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Austin Watson (born September 4, 1986) is an American
professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
. He is currently signed to
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
, where he performs on the NXT
brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...
under the ring name Xavier Woods. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-half of the current NXT Tag Team Champions with
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
in their first reign. Watson also makes public appearances outside of wrestling under the name Austin Creed. Watson previously worked for
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment. Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promo ...
(TNA) as Consequences Creed, and was a one-time TNA World Tag Team Champion with
Jay Lethal Jamar Shipman (born April 29, 1985), better known by the ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Dubbed "The Franchise" of Ring of Honor, Lethal is a two-time ROH World Champio ...
as The Lethal Consequences. After signing with WWE in 2010, he was assigned to its developmental territory
Florida Championship Wrestling Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
(FCW) under the ring name Xavier Woods. FCW was later closed and rebranded as NXT, where Woods worked until he was called up to the main roster in 2013. In 2014, Woods formed The New Day alongside Big E and
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
, and has since become a record seven-time
SmackDown Tag Team Champion The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE' ...
, four-time
Raw Tag Team Champion The WWE Raw Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE's main roste ...
, and one-time NXT Tag Team Champion, making him an overall 12-time tag team champion in WWE. New Day's second reign with the Raw Tag Team Championship was the longest tag team title reign of any male tag team championship in WWE history until that record was broken in February 2021. In October 2021, Woods became the 22nd winner of the
King of the Ring tournament The King of the Ring tournament is a men's professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held periodically by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. Established in 1985, the winner of the inaugural tournament was Don M ...
and briefly went by the name of King Woods. With his NXT Tag Team Championship win in 2022, Woods also became a Tag Team Triple Crown Champion. Since 2015, Watson, as Austin Creed, has hosted a
gaming Gaming may refer to: Games and sports The act of playing games, as in: * Legalized gambling, playing games of chance for money, often referred to in law as "gaming" * Playing a role-playing game, in which players assume fictional roles * Playin ...
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
channel titled ''UpUpDownDown'', where he invites fellow WWE performers, gaming personalities, friends, and guests to play games. He is also a host on the G4 television network, which covers video games, following its revival in 2020 until its end in 2022.


Early life

Watson was born in
Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it ...
. He graduated from
Sprayberry High School Sprayberry High School is a public high school located in northeastern Cobb County in Marietta, Georgia, United States, a north-northwestern suburb of metro Atlanta. It is a comprehensive senior high school (grades 9–12) with approximately 17 ...
but their are also rumors that he graduated at Pebblebrook High School instead in 2004. Later that year, he began studying psychology and philosophy at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He graduated with a master's degree in psychology and a bachelor's degree in philosophy.


Professional wrestling career


Early years (2005–2007)

While attending Furman University, Watson began training for a career in professional wrestling and, in 2005, began wrestling part-time with Rob Adonis' Ultimate Christian Wrestling promotion. While in the Greenville, South Carolina-based World Wrestling Council, he developed his Austin Creed gimmick, which is based heavily on the character Apollo Creed from the ''
Rocky ''Rocky'' is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burge ...
'' series. During his time in NWA Anarchy, Creed was part of a tag team called Awesome Attraction with Hayden Young. The pair had one of the longest title reigns in the promotion's history after defeating Justice Served (Jason Justice and Mike Free) in
Cornelia, Georgia Cornelia is a city in Habersham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,160 at the 2010 census, up from 3,674 at the 2000 census. It is home to one of the world's largest apple sculptures, which is displayed on top of an obelisk-shap ...
on April 7, 2007. In 2006, Creed won NWA's Most Popular Wrestler, voted for by the NWA fans. In 2007, Watson took a day off from college to show up unannounced at the main building of
Deep South Wrestling Deep South Wrestling (DSW) is a professional wrestling promotion in the state of Georgia. Deep South worked in tandem with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a developmental territory from September 1, 2005, until April 18, 2007. Deep Sout ...
(DSW), then a developmental territory of
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
, and apply for a job as a wrestler; coincidentally, his future New Day partner
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
(then using the ringname "Kofi Nahaje Kingston") was working in the ring the exact moment he arrived, marking the first meeting between the two. DSW accepted to give Creed a tryout, although WWE would officially cut ties with DSW shortly before he received a contract. On July 12, 2007, Creed defeated Murder-One in a tournament finals to win the vacant DSW Heavyweight Champion, becoming the first wrestler to hold the title without the company being affiliated with WWE; the company closed its doors the following October 11, making Creed the final DSW Heavyweight Champion.


Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2007–2010)


X Division (2007–2008)

