Big E Opens Up About WWE Creative's Follow-Up to New Day Heel Turn (Exclusive)

The New Day spent nearly a decade as one of WWE's most beloved trios in company history, but it all came crashing to an end on the Dec. 2, 2024 edition of Monday Night Raw.

As Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston congregated to decide whether or not they would continue forward as The New Day, Big E made his return to WWE television, more than two years after he broke his neck during a suplex to the outside from Ridge Holland. He would go on to offer his managerial services to his teammates while he recovered, but in a twist, Woods and Kingston would rebuke his offer and turn heel for the first time in eight years.

The segment, while heralded for its shock value at the time, has come under some fire from WWE fans for its lack of follow-up, particularly as far as Big E is concerned. He inferred in the segment that there was a possibility that he would be medically cleared to return to the ring. However, in an exclusive interview with The Takedown on SI, the former WWE Champion noted that he had made his decision to retire from in-ring performing not long after he broke his neck in March of 2022, rendering any possibility of a payoff impossible.

During his conversation with The Takedown, he noted that he often hears that aforementioned disappointing feedback from fans regarding the creative direction of the New Day heel turn, and explained that he also did not necessarily agree with the way it ultimately played out. He also revealed that the trio had pitched ideas about how they could work a payoff into the story in the following month.

"I think that is a very real criticism," he said. "Creative, as you know, is a give and take. And I'm only one component of it. There are a lot of other people involved. The creative team kind of just talked to me about the general idea and I initially thought at least being able to kind of, not pass the baton, but if Kofi and Woods were going to work with another team, and I was able to kind of give them my blessing, or I had an idea I wanted to do around Rumble to kind of foil Kofi and Woods.

"Because I'm with you in that, us continuing to build this angle or to build heat with someone who's not coming back, I think doesn't make sense. It leads fans astray. But 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 is."

The rollercoaster ride of WWE creative

The New Day enjoyed a WWE Hall of Fame-caliber career as a trio. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Given the history between the eight-time tag team champions, a proper payoff to the angle would have been fitting. Despite the gargantuan heat it produced, Big E has primarily stepped into an occasional guest panelist role with WWE, all while Woods and Kingston have continued on as heels with a brief tag title run in 2025.

The 39-year-old explained that he believed the lack of follow-up was mostly due to the rollercoaster nature of the wrestling creative process, particularly when a lot of different voices are involved.

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"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," he 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. And I heard it, and I think people have a right to feel that way."

The former Triple Crown Champion previously told The Takedown that doctors warned him that even if he did receive clearance from WWE to return, they would not advise he do so. He has not wrestled since.

If you use any quotes from this article, please H/T and link to The Takedown on SI.

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