Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods Break Silence on Abrupt WWE Departures With Heartwarming Statements
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have offered their first public comments after parting ways with the WWE on Saturday.
In one of the most unexpected departures in recent memory, Kingston and Woods left the WWE after a 12-year run together as the New Day. Kingston had been with WWE since 2006, and Woods joined the promotion four years later on a developmental contract.
Woods and Kingston both broke their silence with heartwarming messages to their fans on X/Twitter. Here's Woods' statement:
For the past 16 years, WWE has been my home. It's where I grew up, found myself, failed, learned, and got to live out things the younger version of me could only dream about.
— Austin Creed (@AustinCreedWins) May 4, 2026
When I first walked into FCW, I just wanted a chance to prove I belonged and to bring something… pic.twitter.com/jm0K78bh1C
Kingston's can be read below:
It's taken me two full days to respond to all my texts. I hadn't been on social media until today and I'm overwhelmed by all the messages here too. So much love.
— Kofi Kingston (@TrueKofi) May 4, 2026
So I can't help but to be filled completely with gratitude…
My story has been nothing short of remarkable and I am… pic.twitter.com/Tw7ZTpg9Q3
The exits of New Day came just one week after WWE released 23 superstars following WrestleMania 42. That list included the Wyatt Sicks, Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Apollo Crews and the Motor City Machine Guns.
Woods, Kingston and Big E formed The New Day in 2014. The latter had to retire from in-ring competition after suffering a serious neck injury in a 2022 match, but Woods and Kingston continued with the tag team, never waning in popularity among the fans.
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In an era where fans quickly grow tired of the same wrestling personalities and factions, The New Day just kept finding ways to stay relevant and popular with the fans. With Kingston and Woods gone, there's no sugarcoating anything. It's a major loss for WWE.
One can only wonder what backstage morale is like with Kingston and Woods gone. They were certainly admired and well-respected backstage. Otherwise, WWE wouldn't have put them in the tag team spotlight for 12 years.
With Woods and Kingston gone, the path is open for other tag teams to step in and try to cement themselves as the best of this era.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 4, 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 4, 2026 at 2:45 PM.