Creed appeared at
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment. Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promo ...
's Bound For Glory pay-per-view event, teaming with
Ron Killings Ronnie Aaron Killings (born January 19, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE, performing on the Raw brand under the ring name R-Truth. Killings worked for World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now ...
as the replacement for Adam "Pacman" Jones. Creed wrestled under the name Rasheed Lucius "Consequences" Creed. His union with Ron Killings was dubbed Truth and Consequences, which was a combination of Killings' nickname "The Truth" and Creed's nickname "Consequences" as well as a play on words on the game show of a similar name. On October 21, 2007, it was reported that Creed had signed a contract with TNA. The signing was reported when Creed appeared on the radio show ''Trash Talking Radio'' on October 23 with
Tommy Cairo Thomas Cairo (born February 19, 1958) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Eastern Championship Wrestling from 1992 to 1994, in particular his feud with The Sandman. He is the former co-owner of ...
and Sabian. His signing was also confirmed later at a NWA Anarchy show where Creed was presented with the contract by TNA Booking Director Bill Behrens. Following Bound For Glory, Creed was not seen on TNA television for months after Killings asked for and was later granted his release from the company. On February 10, 2008, Creed wrestled in a
dark match Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence o ...
before Against All Odds. He teamed with
Sonjay Dutt Retesh Bhalla (born April 7, 1982) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a producer and manager. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop ActionImpact Wrestling under the ring name Sonjay ...
defeating The Rock 'n Rave Infection. On the March 13 episode of '' Impact!'', a promo video with the words "prepare to face the consequences" showed Creed training and announced that he would make his return at the
Lockdown A lockdown is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks (such as COVID-19) that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely. The term is used for a prison ...
pay-per-view on April 13. The following week, the return date was changed to April 10. On the April 10 episode of ''Impact!'', Creed made his in-ring return and defeated
Jimmy Rave James Michael Guffey (December 8, 1982 – December 12, 2021), better known by the ring name Jimmy Rave, was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time with Ring of Honor (ROH) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Ear ...
of The Rock 'n Rave Infection, thus qualifying for the Xscape match at Lockdown. During the match, Creed eliminated Shark Boy, but was later eliminated by Curry Man. Creed later wrestled in the first ever TerrorDome match at Sacrifice, which was won by Kaz. At
Hard Justice Hardcore Justice, originally known as Hard Justice, is an annual professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind use ...
, Creed faced
Petey Williams Peter Williams III (born August 26, 1981) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE as a backstage producer. He is best known for his time in Impact Wrestling, where he is a two-time X Division Champion. He is also ...
for the X Division Championship, but lost after interference from Sheik Abdul Bashir. On the September 4, 2008, episode of '' Impact!'', he won a number one contenders match against Bashir for the right to face Williams again at No Surrender for the X Division Title. However, the match was later changed to a triple threat after Bashir repeatedly attacked Creed and ultimately, Bashir won the match and the X Division title. At
Bound for Glory IV Bound for Glory IV was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion that took place on October 12, 2008 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. It was the fourth ...
on October 12, 2008, Creed was defeated by Bashir in another match for the X Division Championship.


Lethal Consequences (2008–2010)

On the October 30, 2008, episode of ''Impact!'', Creed, along with
Samoa Joe Nuufolau Joel Seanoa (born March 17, 1979), is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Samoa Joe who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Joe is currently a double champion - in his first reign both as AE ...
, A.J. Styles,
Jay Lethal Jamar Shipman (born April 29, 1985), better known by the ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Dubbed "The Franchise" of Ring of Honor, Lethal is a two-time ROH World Champio ...
,
Petey Williams Peter Williams III (born August 26, 1981) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE as a backstage producer. He is best known for his time in Impact Wrestling, where he is a two-time X Division Champion. He is also ...
, Eric Young, ODB and The Motor City Machineguns formed a faction of younger wrestlers, known as The Frontline, to oppose The Main Event Mafia. On January 8, 2009 (taped December 16, 2008), fellow Frontline member Lethal chose Creed to cash in his Feast or Fired briefcase with, and the pair won the
World Tag Team Championship The world tag team championship is the name usually given to the primary tag team championship (professional wrestling), championships in professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotions, promotions. Nomenclature The name of the promo ...
from the champions Beer Money, Inc. (
Robert Roode Robert Francis Roode Jr. (born May 11, 1976) is a Canadian professional wrestler signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is currently inactive due to undergoing neck surgery. Roode is known for his 12-year tenure for Total Nonst ...
and James Storm). Creed and Lethal went on to be named
Lethal Consequences Lethal Consequences was a professional wrestling tag team in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). The team consisted of Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed. The team name was a portmanteau of the ring names of Lethal and Creed. History Total Nons ...
, a combination of their respective names. Beer Money, Inc. regained their titles in a three-way match at Genesis. at Against All Odds, Creed and Lethal got their rematch but failed to regain the titles. For the next few months, Creed and Lethal teamed with the Motor City Machineguns to try and unmask Suicide. At Against All Odds, Lethal Consequences lost to Beer Money, Inc., At Destination X, Creed competed in an
Ultimate X match The Ultimate X match is a type of professional wrestling match created by Impact Wrestling (formerly Total Nonstop Action Wrestling aka TNA), mainly used in their X Division. It is considered the signature match of the X Division. Match format ...
for the
TNA X Division Championship The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey ...
which was won by Suicide. At
Lockdown A lockdown is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks (such as COVID-19) that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely. The term is used for a prison ...
, Creed competed in a Xscape match for the X Division Championship which was won by Suicide. At Sacrifice, Lethal Consequences and Eric Young defeated The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) and Sheik Abdul Bashir. At Slammiversary, Creed competed in a King of the Mountain match for the X Division Championship which was won by Suicide. At
Hard Justice Hardcore Justice, originally known as Hard Justice, is an annual professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind use ...
, Creed competed in a Steel Asylum match which was won by Daniels. On the October 1, 2009, episode of ''Impact!'', Creed and Lethal were part of a 5-man ladder match for a future X Division Title match. During the match,
Amazing Red Jonathan Figueroa (born April 26, 1982), better known by his ring name Amazing Red, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler and promoter. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former three-time ...
, who ended up winning the match, performed a hurricanrana driver, which caused Creed to projectile vomit after his head hit the mat. At Bound for Glory, Lethal Consequences (Consequences Creed and Jay Lethal) lost to The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) on the preshow. at Final Resolution, Creed competed in a
Feast or Fired Feast or Fired is a professional wrestling match concept featured in Impact Wrestling. The idea is based on the object on a pole match, which sees wrestlers trying to gain possession of items hanging from poles attached to the ring posts. In this ...
match but failed to win the match. Watson was released from TNA on March 29, 2010.


