WWE fans barely had time to recover from Sami Zayn and CM Punk trading verbal jabs before their jaws hit the floor again. The New Day’s shocking 10-year anniversary celebration-turned-betrayal didn’t just break Big E’s heart—it also broke records, delivering one of the highest-rated segments on WWE Raw all year.
A Celebratory Catastrophe
The highly anticipated anniversary segment began with smiles and nostalgia but ended in treachery, as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods turned on Big E. Their reasoning? Big E’s very legitimate broken neck and subsequent absence were framed as abandonment. If that logic sounds cold-blooded, wait until you see the crowd reactions. It was betrayal on par with Shakespeare, only with fewer soliloquies and more spinebusters.
Viewers Couldn’t Look Away
According to Wrestlenomics’ breakdown of the December 2 episode of Raw, The New Day’s shocking heel turn in Q5 (9:00 PM to 9:15 PM) drew 1,880,000 viewers, an increase of 230,000 compared to the previous quarter. The segment also pulled in 807,000 viewers in the coveted 18-49 demographic, earning a massive 0.60 rating.
For perspective, the night’s highest-rated segment, Q2, which featured CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, and a Judgment Day backstage angle, barely edged it out with a 0.64 demo rating and just over 2 million viewers.
The night’s average? 1,709,000 viewers and a 0.54 demo rating. The New Day’s betrayal? A big reason those numbers looked that good.
A Decade of Positivity… for This?!
The New Day’s heel turn marks a drastic shift for one of WWE’s most beloved factions. For nearly a decade, Kingston, Woods, and Big E brought laughter, pancakes, and rainbows to WWE fans. Now? They’re bringing heartbreak and high ratings.
This storyline’s fallout will undoubtedly dominate RAW for weeks to come. How will Big E respond? Will fans embrace the darker version of Kingston and Woods, or will this heel turn have the lifespan of a bad sitcom reboot?
One thing’s for sure—if The New Day wanted attention, they’ve got it.