Former WWE Champion Big E has publicly acknowledged fan criticism regarding the creative direction of his departure from The New Day, a storyline that culminated in his being ejected from the group on the December 2, 2024, episode of Monday Night Raw. The segment, intended to mark the stable’s 10th anniversary, instead drew scrutiny for its lack of a clear follow-through, particularly concerning Big E’s future within the company.
Speaking with Jon Alba of Sports Illustrated, Big E stated he understood the disappointment expressed by viewers. He explained that even as he participated in initial discussions about the storyline, the ultimate execution failed to provide a satisfying resolution or a pathway for another performer to capitalize on the resulting tension. “I think that is a very real criticism,” Big E said. “Creative, as you know, is a give and take. I’m only one component of it. There are a lot of other people involved.”
Big E revealed he had initially envisioned a scenario where he could “pass the torch” to another wrestler, offering his blessing to a new pairing with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, or even creating a storyline where he attempted to sabotage their efforts leading up to a major event like the Royal Rumble. He emphasized the importance of avoiding prolonged storylines centered around a performer unable to participate physically. “I thought if anything, Okay, if we’re going to do this, there’s a way for me to kind of pass the torch to someone else or give them my blessing, or say, I’m aligned with you, or say, whatever It’s,” he explained.
The former WWE Champion acknowledged the collaborative, and often complex, nature of the WWE creative process, stating that performers often attempt to maximize the potential of the material they are given. However, he conceded that his physical limitations, stemming from a neck injury sustained in March 2022 during a match against Ridge Holland, made a traditional in-ring payoff impossible. Big E has since transitioned to a role as a pre-show analyst for WWE Premium Live Events.
“There are a lot of cooks in the creative kitchen, and we felt like this was us making the best of what we were given, and yeah, that’s kind of how that went down,” Big E said. “But no, I agree with you and a lot of people who felt the same, and I saw a lot of that feedback after it was clear that I wasn’t coming back in a timely fashion, that it was, ‘Okay, why are we putting so much stock into an angle where one person is never coming back? There’s no retribution?’ So I think that’s a very real criticism. I heard it, and I think people have a right to feel that way.”
Despite the contentious split, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods continued to locate success as a tag team, winning the World Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 41 in April 2025. Later that year, the duo added Grayson Waller to their ranks, rebranding him as “Big G” to fill the vacancy left by Big E’s departure from active competition.