New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2010)

On April 4,
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV ...
(NJPW) announced Watson, under his Consequences Creed ring name, as a participant in the first Super J Tag Tournament. On May 8, Creed and his partner
Kota Ibushi is a Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), but is currently inactive due to suffering a shoulder injury. In March 2021, he became the company's inaugural IWGP World Heavyweight Champion by ...
were eliminated from the tournament in the first round by the team of
Gedo Gedo ( so, Gedo, Maay Maay, Maay: ''Gethy'', ar, جيذو, it, Ghedo or ''Ghedu'') is an administrative region (''States and regions of Somalia, gobol'') in Jubaland, southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. It was created in ...
and
Kushida is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, better known by his mononymous ring name Kushida. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), as well as Impact Wrestling. He is best known for his tenure in NJP ...
. Creed returned to New Japan on June 28, 2010, teaming up with
IWGP Heavyweight Champion The was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an IWG ...
Togi Makabe , better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time ...
and
Tomoaki Honma is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a former one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and a two-time World Tag League winner with Togi Makabe. Professional wrestling career Big Jap ...
in the J Sports Crown Openweight 6 Man Tag Tournament. After defeating Tamon Honda,
Kentaro Shiga is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer. He returned from a two-year hiatus due to injury in 2005. History All Japan Pro Wrestling (1994−2000) Shiga trained in the All Japan dojo and debuted in All Japan Pro Wr ...
and
Makoto Hashi (born May 10, 1977) is a former Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling Noah. Career Hashi's first championship reign in Noah came after he defeated Naomichi Marufuji for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Cha ...
in the opening round, the trio was eliminated from the tournament in the second round by Shinsuke Nakamura, Masato Tanaka and
Tomohiro Ishii is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He also makes additional appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his work with the independent Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling ( ...
. On July 10, Creed defeated Brian Milonas, U-Gene and
Tommaso Ciampa Tommaso Whitney (born May 8, 1985) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Tommaso Ciampa. Whitney began his career in 2005, working on several independent ...
to win
East Coast Wrestling Association East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to ...
's 2010 Super 8 Tournament.


World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE


Developmental territories (2010–2013)

On July 22, 2010, it was announced that Watson had signed a developmental contract with
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and va ...
(WWE). In a 2016 interview, Watson revealed that he got hired by showing up unannounced to
Florida Championship Wrestling Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
(FCW), a developmental territory of WWE, to apply for a job as wrestler; his future New Day partner
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
, who had coincidentally met him on the day Watson had similarly showed up in DSW in 2007, happened to be in the room yet again when Watson entered. WWE had originally wanted to sign Watson full-time, but as he had six months left before finishing college, he turned down the offer; instead, they agreed to let him work part-time until he graduated from college, and gave him a full-time contract afterwards. Watson, using his real name, made his debut for FCW on July 29, 2010, in a tag team match, where he and Percy Watson were defeated by Brodus Clay and Donny Marlow. Following his debut, he was then added to FCW's official website under the name Xavier Woods. In October, Woods began to team up with
Wes Brisco Wesley Brisco (born February 21, 1983) is an American professional wrestler known for his time in impact Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former member of Aces & Eights. He is a member of the Brisco wrestling family; the son of former Champions ...
and they took part in a tag team turmoil match on October 14, where they defeated three other teams. On November 4, Woods and Brisco defeated Johnny Curtis and Derrick Bateman to become the Florida Tag Team Champions. On December 1, Woods and Brisco vacated the Tag Team Championship after Brisco was sidelined with an injury. With Brisco sidelined with an injury, Woods teamed up with Marcus Owens to take on
Damien Sandow Aron Steven Haddad (born August 3, 1982) is an American professional wrestler best known for wrestling with WWE under the ring name Damien Sandow. He is also known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and the independent circuit unde ...
and
Titus O'Neil Thaddeus Michael Bullard Sr. (born April 29, 1977) is an American professional wrestler and former arena football player. He is the Global Ambassador of WWE and also performs for the promotion as a wrestler under the ring name Titus O'Neil. D ...
for the vacant Florida Tag Team Championship, but were unsuccessful. Following this, Woods began performing as a singles competitor throughout 2011 and 2012, though without much success. After WWE rebranded its developmental territory, FCW, into NXT, Woods made his televised debut on the October 31, 2012, episode of '' NXT'' with a loss to
Leo Kruger Leo Kruger may refer to: * Leo Kruger (rugby union), South African rugby union player * Leo Kruger, South African wrestler also known as Adam Rose Raymond John Leppan (born 20 July 1979) is a South African retired professional wrestler. He is ...
. While picking up wins on NXT over the likes of El Local and Jake Carter, Woods began using the gimmick of a fanboy of 1990s popular culture that saw him implement his legitimate fandom of ''
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ''Mighty Power Rangers'' (''MMPR'') is a superhero television series that premiered on August 28, 1993, on the Fox Kids programming block. It is the first entry of the ''Power Rangers'' franchise, and became a 1990s pop culture phenomenon along ...
'', '' Dragon Ball Z'', and other 1990s pop culture into his matches and attire. He stopped using this gimmick once he was called up to WWE's main roster.


