On the December 2, 2024 episode of Monday Night Raw, The New Day celebrated its tenth anniversary as a faction. It was supposed to be a night of happiness. But Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods did the unthinkable.
They turned their backs on Big E, insulting him while forging a new partnership as a duo. It got a lot of heat at the time but no one was prepared for what was to come in the following weeks. Not only have the fans booed them out of every arena they’ve stepped foot in but the locker room has also shunned them.
They’ve even gone as far as to shed their positive image after the attack. By doing what they did, they’ve perfected the art of the heel turn. Even though people might not like it, there are a few reasons why their new look has been successful so far.
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods Took Unpredictable to the Next Level
If there’s one thing people used to say about Kingston and Woods, it’s that their positivity is infectious. They are a shining light among the hate and rage broadcast every week. Along with Big E, they brought laughs and smiles but what people witnessed a month ago was entirely out of character.
No one would’ve ever thought the smiles would fade from their mouths as they betrayed their brother. Add in the fact that they think they did nothing wrong, it makes sense for everyone to turn on them. After a decade-plus of being the happy guys on the roster, they have suddenly turned angry and judgmental.
For a heel turn to be effective, a lovable babyface has to do the most despicable thing they’ve ever done in their careers. By turning on Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods flipped their personality and image completely upside down.
They’ve Made Everything Feel Real Through Social Media
What’s great about the internet today is that there are a ton of ways to continue storylines off TV. Maybe it’s a tweet posted by a wrestler or a behind-the-scenes look from the WWE YouTube Channel. There are more resources than ever to improve your character off-screen.
Kingston and Woods have embraced their heel selves, being even more despicable outside the ring. Kingston cropped out his mother in a Christmas family photo after she rejected him and his actions on screen. Woods made fun of Big E being at the Rate Bowl in a tweet.
Both of them have demanded a change to their music at house shows. They have fully committed to their characters, blurring the lines between real and fake by their actions. Great character work makes something actually feel real.
By using social media, Kingston and Woods have taken their heel turn to the next level.
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods Made Their Unique Situation Work Well
Most of the time when people turn heel, a simple attack and match happens after. However, Big E is not and may not ever be cleared to wrestle again. Kingston and Woods didn’t just go back to their cheerful selves.
They used that attack as a lesson to everyone in the locker room, getting the message across that their personalities had changed. The two men are getting heat that no one would’ve even dreamed of by playing up their actions and everyone’s reactions. Taking two beloved babyfaces and turning them heel in the social media era has worked wonders for their careers.
A new side of them has emerged, and they are reveling in everyone’s hatred towards them. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have done a tremendous job turning heel, with their words and actions contributing to some amazing character work and content for fans to enjoy.
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