10 Times WWE Accidentally Created A Star

When The New Day debuted in 2014, WWE clearly had no idea what it was doing. Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods were lumped together with a painfully bland, preachy babyface gimmick that felt like a gospel choir without a congregation. The crowd responded with “New Day sucks” chants — and honestly, who could blame them?

But then something magical happened: WWE stopped micromanaging.

By 2015, the trio turned heel, leaned into their natural charisma, and started having fun. Unicorn horns, trombones, Booty-O’s — it was chaotic, absurd, and utterly brilliant. The crowd flipped. The New Day went from being booed out of buildings to becoming one of the most beloved and entertaining acts on the roster.

WWE wanted wholesome role models. What they got was a meme-powered merch machine that redefined tag team wrestling. And it only happened because Kofi, E, and Woods were finally allowed to be themselves — loud, weird, and unapologetically joyful.

Sometimes, the best thing WWE can do is get out of the way.