5 Reasons why Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods parted ways with WWE

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#5. No more opportunities in WWE

Many of the recent WWE releases have come because SmackDown is set to go back to two hours, and there would be no TV time for many of the biggest stars. Wyatt Sicks, Aleister Black, and Zelina Vega were all reportedly released for this reason, and it seems that The New Day could be seeing this as well.

There’s only so much time that stars can spend on the sidelines waiting to be added to shows before they give up. Woods and Kingston have been part of the company for long enough that their resumes speak for themselves, but it still appears to be hard for them to be put into storylines.

#4. Xavier Woods’ injury could be worse than first feared

Xavier Woods has been out injured for the past few weeks and has shared on his Instagram stories that he is undergoing rehab on his shoulder. The King of the Ring winner could be much more injured than originally feared and could have made the decision to step away rather than pushing hard to make his return and risking re-injuring himself.

Woods and Kingston now have 90 days before they will be able to work anywhere else, which means that Woods has plenty of time to rehab his injury, and then he could decide to continue his career or retire.

#3. Woods and Kofi Kingston want to explore opportunities elsewhere

Tommaso Ciampa opted to walk away from WWE earlier this year so that he could explore other avenues, and he has ended up in AEW. It’s not uncommon for stars heading towards the end of their careers to look at walking away from WWE before they are released and then work for their competition.

In the past, stars have gone from WWE to TNA and even back to the indies. It allows them to cut the time down on the road as well and spend more time with their families if they opt to return to the ring.

#2. The New Day has gone as far as it could in WWE, and they want to rebrand

The New Day has been a group in WWE for 12 years, and since Big E’s departure, it’s clear that it’s not the same. Big E has remained a part of WWE but was never replaced in the group, and instead, he returned to help the team to turn heel.

In recent months, after The New Day dropped the Tag Team Championships, it’s been made clear that they are not on the same level that they used to be, and WWE doesn’t want to push them into meaningful storylines. Both men missed WrestleMania, and since Woods’ injury, Kofi Kingston hasn’t been pushed forward either.

It could also be that both men feel that The New Day isn’t the same without Big E and maybe wanted to move away from this, but they have been unable to because they have only been seen as a trio and then a duo for the past decade. It has been a tough few years for all three men, and it could just be time for them to make a change.

#1. They want to spend time with their families

Both Woods and Kingston are fathers, and much like AJ Styles when he opted to walk away from the ring, it could have been time for them to draw a line under their WWE careers and make a personal decision.

Woods and Kingston could have remained part of the company without the other, but it seems that they have opted to leave together, and it could be so that they are no longer on the road all of the time, and they can instead spend time with their children.

Both men signed contracts last year that would have kept them with the company until 2030, but according to Fightful Select, the duo decided that it was time for them to walk away. The report noted that the decision was made as early as last Monday, and the paperwork has already been filed.

Kofi Kingston can use his “Kofi” name outside of WWE since it’s his real name, whilst Woods has made his Austin Creed name his own brand.

Kingston and Woods were making seven figures, and since TKO is looking to make cuts, this would be a major one for them. Their exits surprisingly come on the same day as Tonga Loa and JC Mateo, who were part of SmackDown.