By Ryan Frye
Professional wrestling is an industry built on creating moments. But a moment would be nothing but a distant memory without a camera to capture the energy, emotion, and electricity of that moment forever. Perhaps that's why they've always claimed that a picture is worth a thousand words. And that very notion is the reason for the existence of this series: Picture Perfect.
Professional wrestling is an industry built on creating moments. But a moment would be nothing but a distant memory without a camera to capture the energy, emotion, and electricity of that moment forever. Perhaps that's why they've always claimed that a picture is worth a thousand words. And that very notion is the reason for the existence of this series: Picture Perfect.
SETTING THE SCENE
Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E were always wrestlers that had loads of untapped potential.
Woods had been apart of some fun lower card stuff in TNA and NXT, but, as soon as he reached the main roster, he was dead on arrival with a flat storyline with Brodus Clay.
Big E had been in the WWE developmental system for years following a college football career at Iowa. He went from a raw—albeit impressive—physical freak in FCW to the face of NXT in its early days in Full Sail as its champion.
Once on the main roster, Big E was a silent heavy for Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee and went on to become Intercontinental Champion as a singles star. Still, though, it was obvious he was being shoehorned into a silent destroyer role that his personality didn't fit. We'd witnessed flashes of that personality oozing out on social media but never on television.
Kofi Kingston would be the one of these three to experience the most success. He had been United States, Intercontinental, and Tag Team champion a combined ten times.
He was solid midcard workhorse that could put on a fun match but could never reach the next level. He'd tasted it but was perceived to lack personality and mic skills. He was what he was, and because of that, his overness as well as his relevancy had declined over the past several years.
The three of them knew where they were and knew something needed to change. Thus, the idea was for the friends to form a stable and expose the dynamic between the three of them to the world. The first attempt at this was on the July 21, 2014 episode of RAW.
Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E were always wrestlers that had loads of untapped potential.
Woods had been apart of some fun lower card stuff in TNA and NXT, but, as soon as he reached the main roster, he was dead on arrival with a flat storyline with Brodus Clay.
Big E had been in the WWE developmental system for years following a college football career at Iowa. He went from a raw—albeit impressive—physical freak in FCW to the face of NXT in its early days in Full Sail as its champion.
Once on the main roster, Big E was a silent heavy for Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee and went on to become Intercontinental Champion as a singles star. Still, though, it was obvious he was being shoehorned into a silent destroyer role that his personality didn't fit. We'd witnessed flashes of that personality oozing out on social media but never on television.
Kofi Kingston would be the one of these three to experience the most success. He had been United States, Intercontinental, and Tag Team champion a combined ten times.
He was solid midcard workhorse that could put on a fun match but could never reach the next level. He'd tasted it but was perceived to lack personality and mic skills. He was what he was, and because of that, his overness as well as his relevancy had declined over the past several years.
The three of them knew where they were and knew something needed to change. Thus, the idea was for the friends to form a stable and expose the dynamic between the three of them to the world. The first attempt at this was on the July 21, 2014 episode of RAW.
It appeared as if they were going to take a more serious, vicious turn after this promo.
The next week, they'd silently watch The Usos in action on RAW then defeat SlaterGator the following night on Main Event. Then, they vanished.
For months, Big E and Kofi only popped up in singles action for sporadic losses. The only hint that the group was still alive was the fact that they had been teaming up at house shows, social media, and WWE App Theater skits like this.
In November, however, vignettes began airing hyping that a New Day was coming. First, it was Xavier. Next Kofi, then Big E, and finally all of them together.
They were in front of a black choir, and the vignettes had some religious, preachy undertones, literally the exact opposite of what they had previously teased.
Much like Xavier Woods' initial main roster debut, New Day was dead on arrival. The crowd liked the talent involved but hated the gimmick. They were happy-go-lucky, smiling babyfaces with no wink or nod.
It was deafening silence from the crowd, for a time. However, when New Day began their rhythmic clapping, the crowd responded. New. Day Sucks.
These chants got louder and louder every week, until the night after WrestleMania, where they received one of the biggest reactions on the show. And it was at that moment that they knew they were onto something.
The three began cheating and doing their clappy schtick ironically. They would underhandedly attain the number one contendership for the WWE Tag Team Championships, held by Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, at Extreme Rules. And this, truly, was when a new day dawned in the careers of Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E.
PAINTING THE PICTURE
"Stand on your feet and feel the power!" Echoed the voice of Big E inside Chicago's Allstate Arena before New Day's music hit. The three would emerge from the back enthusiastically clapping to an unfavorable, yet loud, reaction.
