Original New Day Heel Turn Plan Revealed: Odyssey Jones Was Set to Replace Big E

One Big Thing

WWE’s original plan for The New Day’s heel turn included Odyssey Jones replacing Big E, before real-world events forced a change in creative direction.

The Details

• Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods rejected Big E’s return attempt on December 2 Raw
• The emotional segment saw Kingston and Woods refuse Big E’s offer to be their manager
• Dave Meltzer reports in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE initially planned a different storyline

The Original Plan

WWE planned to:

• Introduce tension between The New Day members
• Have Kingston and Woods align with Odyssey Jones
• Publicly replace Big E with Jones as part of their heel turn

Why It Matters

This revelation shows how WWE adapted their storytelling after Jones’s departure, creating what many fans consider the segment of the year with Big E’s emotional return and rejection.

By The Numbers

• The New Day formed in 2014
• They’ve won 11 tag team championships together
• Big E had been absent from WWE programming since March 2022

What’s Next

The story continues to develop as Kingston and Woods explain their actions, while fans wait to see how Big E responds to this betrayal.

What do you think about the original plan compared to what we got? Share your thoughts in the comments below.