Teaming with R-Truth (2013–2014)

On the November 18, 2013, episode of '' Raw'', Woods made his main roster debut as he teamed with fellow TNA alumnus and former tag-team partner
R-Truth Ronnie Aaron Killings (born January 19, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE, performing on the Raw brand under the ring name R-Truth. Killings worked for World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now ...
to defeat 3MB (
Drew McIntyre Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre. McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE I ...
and
Jinder Mahal Yuvraj Singh Dhesi (born July 19, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand, under the ring name Jinder Mahal. Having started his career on the independent circuit, Mahal joine ...
). The following week on ''Raw'', Woods defeated
Heath Slater Heath Wallace Miller (born July 15, 1983) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, where he performs mononymously as Heath, and is also active on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time in ...
in his singles debut match while being accompanied by R-Truth and The Funkadactyls (
Naomi Naomi or Naomie may refer to: People and biblical figures * Naomi (given name), a female given name and a list of people with the name * Naomi (biblical figure), Ruth's mother-in-law in the Old Testament Book of Ruth * Naomi (Romanian singer) (bor ...
and Cameron). On the November 29 episode of ''
SmackDown ''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes sim ...
'', Woods began a feud with Brodus Clay, after Clay took offense to Woods using his entrance music and The Funkdactyls as his valets. Later that night, Woods suffered his first loss when he and R-Truth lost to Tons of Funk (Clay and
Tensai Matthew Jason Bloom (born November 14, 1972) is an American retired professional wrestler and professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Bloom ...
). On the December 2 episode of ''Raw'', Woods and Truth defeated Tons of Funk in a rematch. On the December 9 episode of ''Raw'', Woods lost to Clay. On the December 11 episode of ''
Main Event In sports, a card lists the matches taking place in a title match combat-sport event. Cards include a main event match and the undercard listing the rest of the matches. The undercard may be divided into a midcard and a lower card, according to ...
'', Woods and Truth defeated Tons of Funk to end the feud. On April 6, 2014, Woods made his
WrestleMania WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event held annually between mid-March and mid-April by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Since premiering in 1985, 37 editions followed, mos ...
debut at
WrestleMania XXX WrestleMania XXX was the 30th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on April 6, 2014, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana and was the first WWE ...
, where he competed in the
André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal The André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is a namesake battle royal held as part of WrestleMania Weekend by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. The winner of the match receives the André the Giant Memorial Trophy. The inaugura ...
, but failed to win the match. Woods and Truth then began a feud with the debuting Alexander Rusev, and were defeated by him in singles encounters. At Extreme Rules, Woods and Truth was defeated by Rusev in a
handicap match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
. After that loss, Woods and Truth's team quietly disbanded.


The New Day (2014–present)