The three seemed upset that the fans hadn't accepted them, but they wouldn't let that negativity hinder their gleefully positive spirits. And their angst was only magnified when their opponents, the defending champions, made their entrance to a raucous ovation.
Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, accompanied by Natalya, were natural fan favorites. They'd been cast villainously, but they were simply too fun to watch wrestle to remain that way. So they were the perfect foil for the New Day.
The in-ring introductions would simply reinforce this idea, along with the idea that this was a big match for the tag team division.
Many felt that Kidd and Cesaro possessed the tools to reinvigorate an on again, off again tag team division, and they were just getting going after two months as the champions. Others, though, were intrigued by the possibility of a full steam ahead push for the freshly-heel trio of the New Day.
Prior to the bell sounding, an electric, sold out crowd chanted New Day sucks, to which Xavier responded by yelling at the announce team "Tell them we don't suck!"
Kidd and Kofi started with a lock up. Kidd took control, wrenching the arm of Kofi around. Kofi would flip his way out of the precarious position, sweeping the leg of Kidd before successfully hitting a splash. Both men would quickly bounce to their feet, and we were back to square one.
"There it is! There it is!" Xavier proclaimed on the outside.
Kofi reached around Tyson's waist but to no avail as Tyson again took control of Kofi's arm. Kofi would switch things around, to which Tyson escaped by entangling himself in the ropes and torquing Kofi's arm once more, this time with the aid of the ropes.
A rope break, however, would create distance that Kofi thrives with. This time, though, a rushing Kofi would get hit with an arm drag. Tyson followed up with a backslide and an unsuccessful pin attempt.
Tyson hit Kofi in the gut with a kick to down him. Kofi would scurry before Kidd could continue his flurry and tag in Big E.
To counter the power of Big E, Kidd tagged in Cesaro.
The two locked up, with Big E quickly wrenching in a headlock. Cesaro pushed E into the ropes, but he came rebounding back with a shoulder block. Back on his feet, Cesaro exchanged headlocks with Big E. This time, Cesaro rebounded off the ropes. E dropped down but jumped up right into the arms of Cesaro for quite the impressive bodyslam.
Cesaro took advantage with a double stomp to the chest of the 300-pound powerlifter into a cover that resulted in a mere one count.
Cesaro would tag in Kidd, and the duo would kick Big E in the corner to the tune of a New Day sucks chant.
Xavier looked on resentfully, but his mood quickly changed when Big E powered Kidd into New Day's corner. E would tag in Kofi, who quickly mauled Kidd in the corner.
He'd hit a headlock takedown on Kidd and resume the headlock once on the canvas. Tyson would fight out, but Kofi responded by tossing him to the floor.
Kofi kicked Cesaro off the apron as Xaiver mocked Kidd on the outside.
He would tag in Big E, allowing E to aid him in presumably a dive to the outside. However, Kidd slid between E's legs and nailed Kofi with a forearm and sent him to the outside. A rushing Big E would receive the same fate, leading to Kidd hitting Kofi with a beautiful suicide somersault. The champions' momentum wouldn't last long, though, as Kidd walked into a stiff lariat from the man later deemed the Minister of Mass.
"That's how you do this! That's how you do this, E!" Xavier excitedly proclaimed.
He'd begin New Day's clap, bringing on New Day sucks chants. This changed his mood from joyous to aggravated rather quickly; "Why? What did we do? We're winning!"
Big E tossed Kidd back into the ring and wisely marginalized him to New Day's corner for a series of stomps between he and Kofi. The Unicorn Stampede, JBL would later name it.
The final kick would be baseball sliding style by Kofi, who then dragged Kidd to the center of the ring. An attempted cover would be kicked out of at two.
New Day, though, felt gold within their grasp. They had ratcheted up their intensity, looking to secure their biggest victory since forming—up to this stage—a largely ineffective faction.
Kofi placed Tyson in an arm submission. Natalya would urge the crowd to get behind her husband as Tyson got back to his feet. He desperately needed to tag in Cesaro, or their tag team titles were in grave jeopardy.
Tyson arm dragged Kofi for the second time in the match to free himself, only for Kofi to respond with a dropkick that JBL described as incredible. Jerry Lawler called it picture perfect... Gimmick infringement, much? Kofi fell into a cover that only got a two count.
