WWE Hot Take of the Week: Time Is Now for a New Day Breakup, Big E Mega Push

The pancakes are getting stale. 

That is a good thing for WWE—New Day's act finally running its complete, historic course can open up a long-expected angle anyone can get behind. 

A mega push for Big E. 

The time is as right as ever. A New Day breakup has been speculated about for years now without an actual split, if rarely even a hint of one. What they have had is glorious and one of the company's best acts. But in WWE, nothing lasts forever, and according to Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer (h/t Cageside Seats' Randall Ortman), a change for the group could be on the way. 

And a Big E run now makes more sense than ever given WWE's state of affairs. He's naturally a good guy face-type character who is a believable victim of a split. Maybe Xavier Woods gets tired of having no singles titles to his names, let alone a lesser spotlight within the group. 

Either way, splitting the legendary group would also shove them out of the spotlight, letting the tag-team division and up-and-comers like Sanity grow on their own. The how of a split isn't as important as the simple fact it would push Big E into the main-event scene after he disposes of whoever caused the split. 

As we said while applauding a more nuanced AJ Styles-good-guy approach after he sucker-punched Vince McMahon, WWE has a character problem on its hands. The good guys are all boring, and the most entertaining way to get a character over with the crowd right now is by making them heels. Look at Dean Ambrose and Daniel Bryan as opposed to say, Seth Rollins. 

But Big E is immune to this problem. We've seen it throughout his body of work in the past, whether as a bodyguard type character to Dolph Ziggler to even having a sidekick like AJ Lee. WWE doesn't have a blend of physical prowess, charisma, mic skills and in-ring work even close to what Big E can do. 

And the possibilities are endless. 

Big E can work with pretty much anyone, but having him come out atop over an exploitative Samoa Joe or otherwise will be a nice prelude to a main-event sequence with an old friend like Bryan. SmackDown has plenty of guys who can go right now, but few interesting good guys, and someone like Styles might be headed for Raw anyway. 

Speaking of Raw, there is always that angle for Big E if a shake-up happens. There is something appealing about less common matchups pitting Big E against a Bobby Lashley or Drew McIntyre, not to mention throwing him into the universal title picture with guys like Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar himself. 

And for those raising an eyebrow at the thought, we've seen as far as two years ago Big E can put on a good match with bigger opponents: 

Now imagine him in the ring with a worker like Lesnar. 

With Big E, it isn't so much about the size as it is the athleticism. He can throw guys up over his shoulders for a power press and typical big-man stuff, sure, but it is more about the sudden quickness and bursts that belies his size in the first place. 

And spitballing here, but Big E's blend of speed and size sure seems to befit the blue brand's presumably more sports-oriented direction once it switches over to Fox. 

All this presumes the WWE wants to make a change, of course. But after hearing the McMahon's beat the table about changing up things in an effort to save ratings, pushing a well-liked, versatile commodity like Big E to the top of either brand makes a ton of sense. Continuing to let the New Day schtick go stale seems like a waltz in the wrong direction. 

Often times, the right move stares WWE in the face but those in charge blink and turn a different direction. With Big E, though, it is simple—he is already well liked, is a rarity among uncommon acts, has widespread mainstream appeal and would be just the breath of fresh air WWE seeks. 

Big E, if allowed, could be the poster boy for this change of direction, and a deserving one at that.