Summary

AJ Styles said the departure of Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods from WWE "kind of bums" him out, adding that both men are smart enough to have a plan for whatever comes next.

Speaking on his *Phenomenally Retro Podcast*, Styles said he could not confirm reports that Kingston and Woods asked for their releases, but added that he would not be surprised if they chose to move on if they were unhappy. He also praised both men personally, calling them brilliant and saying they are the kind of people everyone enjoys being around.

Quote from AJ Styles

"I couldn't tell you if that's true or not. They're smart guys who did well and I'm sure saved their money. So if they weren't happy with whatever, then, it wouldn't surprise me they'd go, 'Okay. We'll just go do our own thing.' They're freaking brilliant guys, they're awesome guys. I can't say enough positive things. These are the guys you wanna hang out with... Man, it kind of bums me out a little bit, right? Because everybody loves them."

Styles later went on to say:

"I'd have no doubt that they have a plan. That's for sure. They're very smart. They'll figure something out, what the next step is. I wonder if they have the 90-day clause? I would assume. I don't know. I don't know if it's a release. I'm sure they do. If they asked for their release, does it still, I don't know."

Big E And The New Day Reaction

Big E is still with WWE, and he appeared on the Backlash pre-show and post-show coverage. During that appearance, the crowd chanted "New Day rocks" while he was speaking, another sign that Kingston and Woods continue to have strong support from WWE fans after their exit was announced.

What AJ Styles' Comments Mean For New Day

AJ Styles' comments underline the amount of respect Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods still have inside WWE, and that matters because it shows their departure is being felt beyond just one tag team story. The crowd response for Big E at Backlash also suggests New Day's exit has already become one of the more talked-about WWE developments of the week.

Sources

AJ Styles on the Phenomenally Retro Podcast