Kofi then tagged Big E back into the match. Big E ran the ropes leading up to an attempted splash, but Tyson Kidd luckily rolled out of harm's way. But now was Kidd's opportunity to get a tag. Big E looked to end that window of opportunity with a spear to the outside, but Kidd avoided that as well.
E would crash to the floor with a thud, and Kidd crawled to the outstretched arm of Cesaro for a vital tag. Meanwhile, Big E managed to tag in Kofi.
Cesaro took the advantage, tossing Kofi into the corner and following up with a series of uppercuts that sent the crowd into a frenzy. He finished off with clothesline into a cover that got a count of two.
Cesaro looked to be positioning Kofi for a nice swing, but Kofi leaped out onto the second turnbuckle, then to the top, for a crossbody. Cesaro would catch him, though, and hit him with backbreaker into another cover and another two count.
Kofi would catch Cesaro in the nose with a kick, enabling him time to crawl to the top rope. Cesaro responded with yet another uppercut to thwart Kofi's high flying ventures.
Cesaro would tag in Kidd and then deadlift suplex Kofi from the apron to the ring. Kidd followed up with a springboard elbow right into the chest of Kingston. Cover: 1, 2, kickout!
Kofi would squirm out a Sharpshooter attempt and manage to get to Big E for a tag. Kofi distracted Kidd momentarily while Big E sprinted across the ring, building up momentum for his spear to the floor.
Kidd bounced off the barricade. Big E realized a sense of urgency was needed and quickly got Kidd back into the ring. An oncoming Cesaro got back body dropped onto the floor, giving New Day the full advantage once more.
Big E hoisted Kidd in the air following a tag to Kofi, and Kofi leaped off the second rope for their Midnight Hour finisher into a cover: 1, 2, no! Cesaro made the save!
Big E tackled Cesaro up and over the top rope, leaving just Kidd and Kingston in the ring. Kofi was looking for Trouble In Paradise, but Kidd dodged it and stepped through into a Sharpshooter.
Kofi was trapped in the center of the ring, doomed to tap before Big E made the save with a belly-to-belly suplex on Kidd. Kidd would recover and floor Kofi with a double-legged kick before tagging in the Swiss Superman.
Cesaro uppercut Big E and swung Kofi into a Kidd dropkick. Xavier Woods, though, distracted the referee from making the count.
Eventually, Xavier dropped down and ate a slap from Natalya as well as a kick from Kidd. Big E would knock him off the ropes, and Cesaro followed suit with the trend.
From behind, Kofi rolled up Cesaro with a handful of trunks: 1, 2, 3!
On this night, April 26, 2015, a new day officially dawned in WWE's tag team division.
SPINNING IT FORWARD
I referenced a full-steam ahead push for New Day earlier, and that's exactly what the entertaining triumvirate of talent would receive.
In the coming months, they received increased promo time, allowing them to truly showcase their personalities unlike before.
They have defeated every tag team thrown their way—Kidd and Cesaro several more times, the Prime Time Players (after temporarily losing their tag titles to them), the returning Dudley Boyz, The Lucha Dragons, The Usos. They defended their titles in four ways and even inside an Elimination Chamber. Their latest challenge comes in the form of Y2-AJ—Chris Jericho and AJ Styles.
New Day have interacted with Edge and Christian and even The Rock. At one point, they took out John Cena, The Dudley Boyz and Dolph Ziggler to end RAW. Their smattering of boos have turned into one of the largest pops on every show they appear on. Even when the product has sucked, the New Day rocked.
They would fight overexposure as there was a RAW where they appeared in four different segments. Too much for almost anyone. However, for three talents who couldn't have bought television time a year before, that in itself was almost a victory.
Now, just weeks away from WrestleMania 32, New Day find themselves in prime position to rock AT&T Stadium with a boisterous reaction on April 3rd which is quite a far cry from a mere whimper of a reaction they received on the WrestleMania 31 pre-show in San Francisco.
The next week, they'd silently watch The Usos in action on RAW then defeat SlaterGator the following night on Main Event. Then, they vanished.
For months, Big E and Kofi only popped up in singles action for sporadic losses. The only hint that the group was still alive was the fact that they had been teaming up at house shows, social media, and WWE App Theater skits like this.
In November, however, vignettes began airing hyping that a New Day was coming. First, it was Xavier. Next Kofi, then Big E, and finally all of them together.
They were in front of a black choir, and the vignettes had some religious, preachy undertones, literally the exact opposite of what they had previously teased.
Much like Xavier Woods' initial main roster debut, New Day was dead on arrival. The crowd liked the talent involved but hated the gimmick. They were happy-go-lucky, smiling babyfaces with no wink or nod.
