.

In any day’s cycle, there’s a dawn and a dusk. New Day just so happened to eclipse its twilight.

 

But it’s not the end, never the end. When night comes and goes, and the moon dips beneath the sea, the morning will come.

 

And there will come a new day, yes, it will.