The Smoke Is Building
The Young Bucks are talking about WWE again. That usually means one of two things. Either they are negotiating a new deal for themselves, or they are planting the seeds for a massive debut. With the Bucks firmly locked into long-term AEW contracts, the focus aggressively shifts to the latter.
Nick and Matt Jackson have suddenly started reminiscing about 2018, Triple H, and the one major feud that got away from them. They are openly discussing The New Day in the press. This is not an accident.
In a recent interview, Matt Jackson detailed a highly specific conversation with Triple H from 2018. They were actively trying to book The Elite against The New Day. They genuinely thought they could pull off the inter-promotional crossover.
Now, Nick Jackson is publicly teasing dream matches that could finally happen in 2026. He specifically pointed to the AEW All In stage. The timing of these comments is a calculated media strategy.
The Bucks do not name-drop casually. When they mention a WWE act on the record, it serves a purpose. They did it prior to CM Punk's arrival. They laid the groundwork for Adam Cole months in advance. Now, the crosshairs are firmly locked onto Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.
Why 2026 Makes Perfect Sense
Contract cycles in professional wrestling are closely guarded secrets. But timeline alignment dictates everything in this business. WWE secured The New Day to multi-year extensions back in late 2019.
Those deals were reportedly five-year pacts. When you factor in injury time for Woods and standard renegotiation periods, their current agreements likely expire right in the window between late 2024 and early 2026. That puts them exactly in the strike zone the Bucks are teasing.
AEW needs marquee attractions for their stadium shows. All In 2026 will demand a massive hook to move tickets. A standard title defense against an existing roster team will not sell 50,000 seats. The Elite versus The New Day absolutely moves the needle.
Nick Jackson knows exactly what he is doing when he points to the 2026 calendar. He is setting a public deadline. He is putting the concept into the ether so fans start fantasy booking the transfer.
The Stagnation of New Day
Let’s be honest about The New Day’s current run on WWE television. They are completely spinning their wheels. Big E’s tragic neck injury effectively ended the trio’s unique dynamic. Without his powerhouse presence, Woods and Kingston are just another veteran tag team.
WWE creative routinely uses them to put over younger talent. They get minor television time on Monday nights, pop the crowd with their entrance, and usually end up taking the pinfall against rising factions. They have done absolutely everything there is to do in Stamford.
Kofi Kingston has his legendary WWE Championship reign. Woods won King of the Ring. They hold multiple tag team longevity records. There is no major mountain left for them to climb under Triple H's current creative direction.
A move to AEW offers an immediate main event spot. It offers complete creative freedom away from WWE's heavily scripted environment. More importantly, it offers the one match that has eluded them for almost a decade.
The 2018 Precedent
To understand the weight of this rumour, you have to look back at the summer of 2018. The Elite and The New Day were the two hottest acts in all of professional wrestling. They were separated by massive corporate walls, but they built a feud anyway through sheer force of will.
They traded unscripted shots on YouTube. They met at the E3 gaming convention for a widely publicized Street Fighter tournament that drew massive engagement. The tension between the groups felt entirely real, and so was the mutual desire to draw money together.
"We were serious about doing the match, and we thought we’d probably be able to do it."
That direct quote from Matt Jackson reveals just how close the crossover actually got. The Bucks reached out directly to Triple H. They pitched an inter-promotional match that would have broken the internet. WWE ultimately balked, as they always did during the rigid Vince McMahon era.
But the desire never left either side. Woods has openly stated on podcasts that he wants to wrestle The Bucks before he retires. The Jacksons have never stopped chasing the New Day match. If WWE refuses to do business across promotional lines, the only option is a direct talent transfer.
The Creative Fit in AEW
If Woods and Kingston actually jump ship, the booking writes itself. The Elite are currently leaning heavily into their obnoxious, power-tripping executive personas. They control the flow of AEW television. They desperately need universally loved babyfaces who can match their quick-witted microphone work.
Imagine Woods and Kingston walking down the ramp on Dynamite. No colorful WWE branding. No forced pancake gimmicks. Just two deeply experienced veterans ready to fight for their legacy. It immediately elevates the AEW tag team division, which has felt incredibly thin and directionless over the past year.
The match quality would still deliver. The Bucks rely heavily on high-speed, convoluted sequences. Woods and Kingston excel in chaotic, multi-man environments. Even as they navigate their late thirties, all four men can perform at a premium athletic level.
But we must acknowledge the glaring flaw in this plan. The match might simply be arriving too late. The absolute peak window for this feud was undeniably 2018. The organic heat from the E3 confrontation has long since dissipated. Trying to recreate that specific magic eight years later carries a significant risk of underdelivering. Fans might be expecting the 2018 versions of these wrestlers, not the 2026 reality.
Probability Assessment
What are the actual chances of this transfer happening? We need to look at the cold reality of modern wrestling free agency, devoid of fan emotion.
The financials strongly favor WWE. They can easily outbid AEW for legacy talent if they deem it necessary. Will Endeavor authorize a massive, guaranteed contract for a tag team that rarely features in main events? That remains a massive question mark.
Then there is the issue of loyalty. Kofi Kingston is the definition of a WWE lifer. He has never worked anywhere else on a major televised stage. Leaving the only corporate home he knows is a massive psychological leap.
Taking these variables into account, I rate the probability of a New Day transfer to AEW at exactly 35 percent. It is far from a guarantee. The Bucks are clearly planting the seeds, but WWE still holds the strongest cards when it comes to contract renewals.
The Expected Timeline and Impact
If Tony Khan manages to pull this off, it shifts the tag team power dynamic entirely. WWE’s tag division is currently propped up by makeshift teams and faction warfare. Losing their most recognizable duo would be a massive blow to their depth chart.
For AEW, it is a massive statement signing. It proves they can still lure major WWE names away from the market leader. It gives The Bucks their ultimate white whale. It guarantees a major box office draw for All In 2026.
Nick Jackson explicitly stated that dream matches could become a reality. He is not talking about wrestling another random team. He is talking about the one specific duo they have chased since 2018.
The timeline is set for summer 2026. The public hints are out there for everyone to see. Now we wait to see if the contracts align. If Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston do not sign new WWE deals by the end of the year, the noise is going to become deafening.
