Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods issue first statements since WWE release

New Day Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods from WWE.com
New Day Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods from WWE.com (Image credit: WWE)

On Monday afternoon, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods each issued their first statements since being released by WWE.

News broke over the weekend that New Day member Kingston and Woods had parted ways with WWE. The two were reportedly asked to restructure their contracts but did not like the money TKO was offering. With that, Kingston & Woods were granted their releases and are now under 90-day non-compete clauses.

Kingston all but confirmed the contract report in his statement today, urging people to never compromise or accept less than their worth.

“Do your best to live a life without regrets, control what you can control, always give it your all, and fight hard for what you believe in,” he wrote on social media. “Do not ever compromise or accept less than your due when it comes to your worth. Find the courage to believe in yourself and fearlessly pursue your goals and dreams, because anything is possible.

The full post from Kingston can be read below. He expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love he’s received over the past few days.

Woods thanked everyone who was part of his WWE journey, making sure to mention how hard-working the behind-the-scenes crew is. He appreciates the lifetime of moments he got to make in WWE and will carry them with him forever.

“To everyone who has been part of this ride: thank you for believing in me,” Woods wrote at the end of his statement. “Thank you for letting me be Xavier Woods. Thank you for giving me the confidence… to walk away as Austin Creed.”

The comment sections of Kingston and Woods’ posts have already started to fill up with messages from their former WWE colleagues. On Instagram, New Day’s Big E left a message for each of them.

“My brother, my family, to the grave. And beyond. A living legend. In and out of the ring. Love you dearly,” Big E wrote to Kingston.

“You have inspired me for many years and continue to. What a blessing it is to call you family. Love you immensely,” Big E responded to Woods. “Your impact on this business is immeasurable. You turned your dreams into reality. A real life alchemist. You have been a blessing to so many people backstage, to your peers in the ring, and to fans around the world. What a run.”

New Day became one of the most decorated and popular tag teams in WWE history during their time with the company. Kingston & Woods most recently held tag team gold from April-June 2025 during their heel run on Raw. In addition to their tag team success, Kingston had one WWE Championship reign, with WWE recently ranking his title win from WrestleMania 35 as the 13th greatest moment in WrestleMania history.

What’s next for Kingston & Woods is unconfirmed, but some of the top names in AEW immediately responded to their WWE departures by indicating that they would like the two New Day members to join the AEW roster.

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Joseph Currier
Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.