Big E has shared new details about the creative process behind The New Day’s emotional breakup, explaining how the storyline came together and revealing an idea that ultimately never made it to WWE television.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the former WWE Champion addressed criticism from fans who questioned why Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods turned on him despite the fact that he was never medically cleared to return to the ring. “There was never…we were not in limbo about me being cleared or not. We knew that those guys really wanted to turn heel and they wanted to do something with me that would service that,” Big E said.
Rather than building the angle around a physical attack, Big E explained that the group intentionally opted for a different approach centered on emotion and long-term storytelling.
He praised Kingston and Woods for gradually increasing the tension between the trio over several weeks. “Those guys did such a phenomenal job of building tension,” Big E said.
He specifically pointed to a backstage segment in which Kingston and Woods exchanged harsh words, believing the moment resonated because fans had spent years investing in The New Day’s genuine brotherhood.
Big E also revealed that the storyline coincided with a deeply personal milestone in his own life. “To have that heartfelt thing come out, talking about my own struggles with mental health, and then that same day have the breakup, it just felt so juicy,” he said, referring to the publication of his Players’ Tribune article.
The former WWE Champion also disclosed an unused creative pitch that would have brought him back into the storyline during the Royal Rumble. “I love the idea, maybe our hats are real low, Kofi lands on the barricade, we tilt our heads up, take our hats off, and then maybe there’s a swipe of the foot, and we cost him the Rumble,” Big E said.
However, the idea never came to fruition. “Creative had other plans.”
While Big E remains proud of how the heel turn itself unfolded, he admitted the storyline did not progress as originally envisioned. “Unfortunately, the follow-up of that turn didn’t go the way we wanted, but we were proud of the initial heel turn.”
With his in-ring career now over, Big E has shifted his focus to his role as a broadcaster and WWE ambassador, while continuing to reflect positively on one of the most memorable factions in modern wrestling history.