It was deafening silence from the crowd, for a time. However, when New Day began their rhythmic clapping, the crowd responded. New. Day Sucks.
These chants got louder and louder every week, until the night after WrestleMania, where they received one of the biggest reactions on the show. And it was at that moment that they knew they were onto something.
The three began cheating and doing their clappy schtick ironically. They would underhandedly attain the number one contendership for the WWE Tag Team Championships, held by Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, at Extreme Rules. And this, truly, was when a new day dawned in the careers of Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E.
PAINTING THE PICTURE
"Stand on your feet and feel the power!" Echoed the voice of Big E inside Chicago's Allstate Arena before New Day's music hit. The three would emerge from the back enthusiastically clapping to an unfavorable, yet loud, reaction.
The three seemed upset that the fans hadn't accepted them, but they wouldn't let that negativity hinder their gleefully positive spirits. And their angst was only magnified when their opponents, the defending champions, made their entrance to a raucous ovation.
Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, accompanied by Natalya, were natural fan favorites. They'd been cast villainously, but they were simply too fun to watch wrestle to remain that way. So they were the perfect foil for the New Day.
The in-ring introductions would simply reinforce this idea, along with the idea that this was a big match for the tag team division.
Many felt that Kidd and Cesaro possessed the tools to reinvigorate an on again, off again tag team division, and they were just getting going after two months as the champions. Others, though, were intrigued by the possibility of a full steam ahead push for the freshly-heel trio of the New Day.
Prior to the bell sounding, an electric, sold out crowd chanted New Day sucks, to which Xavier responded by yelling at the announce team "Tell them we don't suck!"
Kidd and Kofi started with a lock up. Kidd took control, wrenching the arm of Kofi around. Kofi would flip his way out of the precarious position, sweeping the leg of Kidd before successfully hitting a splash. Both men would quickly bounce to their feet, and we were back to square one.
"There it is! There it is!" Xavier proclaimed on the outside.
Kofi reached around Tyson's waist but to no avail as Tyson again took control of Kofi's arm. Kofi would switch things around, to which Tyson escaped by entangling himself in the ropes and torquing Kofi's arm once more, this time with the aid of the ropes.
A rope break, however, would create distance that Kofi thrives with. This time, though, a rushing Kofi would get hit with an arm drag. Tyson followed up with a backslide and an unsuccessful pin attempt.
Tyson hit Kofi in the gut with a kick to down him. Kofi would scurry before Kidd could continue his flurry and tag in Big E.
To counter the power of Big E, Kidd tagged in Cesaro.
The two locked up, with Big E quickly wrenching in a headlock. Cesaro pushed E into the ropes, but he came rebounding back with a shoulder block. Back on his feet, Cesaro exchanged headlocks with Big E. This time, Cesaro rebounded off the ropes. E dropped down but jumped up right into the arms of Cesaro for quite the impressive bodyslam.
Cesaro took advantage with a double stomp to the chest of the 300-pound powerlifter into a cover that resulted in a mere one count.
Cesaro would tag in Kidd, and the duo would kick Big E in the corner to the tune of a New Day sucks chant.
Xavier looked on resentfully, but his mood quickly changed when Big E powered Kidd into New Day's corner. E would tag in Kofi, who quickly mauled Kidd in the corner.
He'd hit a headlock takedown on Kidd and resume the headlock once on the canvas. Tyson would fight out, but Kofi responded by tossing him to the floor.
Kofi kicked Cesaro off the apron as Xaiver mocked Kidd on the outside.
He would tag in Big E, allowing E to aid him in presumably a dive to the outside. However, Kidd slid between E's legs and nailed Kofi with a forearm and sent him to the outside. A rushing Big E would receive the same fate, leading to Kidd hitting Kofi with a beautiful suicide somersault. The champions' momentum wouldn't last long, though, as Kidd walked into a stiff lariat from the man later deemed the Minister of Mass.
"That's how you do this! That's how you do this, E!" Xavier excitedly proclaimed.
He'd begin New Day's clap, bringing on New Day sucks chants. This changed his mood from joyous to aggravated rather quickly; "Why? What did we do? We're winning!"
Big E tossed Kidd back into the ring and wisely marginalized him to New Day's corner for a series of stomps between he and Kofi. The Unicorn Stampede, JBL would later name it.
The final kick would be baseball sliding style by Kofi, who then dragged Kidd to the center of the ring. An attempted cover would be kicked out of at two.
