Add as a preferred source on Google Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods’ future remains uncertain after leaving WWE on May 2, following their decision to turn down a contract restructuring that included a pay cut. Their departure brought an end to one of the most successful runs in recent company history.
Alongside Big E, The New Day became one of the most popular groups in WWE, setting the record for the longest reign in WWE Tag Team Championship history.
On a recent episode of Hall of Fame, Booker T’s podcast, he said that Kingston and Woods will eventually return to WWE — but likely only when they’re called up for the Hall of Fame.
However, Booker also made it clear that, for now, he believes the duo is headed to AEW.
“Those guys are Hall of Famers, okay?” Booker said. “They’re WWE Hall of Famers, first ballot hall of farmers when the time comes up. So I’m sure there’s going to be a way back for those guys. But still, I’m a realist man. You don’t want to leave no money on the table…and out there right now, there’s money floating around out there on the table.”
“You can get paid just as much money on your way out…is that not a good deal?” Booker said. “That’s what I’m saying. I see so many people hating when I make a comment like that, but dammit, that’s a pretty damn good deal if you can get it. So for me, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, just like The Hurt Business, hey, you’ve got to retire sometime and you want to retire this business with some money in your pocket, okay? That’s the way I look at that.”
Despite Kofi and Woods’ departure, Big E is expected to stay with WWE as an analyst on panels and post-shows, even after his former partners left the company.