The New Day, Featuring Former Champion Kofi Kingston, Leaves WWE After Recent Releases
One week after the WWE released a slew of talented wrestlers, one of the most stunning exits in years has just taken place. Arguably, the most beloved tag team in WWE history, which features a former WWE Champion, has suddenly left the company: The New Day.
The New Day Shockingly Leaves WWE
On Saturday, May 2, 2026, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com shocked the wrestling world when he posted on X that The New Day's Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods had left WWE. He noted that the beloved duo and the company mutually agreed to the decision and that Cory Hays from BodySlam.net was breaking the news with him.
In addition to that report, WWE appeared to confirm the news that the iconic tag team is gone. Kingston and Woods' profiles on WWE.com are now both listed under WWE Alumni.
Beyond the perception that The New Day would always remain part of WWE, there is another reason why this sudden departure is so shocking. Fightful had previously reported that both men had recently signed new multi-year deals. The outlet reported that Woods re-signed on October 7, 2025, while Kingston re-signed on October 8, 2025.
The New Day: One of WWE's Most Popular and Successful Tag Teams Ever, Featuring Former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston originally signed with WWE in September 2006, and Xavier Woods joined the company in July 2010. In addition to their longevity, the list of championships and accolades they won during their tenures is extremely impressive.
Sometimes alongside their former partner Big E, The New Day won the WWE Raw/SmackDown/World Tag Team Championship a staggering 12 times in total. They also were crowned the NXT Tag Team Champions. More importantly, it is hard to think of a tag team that has ever been more embraced by WWE fans than them.
In 2021, Xavier Woods won his biggest singles accolade in WWE when he was crowned the King of the Ring. For his part, Kingston won the biggest championship in the company at the grandest event when he became WWE Champion at WrestleMania. It was such a big deal that the term KofiMania was popularized in the wrestling community. Kingston also won the WWE Intercontinental Championship once and the United States Championship three times, which helped him to become a Grand Slam Champion.
Next: WWE Quietly Releases Former United States and Tag Team Champion, Why Wrestler Is Angry
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 9:50 AM.