On the July 21 episode of ''Raw'', after Big E and
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
suffered another loss as a team in a recent string of defeats, Woods came down to address them. He went on to state that they could not "get ahead by kissing babies and shaking hands" and that now is "their time" and offered to form a stable. The duo accepted Woods' offer, and on the next day's ''Main Event'', Woods managed Big E and Kingston to a decisive victory over
Heath Slater Heath Wallace Miller (born July 15, 1983) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, where he performs mononymously as Heath, and is also active on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time in ...
and
Titus O'Neil Thaddeus Michael Bullard Sr. (born April 29, 1977) is an American professional wrestler and former arena football player. He is the Global Ambassador of WWE and also performs for the promotion as a wrestler under the ring name Titus O'Neil. D ...
. On the July 29 episode of ''Main Event'', Woods filled a commentary role while he and his group observed a match wrestled by the WWE Tag Team Champions,
The Usos The Usos (born August 22, 1985) are an American professional wrestling tag team composed of twin brothers Joshua Samuel Fatu and Jonathan Solofa Fatu, who are known professionally by their respective ring names Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso. They ar ...
. The trio then temporarily separated as on the August 8 episode of ''SmackDown'', both Big E and Kingston reverted to wrestling singles matches with no sign or mention of the other two members of the group. Woods also joined the broadcast team alongside Rich Brennan on August 28 episode of '' Superstars''. Despite being disbanded on WWE television; Woods, Big E, and Kingston continued their alliance at house shows. On the September 26 episode of ''SmackDown'', Woods competed in an Intercontinental Championship No. 1 contender battle royal, which was won by Cesaro. From the November 3 episode of ''Raw'', WWE began airing vignettes for Woods, Big E, and Kingston, with the stable billed as The New Day, and presented as overly-positive babyface characters. The New Day made their in-ring debut on the November 28 episode of ''SmackDown'' in a winning effort against
Curtis Axel Joseph Curtis Hennig (born October 1, 1979) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Curtis Axel. Hennig signed with WWE in 2007 and wrestled at their developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) and was ...
, Heath Slater, and Titus O'Neil. They started a brief feud with
Gold and Stardust Cody and Dustin Rhodes (also known as Cody Rhodes and Goldust, The Brotherhood, The Rhodes Brothers, and Gold and Stardust) were an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes. They are also known for ...
, which Kingston and Big E defeated Gold and Stardust at the TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pre-show on December 14. At
WrestleMania 31 WrestleMania 31 was the 31st annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on March 29, 2015, at Levi's Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Santa Clara, California. Nine ...
, Woods competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, where he was eliminated by eventual winner,
Big Show Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as an in-ring performer, and as a commentator for its web television show, '' AEW Dark: Elevation,'' under ...
. On the April 6, 2015, episode of ''Raw'', The New Day turned heel, after fans responded negatively to the group. During this time, Woods especially would
trash-talk Trash talk is a form of insult usually found in sports events, although it is not exclusive to sports or similarly characterized events. It is often used to intimidate the opposition and/or make them less confident in their abilities as to win e ...
with their opponents and the crowd during matches. On the April 20 episode of ''Raw'', The New Day defeated The Lucha Dragons via
countout Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
to become the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship, after Woods held onto
Sin Cara In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, ...
's feet to prevent him from re-entering the ring. At Extreme Rules, Big E and Kingston defeated Tyson Kidd and Cesaro to win the WWE Tag Team Championship, after a distraction from Woods. Woods was then given a share of the title and the trio defended the titles under the
Freebird Rule The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team who attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed ...
. Big E and Kingston retained titles against Kidd and Cesaro on ''SmackDown'' and at
Payback Payback may refer to: * Revenge, a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance Payback may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Payback, a member of the fictional comics superhero team Shadow ...
, with Woods interfering in both matches. At
Elimination Chamber The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE. The match was founded by Chris Jericho , created and introduced by Eric Bischoff in November 2002. It features a large chain-linked circular steel ...
, The New Day retained the title in the first ever tag team Elimination Chamber match, where all three members were allowed to compete. At Money in the Bank, Woods and Big E lost the titles to
The Prime Time Players The Prime Time Players were an American professional wrestling tag team performing in the WWE, composed of Darren Young and Titus O'Neil. The two initially competed on ''WWE NXT'', debuting as a team in January 2012 and were later promoted to t ...
(Titus O'Neil and
Darren Young Frederick Douglas Rosser III (born November 2, 1983) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the current Strong Openweight Champion in his first reign. He is best known for his ...
), but regain the titles at
SummerSlam SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
for the second time. The next night on ''Raw'', The New Day were attacked by returning
The Dudley Boyz The Dudley Boyz (also known as Team 3D) are an American professional wrestling tag team that consisted of kayfabe half-brothers Bubba Ray Dudley (Mark LoMonaco) and D-Von Dudley (Devon Hughes). The team was also joined by various Dudley family me ...
, which ended with Woods being put through a table with a 3D. The New Day retained the titles against The Dudley Boyz at Night of Champions and Live from Madison Square Garden events by disqualification, and at
Hell in a Cell Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
by pinfall. The New Day retained the championship at TLC in a triple threat
tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
ladder match against The Lucha Dragons and The Usos. They retained their title against The Usos at
Royal Rumble The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
. Despite portraying heels, New Day's strong in-ring performances and entertaining segments garnered positive reactions from critics and live audiences and the trio turned
face The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
after mocking
The League of Nations The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
(
Sheamus Stephen Farrelly (born 28 January 1978) is an Irish professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sheamus. Prior to joining WWE, he wrestled on the European i ...
,
Alberto Del Rio José Alberto Rodríguez Chucuan (born 25 May 1977) is a Mexican-American professional wrestler, professional wrestling promoter, sports commentator, and mixed martial artist, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as a c ...
, King Barrett, and Rusev), as the crowd was starting to get behind them. The New Day retained the titles at
Roadblock A roadblock is a temporary installation set up to control or block traffic along a road. The reasons for one could be: *Roadworks *Temporary road closure during special events *Police chase *Robbery * Sobriety checkpoint In peaceful circumstances ...
, after defeating Sheamus and King Barrett, but lost against them at
WrestleMania 32 WrestleMania 32 was the 32nd annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on April 3, 2016, at the AT&T Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. This was the last Wre ...
in a six-man tag team match. The New Day then retained their championship at Extreme Rules against
The Vaudevillains The Vaudevillains were an American professional wrestling tag team in WWE, composed of Aiden English and Simon Gotch. Their gimmick was a pair of Vaudeville-era throwbacks. They also wrestled in WWE's developmental territory NXT, where they wer ...
and at the Money in the Bank against The Vaudevillains, Enzo Amore and Big Cass and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson in a fatal four-way tag team match. On July 19, Woods, along with his fellow The New Day teammates, was drafted to Raw
brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...
as part of
WWE draft The WWE Draft, alternatively called the WWE Superstar Shake-up from 2017 to 2019, is a process used by the United States, American professional wrestling promotion WWE to refresh its rosters between the Raw (WWE brand), Raw and SmackDown (WWE bran ...
. On July 22, The New Day became the longest reigning WWE Tag Team Champions in history, breaking the record of 478 days previously set by Demolition. After ''SmackDown'' established the
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE' ...
after the brand split, the titles held by The New Day were renamed the Raw Tag Team Championship. They retained the titles against Gallows and Anderson at
SummerSlam SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
and Clash of Champions. On the October 31 episode of ''Raw'', The New Day revealed that they were made captain of Team Raw for the Survivor Series tag team elimination match at
Survivor Series Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the se ...
