“More importantly, it’s the best career move for all three of us [to stay together]. “New Day’s staying together forever. In the easiest terms, it’s the most fun option for us. Obviously Kofi was killing it already. E was doing well. I wasn’t really doing much. The group has helped me become more recognized and things like that. But you also think about the things that Kofi and me were doing. [We’ve] gotten way more opportunities as well because of being part of the group.”
Xavier Woods
Perhaps the best point Woods makes is that he was floundering on the main roster prior to the formation of The New Day. While Kingston was in a better spot as a perennial midcard title contender and Big E did OK on his own by becoming the Intercontinental Champion, it’s clear that the most noise all three stars have ever made in WWE came as a group. Their chemistry is absolutely undeniable, and unlike when The Shield split up and it was apparent that WWE had singles plans for Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, it’s extremely unlikely that WWE would continue to push Big E, Woods and Kingston in a high-profile manner. At least one of them—probably Woods because of his size—would fall by the wayside.
The only way that splitting up The New Day truly makes sense is if WWE thinks it can make more money with at least one of those stars as a solo act than it can with the trio sticking together. But as Kingston himself told Argus Leader (h/t Sportskeeda) earlier this year, ending The New Day wouldn’t be the smartest business move by WWE:
“It’s kind of hard to justify (breaking up) that with the things we’re doing right now with our merchandise sales and all the products we’re coming out with, the fanbase that we have. We have a unique way of connecting with the crowd, so it doesn’t really make sense to split us up at all, even if we wanted to.”
Kofi Kingston
At one point the No. 1 merchandise seller in all of WWE, The New Day clicks with the WWE Universe in a way that very few acts in WWE do, especially over such a lengthy period like they have. The star-studded trio has established itself as one of WWE’s biggest fan favorites for the past five years and consistently ranked among the company’s top merchandise movers as Kingston has, on his own, become one of WWE’s best merchandise sellers during his improbable WWE Champion run as well. As WWE’s merchandise sales have struggled mightily over the past year, The New Day has continued to be a hit among fans, selling merchandise like hotcakes—or pancakes?—in impressive fashion years after it first formed.
Of course, almost everything runs its course in pro wrestling, so there are some fans who will argue that The New Day has done just that and that WWE might as well see if it can establish Big E as a top heel on his own.
But with the way WWE books its product nowadays (with its mindset being that it doesn’t want any star to become too big of a star), it’s extremely difficult to envision a world where a heel Big E (or Kingston or Woods, for that matter) benefits WWE more than the continuation of The New Day does. Even if a Big E heel turn was well executed in storyline by the creative team, you can’t help but wonder where WWE would go from that point forward. Assuming Big E turns on Kingston to pursue the WWE title, what happens once that feud is over and done with?
When it comes to The New Day, WWE knows what it’s getting: An over-the-top but fun trio of charismatic superstars that appeals to the masses.
But a Big E heel turn? That’s a big risk that ultimately may not have that big of a reward
Pages: 1 2
