XAVIER WOODS

At Extreme Rules 2015, they finally won their first tag team titles when Big E and Kofi Kingston defeated Tyson Kidd and Cesaro. The New Day competed under the Freebird rule which means that all three members were considered the champions and all three could defend the titles. The New Day lost the tag team titles to The Prime Time Players at Money in the Bank 2015 but won them back at SummerSlam 2015. Woods, Kingston and Big E became the longest reigning tag team champions ever. The New Day defeated teams like The Usos, The Wyatt Family, The Lucha Dragons, The League of Nations, The Dudley Boyz, and The Bar. In December 2016, at Roadblock: End of the Line, their record setting reign ended at 483 days after losing to The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro).

Xavier Woods & The New Day’s Championships

After that, Xavier Woods was featured in a lot more in matches and had more opportunities to show off his in ring skills.The New Day was drafted to SmackDown in 2017 and they won the SmackDown Tag Team Championships at Battleground after defeating The Usos.

In 2019, Xavier Woods and Big E competed in and won a gauntlet match granting Kofi Kingston a title shot for the WWE Championship. Following WrestleMania 35, Xavier Woods and Big E later earned another SmackDown Tag Team Championship opportunity at Extreme Rules. At the event, Woods and Big E defeated Daniel Bryan and Rowan, and Heavy Machinery to win the titles. Xavier Woods and Big E lost the titles to The Revival at Clash of Champions in 2019.

In October, Woods suffered a legitimate Achilles injury. WWE reported that the injury would sideline him for six months to a year. Xavier Woods returned to WWE television on the October 9th episode of SmackDown. He teamed with Kofi Kingston in a winning effort against Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura. This marked their seventh SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Later that night, Woods and Kingston were drafted to Monday Night RAW.

The New Day on Monday Night RAW

On the October 12th episode of RAW, the New Day exchanged tag team titles with RAW Tag Team Championship holders The Street Profits, who were drafted to SmackDown. This marked Kingston and Woods’ third reign with the RAW titles as a team (fifth for Kingston individually), New Day’s 10th tag team championship reign in WWE as a team, and Woods’ 10th tag team championship reign individually.

At the Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view event in December 2020, Kingston and Woods lost the RAW Tag Team Championship to The Hurt Business. Woods and Kingston then won back the titles from Alexander and Benjamin on March 15, 2021, during the live broadcast of RAW. This marked Woods’ fourth reign with the RAW Tag Team titles, and overall 11th Tag Team Championship reign in WWE. The New Day held the championship titles until WrestleMania 37 but lost them to AJ Styles and Omos.

Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston Drafted to SmackDown

On night one of the WWE Draft in October 2021, Kofi Kingston and tag team partner Xavier Woods were drafted to Friday Night SmackDown. Xavier Woods defeated Finn Bálor in the finals at the King of the Ring tournament. Representing RAW, he defeated Ricochet in the first round and Jinder Mahal in the semi-finals. At Crown Jewel on October 21, Woods defeated SmackDown’s Finn Bálor in the final to win the tournament and become “King of the Ring” – his first individual accolade in WWE. 

On the following episode of SmackDown, with the team now officially members of the SmackDown brand, The New Day had a coronation for Woods. Kingston introduced Woods and adorned him with a cape, crown, and scepter. Xavier Woods’ ring name was changed to King Woods.

On the January 14, 2022 edition of SmackDown, Woods was diagnosed with a torn plantaris, rendering him unable to compete for 4-6 weeks. Woods made his in-ring return and defeated Ridge Holland in a match on the March 25, 2022 edition of SmackDown. Kofi Kingston & Woods then challenged Sheamus & Ridge Holland to a match at WrestleMania, but lost. The New Day then started feuding with Viking Raiders and lost several times to the returning team.

The New Day Become NXT Tag Team Champions

Kingston and Woods once again started a brief feud with The Usos as they wanted to defend their record of longest reigning tag team champions, but they were unsuccessful. They would make a surprise appearance on NXT in December challenging for NXT tag team championship. New Day won the match and the titles, giving them the Tag Team Triple Crown (Raw, SmackDown, and NXT Tag Team Championships).

SHOW LESS