. At the event, they were the first team eliminated although Team Raw still went on to win the match. On the November 21 episode of ''Raw'', The New Day successfully retained their titles against Team Raw's sole survivors,
Cesaro and Sheamus The Bar, originally simply known as Cesaro and Sheamus, was a professional wrestling tag team in WWE. They were record-setting four-time Raw Tag Team Champions and one-time SmackDown Tag Team Champions, making their team overall five-time cham ...
. At Roadblock: End of the Line, The New Day lost the Raw Tag Team Championship to Cesaro and Sheamus, ending their record-breaking championship reign at 483 days. The New Day then received a rematch, but failed to reclaim the championships. The New Day would then go on to host
WrestleMania 33 WrestleMania 33 was the 33rd annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event took place on April 2, 201 ...
. On April 11, 2017, The New Day were moved to the
SmackDown ''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes sim ...
brand as part of the Superstar Shake-up. They started a feud with The Usos, facing them for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at Money in the Bank, which they won by countout. At Battleground, Woods and Kingston defeated The Usos to win the
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE' ...
for the first time, but lost the titles back to The Usos at
SummerSlam SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
. On the September 12 episode of ''SmackDown Live'', The New Day defeated The Usos to win back the championship in a Sin City Street Fight, but lost them again to The Usos at
Hell in a Cell Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
. The New Day failed to regain the titles from The Usos at Clash of Champions in a fatal four-way tag team match also involving the team of
Chad Gable Charles Edward Betts (born March 8, 1986) is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Chad Gable. He is a four-time tag team champion in ...
and Shelton Benjamin, and
Aiden English Matthew Thomas Rehwoldt (born October 7, 1987) is an American color commentator and retired professional wrestler who currently appears in Impact Wrestling where he performs under his real name. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he per ...
and Rusev. On the December 26 episode of ''SmackDown Live'', general manager Daniel Bryan revealed a tournament for the vacant United States Championship. In this tournament, Woods defeated Aiden English in the first round, but lost to
Jinder Mahal Yuvraj Singh Dhesi (born July 19, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand, under the ring name Jinder Mahal. Having started his career on the independent circuit, Mahal joine ...
in the semi-finals. On January 28, 2018, Woods entered the
Royal Rumble The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
match at number 12, but was eliminated by Mahal. At Fastlane, The New Day faced The Usos for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship, but went to a no contest after inference from The Bludgeon Brothers. At
WrestleMania 34 WrestleMania 34 was the 34th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event took place on April 8, 2 ...
, The New Day would face The Usos and The Bludgeon Brothers in a triple threat tag team match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, but failed to capture the titles. On July 21, general manager Paige scheduled a tag team title tournament, with the winning team earning the right to challenge The Bludgeon Brothers for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at
SummerSlam SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
. The New Day defeated SAnitY in the semi-finals and Cesaro and Sheamus in the finals. At SummerSlam, The New Day won the match by disqualification, meaning The Bludgeon Brothers retained their titles, but two days later on ''SmackDown Live'', The New Day defeated The Bludgeon Brothers in a no disqualification match to capture the titles for a third time. On October 16, Woods and Big E lost the titles against The Bar on '' SmackDown 1000''. On January 27, 2019, at
Royal Rumble The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
, Woods entered the Royal Rumble match, but was eliminated by
Drew McIntyre Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre. McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE I ...
. In the lead-up to
WrestleMania 35 WrestleMania 35 was the 35th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brand divisions. The event took place ...
, Woods's teammate Kofi Kingston was attempting to earn a shot at the
WWE Championship The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDow ...
and after many attempts, Mr. McMahon granted him the title shot after Woods and Big E defeated Gallows and Anderson, Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura, The Bar, The Usos, and Daniel Bryan and Rowan in a tag team gauntlet match. Following WrestleMania, Woods and Big E later earned another SmackDown Tag Team Championship opportunity at Extreme Rules. At the event, Woods and Big E defeated Daniel Bryan and Rowan, and Heavy Machinery to win the titles. Woods and Big E lost the titles to The Revival at Clash of Champions. During a WWE live event on October 21, Woods suffered a legitimate achilles injury and it was reported that the injury would sideline him for six months to a year. On the October 9, 2020, episode of ''SmackDown'', Woods returned from injury, where he teamed with Kingston to defeat Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura, winning their seventh SmackDown Tag Team Championship. After the match, as part of the 2020 Draft, Kingston and Woods were drafted to the Raw
brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...
, splitting them from Big E, who remained on the SmackDown brand. On the October 12 episode of ''Raw'', New Day would exchange tag team titles with Raw Tag Team Championship holders The Street Profits, who were drafted to SmackDown. This would mark Kingston and Woods' third reign with the Raw titles as a team (fifth for Kingston individually), New Day's 10th tag team championship reign in WWE as a team, and Woods' 10th tag team championship reign individually. On December 20, at TLC, Kingston and Woods lost the Raw Tag Team Championship to The Hurt Business (
Cedric Alexander Cedric Alexander Johnson (born August 16, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Alexander worked for Ring of Honor (ROH) from 2010 until 2016. He started as part of C&C Factory, ...
and Shelton Benjamin). Woods and Kingston then would win back the titles from Alexander and Benjamin on March 15, 2021, during the live broadcast of '' Raw'', marking Woods' fourth reign with the Raw Tag Titles, and overall 11th Tag Team Championship reign in WWE. They would hold the championship until
WrestleMania 37 WrestleMania 37 was the 37th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event took place as a two-night ...
where they lost the titles to
AJ Styles Allen Neal Jones (born June 2, 1977), better known by his ring name AJ Styles (also stylized as A.J. Styles), is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Regarded as one of the best ...
and
Omos Tolulope "Jordan" Omogbehin (born May 16, 1994) is a Nigerian-American professional wrestler and former college basketball player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the WWE Raw brand under the ring name Omos. He played colle ...
. As part of the 2021 Draft, Woods – along with his tag team partner Kingston – were drafted to the SmackDown brand, which took effect on October 22. Before that, Woods entered the 2021 King of the Ring tournament, representing Raw, where he defeated
Ricochet A ricochet ( ; ) is a rebound, bounce, or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. Most ricochets are caused by accident and while the force of the deflection decelerates the projectile, it can still be energetic and almost ...
in the first round and
Jinder Mahal Yuvraj Singh Dhesi (born July 19, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand, under the ring name Jinder Mahal. Having started his career on the independent circuit, Mahal joine ...
in the semi-finals. At '' Crown Jewel'' on October 21, Woods defeated SmackDown's
Finn Bálor Fergal Devitt (born 25 July 1981) is an Irish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Finn Bálor (), and is a member of The Judgment Day. Devitt is widely known for his t ...
in the final to win the tournament and become "King of the Ring"; his first individual accolade in WWE. On the following episode of ''SmackDown'', with the team now officially members of the SmackDown brand, The New Day had a coronation for Woods. Kingston introduced Woods and adorned him with a cape, crown, and scepter, and Woods' ring name was changed to King Woods. On the January 14, 2022 edition of ''SmackDown'', Woods was diagnosed with a torn plantaris, rendering him unable to compete for 4–6 weeks. On the March 25, 2022 edition of SmackDown, Woods made his return reverting to Xavier Woods defeating Ridge Holland in a match. Kingston & Woods then challenged Sheamus & Ridge Holland to a match at
WrestleMania WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event held annually between mid-March and mid-April by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Since premiering in 1985, 37 editions followed, mos ...
, but lost. On December 10, at
Deadline Deadline(s) or The Deadline(s) may refer to: * Time limit, a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Deadline (DC Comics), a fictional villain * ''Deadline'' (magazine), a British ...
, Woods and Kingston defeated Pretty Deadly ( Elton Prince and Kit Wilson) to win
NXT Tag Team Championship The NXT Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It is defended on the NXT brand division, the promotion's developmental territory. Introduced on January 2 ...
for the first time and also the third WWE Tag Team Triple Crown winners by winning NXT Tag Titles.


