New details have emerged regarding why New Day are no longer with WWE, and the situation appears to center on contract dispute with TKO rather than standard expirations.
According to Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer, both Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods declined to accept new contract terms under TKO Group Holdings, leading to their release from the company.
New Day Contract Dispute Explained
Alvarez reported that Kingston and Woods were not nearing the end of their existing deals. Instead, WWE approached them about restructuring their contracts to align with new TKO terms.
“We can also confirm that in the case of New Day, it was their decision to leave based on what TKO was offering for a new deal.”
He further clarified that the situation came down to a breakdown in negotiations.
“To be specific, New Day’s deals were not up. They were asked to restructure to TKO deals, they didn’t like the deals, so they were then granted their release.”
90-Day Non-Compete Clause in Effect
Alvarez also confirmed that both Kingston and Woods are currently under standard 90-day non-compete clauses, which apply to main roster talent. This means they would not be eligible to appear for another major promotion until late July 2026.
Kingston and Woods were key members of The New Day alongside Big E. Together, the trio became one of the most successful tag teams in WWE history, capturing 13 tag team championships across multiple brands.
Big E has been out of in-ring competition since suffering a broken neck in March 2022 but has remained associated with WWE in other roles.
As of now, neither Kingston nor Woods has publicly commented on their departure. WWE has also not issued an official statement regarding the contract situation.
The update provides a clearer picture of the circumstances, showing that the split was driven by business terms rather than performance or creative direction.
New Day WWE Departures Tied to TKO Contract Dispute
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