Late 2016: The New Day are face by this point. on an ep of Raw, Kofi Kingston comes close to winning the WWE championship from champion Roman Reigns. He comes so close, it's repeatedly mentioned on commentary. Much is made of this, and on the first Raw of 2017, he gets another shot. Again he comes close, and only loses due to interference. After this, he is more determined than ever. He begins talking about how he has been in the company for nine years, has won every title in the company except for the big one, and has never been as close as he is now. As the New Day is still a unit, he suddenly takes on a more serious approach than they do. One night, out of frustration, he leaves the ring and takes Xavier's trombone from him, slamming it on the floor. He explains that antics like that are why no one takes them seriously.
Royal Rumble: Kofi is determined to win. He says he's tired of being the Rumble stuntman... he's here to go to WrestleMania. During the course of the match, he eliminates Big E. He makes it to the final four before being eliminated by Randy Orton. He throws a tantrum outside, kicking stairs and threatening the commentators. The following night, the New Day comes to the ring. Kofi gets on the mic and says it's not just a new day, it's a new year... and some things need to be left in last year- namely the New Day. He leaves them in the ring.
Fastlane: Kofi defeats Big E. After the match, he beats Xavier with the trombone, injuring him. This effectively ends the New Day, as Kofi heads to WrestleMania to feud with a man he blames for derailing his career many years ago, Randy Orton.