10 WWE Breakups You Forgot Were HEARTBREAKING

4. Big E Watches His Friends Go

Faarooq Bradshaw APA 2002 Split
WWE.com

One more 2020 Draft recollection then you're free to live your life never thinking about it again...until Triple H yells about how important it is in 2025, that is. You know that's coming.

On the 9 October 2020 SmackDown, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods beat Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in a predictably fun tag bout. Post-match, all three members of New Day looked on in horror as Stephanie McMahon announced that Kofi and Xavier had been drafted to Raw. Big E would be staying put on SmackDown, which meant New Day wouldn't be on the same show for the first time since forming.

Technically, this wasn't an official split 'cause they all maintained their friendships without much incident, but it did feel like the first big sea change moment for New Day as a group. Things were arguably never really the same for them post-2020 Draft. The company began properly exploring what E was capable of as a singles star, and then a life-threatening neck injury benched him. Maybe permanently (people are still holding out hopes that he'll be able to wrestle again someday).

E's depressed state following Stephanie's announcement summed things up. He watched his friends stick together with at least one mate over on the flagship, whilst he had to stay on the blue brand and try to pick up the pieces solo. It was a nightmarish thought to think that New Day would be split up for good.

They're one of WWE's most cherished acts for a reason. Fast forward to 2024 and everyone's fearing an official schism all over again. WILL THE PAIN NEVER CEASE?!

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.