Other media

Woods's wrestling persona is playable in eight video games: TNA Impact!: Cross the Line as Consequences Creed, and in WWE 2K15, WWE 2K16, WWE 2K17,
WWE 2K18 ''WWE 2K18'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports. It is the nineteenth installment in the WWE game series (fifth under the ''WWE 2K'' banner) and a follow-up to '' WWE 2K17''. It was released wor ...
, WWE 2K19,
WWE 2K20 ''WWE 2K20'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released worldwide on October 22, 2019, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is the twenty-first installment o ...
, WWE 2K22, and as a crossover character in
Brawlhalla ''Brawlhalla'' is a free-to-play fighting game developed by Blue Mammoth Games and published by Ubisoft for macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series S & X, Android and iOS, with full cross ...
, as Xavier Woods. In addition, Woods appears in
Super Bomberman R is an action- maze game developed by Konami and HexaDrive. The game was first released worldwide as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch in March 2017, and later for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in June 2018. Part of the '' ...
and as a costume in Fall Guys. Under the Xavier Woods moniker, he played Mortal Kombat's Raiden in NetherRealm Studio's mobile game,
WWE Immortals ''WWE Immortals'' was a fighting game based on the professional wrestling promotion WWE. It was released on January 15, 2015, for Android and iOS. The game was developed by NetherRealm Studios in conjunction with Phosphor Game Studios and pub ...
. Woods's life was spotlighted, along with
Adam Rose Raymond John Leppan (born 20 July 1979) is a South African retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE under the ring name Adam Rose. Making his debut on the South African independent circuit in 1995, Leppan signed with ...
and Corey Graves, on
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
's '' E:60'' special on WWE titled "Behind the Curtain", which aired May 5, 2015. He made an appearance in fellow wrestler Emma's short-lived YouTube cooking channel Taste of Tenille in 2015. Woods was featured playing tambourine and trombone on the Postmodern Jukebox cover of "What is Love" music video. In 2017, Woods made his voice acting debut as the character Vincent Mensah in the PlayStation 4 video game '' 2064: Read Only Memories''. He also published ''The Book of Booty: Shake It. Love It. Never Be It'' with fellow New Day members Big E and Kofi Kingston. In 2015, Woods, under his Austin Creed moniker, started a YouTube channel called ''UpUpDownDown'', where he invites fellow WWE performers, gaming personalities, friends, and guests to play games. In August 2018, it won a Guinness World Record for Most Subscribed-to Celebrity Video Gaming Channel, with 1.6 million subscribers. Woods is a recurring cast member of Penny Arcade's live
Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TS ...
campaign Acquisitions Incorporated as of 2019. He performs at various
PAX Pax or PAX may refer to: Peace * Peace (Latin: ''pax'') ** Pax (goddess), the Roman goddess of peace ** Pax, a truce term * Pax (liturgy), a salutation in Catholic and Lutheran religious services * Pax (liturgical object), an object formerly ki ...
conventions playing the role of Bobby Zimmeruski, a Goliath Barbarian with an obsession for violence and a deep love of cheese. Watson, along with Big E and Kofi Kingston, appeared in an episode of ''
Adam Ruins Everything ''Adam Ruins Everything'' is an American educational comedy television series starring Adam Conover that ran from 2015 through 2019 on TruTV. The series endeavors to debunk common misconceptions held by the public on a variety of topics. Premise ...
'' where they did a rendition of their catchphrase during a segment about
Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore (Lakota: ''Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe'', or Six Grandfathers) in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakot ...
. In February 2020, Woods announced his partnership with Riot Games to create Esports experiences. In November 2020, Woods, alongside fellow The New Day members Big E and Kingston, was added as playable DLC characters in the video game '' Gears 5'', sporting custom armour in the colors of The New Day's ring attires; the three recorded dialogue specifically for the game. On November 24, 2020, Woods was announced as one of the new hosts for the revival of G4.


