When WWE let The New Day go hunting for The Elite

The 2018 E3 crossover is still living rent-free in our heads

Every now and then, a piece of wrestling history surfaces that feels like a glitch in the simulation. Big E recently opened up about how WWE actually gave The New Day the green light to engage in that legendary gaming beef with The Elite back at E3 in 2018. It was a simpler time when everyone was chasing clout and throwing shade over Street Fighter V.

For the uninitiated, this wasn't just a random promo. We had Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E going toe-to-toe with Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson in a digital arena that technically defied the brand split of real-world promotions. It was the forbidden door before the forbidden door was a cool hashtag.

Naturally, the forums are burning up. The enthusiasts think this proves that WWE isn't the cold, heartless monolith people paint it as. One Reddit regular put it perfectly: if you can get Vince McMahon to sign off on three guys in unicorn horns trash-talking the architects of the Bullet Club, you know the power of brand awareness. It was pure, unadulterated circus energy that worked because everyone involved was self-aware enough to treat the video game stakes like a main event.

The skeptics are still screaming about the politics

Then you have the cage-rattling contrarians. They argue that this wasn't about being cool or letting the boys play; it was about WWE keeping tabs on the competition. If you want to know

There is a segment of the fan base that hates the idea of wrestlers playing nice across company lines. They want blood, they want heat, and they want tribalism. To them, seeing New Day and The Elite laughing over a fight stick is like watching a star player high-five the mascot of an arch-rival. It feels like an act of betrayal against the kayfabe gods.

My take: It was a beautiful, chaotic fever dream

Look, I’ve been in enough dark arenas to know that wrestling is at its best when it stops taking itself so seriously. Whether it was the New Day’s ascent to tag team royalty or the tectonic shift of the indie scene exploding, 2018 was a unique moment of creative freedom. I personally believe the skeptics are missing the forest for the trees. By the time the final round of King of Fighters wrapped up, the engagement numbers were through the roof.

Sure, you can complain about the dilution of competition or whatever corporate buzzword you want to hide behind. But deep down? You loved it. Seeing Xavier Woods channel his inner gamer-narcissist against Kenny Omega was the peak of internet-era storytelling. It proved that wrestling doesn't always need a steel chair to be impactful; sometimes, it just needs a lobby code and a microphone.

Of course, the downside is evident. When you blur the lines that much, it becomes harder to sell the reality of the "us vs. them" mentality that keeps the money rolling in during major ppvs. But if we are being honest, the 2018 landscape was about innovation in a way we haven't seen since. The fact that the powers-that-be allowed that crossover remains to be seen as a rare moment of brilliance in an otherwise airtight company history.

If you're still mad that your heroes had fun in a non-sanctioned fight, maybe check your pulse. The industry is constantly changing, and yes, I know WWE shifting lanes on content has been a recurring theme, but this was a highlight reel moment. It was a flash of lightning in a bottle that fans will be dissecting until the end of time. Grab your controllers, because in the history of wrestling beefs, this one definitely takes the first place spot for sheer absurdity.