1. The New Day
WWE
The New Day turned heel on Big E on their 10th anniversary as a unit. This was a spectacular angle, possibly one of the very best in WWE history.
The timing was particularly cruel, since Big E was obviously hoping for a celebration of sorts. The tension was built gradually, even before the night itself; the longstanding nature of the relationship needed a rift before the break-up. Also, Big E is famously a hell of a guy; it would have been a heartbreaking scene even if he hadn’t been forced onto the WWE injury list indefinitely.
WWE failed, dismally, to capitalise on it. The follow-up was too cute. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were ostracised by the roster, even the heels, in what first felt like a neat touch. The issue is that the New Day, who would never have more heat than in the immediate aftermath of the angle, barely cut promos in the middle of the ring.
You could argue that, with Big E effectively retired, the New Day lacked a ready-made feud. It was a more difficult turn than most to navigate, with no protagonist, but Triple H should have either positioned a team for the role of Big E sympathisers – #DIY maybe, given Tommaso Ciampa’s history with neck issues – or not followed through with a flawed idea in the first place. This concerning, baffling lack of follow-up was an omen for the wider state of 2025, in retrospect.
Eventually, the New Day settled into the role of a mildly amusing midcard heel team having done nothing of significance at WrestleMania. Xavier Woods did a bit with a preposterously-sized hat. He then put a hat on the joke by wearing a hat that was much too small.
It was funny – but if ever there were a metaphor for how the arc turned out…
Posted On:
29th Dec 2025