Film


Personal life

Watson has two bachelor's degrees in psychology and philosophy, a master's in psychology, and as of 2015, announced that he is currently working towards earning a PhD in
educational psychology Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the scientific study of human learning. The study of learning processes, from both cognitive and behavioral perspectives, allows researchers to understand individual differences in ...
from Capella University. Watson is an avid fan of video games. He has a tattoo of the Wingcrest from ''
The Legend of Zelda ''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-rele ...
'' series on his left forearm. He also has a
Twitch Twitch may refer to: Biology * Muscle contraction ** Convulsion, rapid and repeated muscle contraction and relaxation ** Fasciculation, a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction ** Myoclonic twitch, a jerk usually caused by sudden muscle co ...
account under the username AustinCreed. He won the annual WWE 2K tournament in 2015. Watson married Jess Watson in 2015 and their son was born in 2017.


Championships and accomplishments

*
Deep South Wrestling Deep South Wrestling (DSW) is a professional wrestling promotion in the state of Georgia. Deep South worked in tandem with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a developmental territory from September 1, 2005, until April 18, 2007. Deep Sout ...
** DSW Heavyweight Championship ( 1 time) *
East Coast Wrestling Association East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to ...
**
ECWA Super 8 Tournament The Super 8 Tournament is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by the East Coast Wrestling Association. The tournament is contested by eight wrestlers in a one-night single-elimination format. History The ECWA Super 8 Tournament was f ...
Champion ( 2010) *
Florida Championship Wrestling Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
**
FCW Florida Tag Team Championship The FCW Florida Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship owned and promoted by Florida Championship Wrestling, (FCW), a former developmental territory of WWE. It was contested for in their tag team division. The c ...
( 1 time) – with
Wes Brisco Wesley Brisco (born February 21, 1983) is an American professional wrestler known for his time in impact Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former member of Aces & Eights. He is a member of the Brisco wrestling family; the son of former Champions ...
* NWA Anarchy ** NWA Anarchy Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Hayden Young ** Most Popular Wrestler (2006) * ''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
'' ** Tag Team of the Year (2015, 2016) ** Ranked No. 58 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''
PWI 500 ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
'' in 2016 ** Ranked No. 8 of the top 50 tag teams in the '' PWI Tag Team 50'' in 2020 *
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment. Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promo ...
**
TNA World Tag Team Championship TNA may refer to: Organisations * Tamil National Alliance, a political coalition in Sri Lanka * The National Alliance, a political party in Kenya * The National Archives (United Kingdom), a UK public body * Tonga Nurses' Association, a trade union ...
( 1 time) – with
Jay Lethal Jamar Shipman (born April 29, 1985), better known by the ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Dubbed "The Franchise" of Ring of Honor, Lethal is a two-time ROH World Champio ...
* ''
Wrestling Observer Newsletter The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four W ...
'' ** Best Gimmick (2015) The New Day *
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
**
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship The WWE Raw Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE's main roste ...
(
4 times "4 Times" (stylized as "4 TIMES") is the 50th single by pop/ R&B singer Koda Kumi. It was released on August 17, 2011 and debuted at No. 6, remaining on the Oricon charts for nine consecutive weeks. In commemoration of it being the fiftieth singl ...
) – with Big E and
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
(2), and Kofi Kingston (2) **
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE ...
( 7 times) – with Big E and
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
(6), and Kofi Kingston (1) **
NXT Tag Team Championship The NXT Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It is defended on the NXT brand division, the promotion's developmental territory. Introduced on January 2 ...
( 1 time, current) – with
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
** Third Tag Team Triple Crown Champion – with Kofi Kingston **
King of the Ring King of the Ring was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE Network event produced by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. The PPV event was held annually in June and was established in 1993 when the promotion ...
(
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
) ** WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament (2018) – with Big E and
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
** WWE Year-End Award (1 time) *** Men's Tag Team of the Year (2019) – with Big E and
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
**
Slammy Award The Slammy Awards is a concept used by WWE, where awards, similar to the Academy and Grammy Awards, are given to professional wrestlers and other individuals within WWE, such as commentators and managers. Introduced in 1986, there have been 13 e ...
( 1 time) *** Ring Gear of the Year (
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
) – with Big E and Kofi Kingston


Notes


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Xavier Woods
on YouTube * {{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, Xavier 1986 births 21st-century professional wrestlers African-American male professional wrestlers American male professional wrestlers American male YouTubers American sportspeople of Ghanaian descent American YouTubers FCW Florida Tag Team Champions Living people Professional wrestlers from Georgia (U.S. state) Sportspeople from Marietta, Georgia TNA/Impact World Tag Team Champions WWF/WWE King Crown's Champions/King of the Ring winners