The New Day’s Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods Reportedly Part Ways With WWE, MFTs JC Mateo & Tonga Loa Also Gone

As initially reported by BodySlam+, WWE veterans and one of the top acts of the company, The New Day, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, have parted ways with WWE. According to BodySlam+’s initial report, Woods and Kingston agreed to mutually part ways with WWE.

Fightful Select is also confirming the former WWE Tag Team Champions’ exits. Additionally, both outlets are reporting that MFT members JC Mateo and Tonga Loa have also exited WWE. There aren’t any more details on their exits, other than that they departed the company.

The 44-year-old Kofi Kingston first signed with WWE in 2006, initially working as a developmental talent in Deep South Wrestling and OVW. He made his WWE TV debut in December 2007 as part of the ECW brand.

Kingston has seen a pretty historic run during his almost 20 years with the company. He became a four-time Intercontinental Champion, a three-time United States Champion, and a multiple-time tag team champion with various partners. However, his most notable tag team runs were as part of the New Day stable, which he formed with Xavier Woods and Big E in 2014.

Kingston, Big E, and Woods held the tag team titles on both Raw and SmackDown rosters 12 times. In December 2022, Kingston and Woods became WWE NXT Tag Team Champions for the first time as well.

The New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods Leave an Indelible Legacy in WWE

The New Day’s last run with the titles took place last year. They won the World Tag Team Titles from The Viking Raiders at WrestleMania 41: Night 1. They held the bets for 71 days, losing them to The Judgment Day on the June 30 edition of WWE Raw. Also in 2021, WWE officially ranked The New Day as the company’s best tag team of all time after ranking its 50 Greatest Tag Teams Ever.

Of course, Kingston also notably achieved the top of the mountain, winning the WWE Championship from Daniel Bryan (aka Bryan Danielson) at WrestleMania 35 in 2019. He held the title for six months, losing it to Brock Lesnar in mere seconds on the WWE SmackDown 20th Anniversary show on October 4, 2019.

The 39-year-old Xavier Woods has had a 16-year career in WWE and enjoyed great success after forming The New Day. Although Woods never held singles gold in WWE, he enjoyed many tag team title runs with New Day. Also in 2021, he won the King of the Ring tournament that year, fulfilling a lifelong dream and goal for his wrestling career.

As previously noted, Woods had been sidelined with a shoulder injury and off TV. Meanwhile, Woods last wrestled in a non-televised dark match before the WWE Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia in January.

Kingston had recently been teaming with the group’s newest member, Grayson Waller. They last competed on WWE SmackDown the night before WrestleMania 42, losing a WWE Tag Team Championship match against reigning title holders, Damian Priest and R-Truth.