New Day, though, felt gold within their grasp. They had ratcheted up their intensity, looking to secure their biggest victory since forming—up to this stage—a largely ineffective faction.
Kofi placed Tyson in an arm submission. Natalya would urge the crowd to get behind her husband as Tyson got back to his feet. He desperately needed to tag in Cesaro, or their tag team titles were in grave jeopardy.
Tyson arm dragged Kofi for the second time in the match to free himself, only for Kofi to respond with a dropkick that JBL described as incredible. Jerry Lawler called it picture perfect... Gimmick infringement, much? Kofi fell into a cover that only got a two count.
Kofi then tagged Big E back into the match. Big E ran the ropes leading up to an attempted splash, but Tyson Kidd luckily rolled out of harm's way. But now was Kidd's opportunity to get a tag. Big E looked to end that window of opportunity with a spear to the outside, but Kidd avoided that as well.
E would crash to the floor with a thud, and Kidd crawled to the outstretched arm of Cesaro for a vital tag. Meanwhile, Big E managed to tag in Kofi.
Cesaro took the advantage, tossing Kofi into the corner and following up with a series of uppercuts that sent the crowd into a frenzy. He finished off with clothesline into a cover that got a count of two.
Cesaro looked to be positioning Kofi for a nice swing, but Kofi leaped out onto the second turnbuckle, then to the top, for a crossbody. Cesaro would catch him, though, and hit him with backbreaker into another cover and another two count.
Kofi would catch Cesaro in the nose with a kick, enabling him time to crawl to the top rope. Cesaro responded with yet another uppercut to thwart Kofi's high flying ventures.
Cesaro would tag in Kidd and then deadlift suplex Kofi from the apron to the ring. Kidd followed up with a springboard elbow right into the chest of Kingston. Cover: 1, 2, kickout!
Kofi would squirm out a Sharpshooter attempt and manage to get to Big E for a tag. Kofi distracted Kidd momentarily while Big E sprinted across the ring, building up momentum for his spear to the floor.
Kidd bounced off the barricade. Big E realized a sense of urgency was needed and quickly got Kidd back into the ring. An oncoming Cesaro got back body dropped onto the floor, giving New Day the full advantage once more.
Big E hoisted Kidd in the air following a tag to Kofi, and Kofi leaped off the second rope for their Midnight Hour finisher into a cover: 1, 2, no! Cesaro made the save!
Big E tackled Cesaro up and over the top rope, leaving just Kidd and Kingston in the ring. Kofi was looking for Trouble In Paradise, but Kidd dodged it and stepped through into a Sharpshooter.
Kofi was trapped in the center of the ring, doomed to tap before Big E made the save with a belly-to-belly suplex on Kidd. Kidd would recover and floor Kofi with a double-legged kick before tagging in the Swiss Superman.
Cesaro uppercut Big E and swung Kofi into a Kidd dropkick. Xavier Woods, though, distracted the referee from making the count.
Eventually, Xavier dropped down and ate a slap from Natalya as well as a kick from Kidd. Big E would knock him off the ropes, and Cesaro followed suit with the trend.
From behind, Kofi rolled up Cesaro with a handful of trunks: 1, 2, 3!
On this night, April 26, 2015, a new day officially dawned in WWE's tag team division.
SPINNING IT FORWARD
I referenced a full-steam ahead push for New Day earlier, and that's exactly what the entertaining triumvirate of talent would receive.
In the coming months, they received increased promo time, allowing them to truly showcase their personalities unlike before.
They have defeated every tag team thrown their way—Kidd and Cesaro several more times, the Prime Time Players (after temporarily losing their tag titles to them), the returning Dudley Boyz, The Lucha Dragons, The Usos. They defended their titles in four ways and even inside an Elimination Chamber. Their latest challenge comes in the form of Y2-AJ—Chris Jericho and AJ Styles.
New Day have interacted with Edge and Christian and even The Rock. At one point, they took out John Cena, The Dudley Boyz and Dolph Ziggler to end RAW. Their smattering of boos have turned into one of the largest pops on every show they appear on. Even when the product has sucked, the New Day rocked.
They would fight overexposure as there was a RAW where they appeared in four different segments. Too much for almost anyone. However, for three talents who couldn't have bought television time a year before, that in itself was almost a victory.
Now, just weeks away from WrestleMania 32, New Day find themselves in prime position to rock AT&T Stadium with a boisterous reaction on April 3rd which is quite a far cry from a mere whimper of a reaction they received on the WrestleMania 31 pre-show in San Francisco.