Kofi Kingston: "Do not ever compromise or accept less than your due when it comes to your worth"

These last two weeks have been marked by the departure of several WWE talents due to a cost-cutting policy carried out by the company. A measure that, while not new in the company, has indeed come as a big surprise with the departure of two prominent names like Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

Several specialized media outlets revealed that their departure was due to the refusal of the former tag team champions to take a pay cut. Meanwhile, the wrestlers had chosen not to make statements, until last night. Both finally took to their social media to express their feelings after the end of an era.

Kofi Kingston

"It took me two full days to respond to all my messages. I hadn't been on social media until today and I'm also overwhelmed by all the messages here. Much love. I can't help but feel completely filled with gratitude...

My story has been nothing short of extraordinary and I feel truly blessed to have had such a illustrious career, full of achievements and, most importantly, full of fun. I turned my childhood dream into the most wonderful reality. Along this path, I am very grateful to have been surrounded by great friends and to have built so many unbreakable connections with people I am proud to call my family. Most people go through life without ever experiencing a love like the one I have for Woods and E. That bond alone would have made this whole experience worthwhile.

There are too many people to mention by name here, but to all who ever supported me, guided me, helped me, taught me, encouraged me, praised me, defended me, and even stood against me: thank you. I appreciate you more than words can express. My main mission has always been a very simple one: to provide a comfortable life full of cherished memories for my family. And, largely thanks to all of you, I can proudly say that I have achieved that goal and much more.

I didn't intend for this to be a novel, so I'm going to end with some advice:

Try to live a life without regrets, control what you can control, always give your best, and fight hard for what you believe in.

Do not ever compromise or accept less than your due when it comes to your worth.

Find the courage to believe in yourself and pursue your goals and dreams without fear, because everything is possible.

That kid who was too small, short, thin, and weak was never supposed to succeed in this land of giants... and yet, here we are. And so, as the sun sets on one chapter, it must also rise on another. Tomorrow is, without a doubt, a new day," wrote Kofi on his X account.

Xavier Woods

"For the past 16 years, WWE has been my home. It's where I grew, found myself, failed, learned, and got to experience things that the younger version of me could only dream of.

When I first arrived at FCW, I just wanted a chance to prove that I belonged there and bring something different to professional wrestling. That chance turned into a life full of moments that I will carry with me forever: WrestleMania, championships, King of the Ring, stadiums around the world, and the gift of connecting with all of you while being myself.

The New Day gave me a bond with Kofi Kingston and Big E that I will cherish for a lifetime. You believed in us, even when our ideas were wild, and thanks to that we were able to show that being oneself unapologetically is a strength.

UpUpDownDown became another piece of that same mission: a place for joy, friendship, and humanity. I am very grateful to everyone, past and present, who helped build it brick by brick.

To the locker room, producers, coaches, technical team, cameras, ring crew, everyone working behind the scenes, and the wardrobe department: thank you. WWE has the most special and hardworking wardrobe department you will ever find. I love you, and none of this happens without you.

And to all who have been part of this journey: thank you for believing in me. Thank you for allowing me to be Xavier Woods. Thank you for giving me the confidence... to leave as Austin Creed," wrote Woods.