Following a decade-long run together in WWE, Kofi (Kingston) and Austin Creed (Xavier Woods) made their dramatic All Elite Wrestling debut at AEW All In: London, re-emerging as New Level. Teaming alongside Swerve Strickland, the duo captured the AEW World Trios Championship in their very first match with the promotion.
During the post-show media scrum, AEW CEO Tony Khan opened up about how the surprise deal came together, emphasizing that the signing was an unbudgeted audible after their free agency became official.
Waiting For The 90-Day Clause To Expire
Khan made it clear that he strictly adhered to contractual timelines before reaching out to the former Tag Team Champions, waiting until after their non-compete period had completely lapsed.
“I was very careful. Of course, when I saw the New Level were going to be potential free agents, I want to play it safe for the sake of all three of us; me, them, and the company to do things the right way. After their 90 days were up, and only after the 90 days had expired, I gave it an extra day or two to be safe. I engaged with their representatives, and it was clear there was interest, but it’s also an interesting situation because AEW is where the best wrestle, and these are two wrestlers that fit what we do perfectly.”
Khan admitted that signing the veteran duo was completely unexpected, forcing him to adjust creative plans heading into Wembley Stadium.
“It was a great opportunity, but it wasn’t something I had planned or budgeted for. It’s not the kind of thing you can negotiate in five seconds; it takes some time. It wasn’t like it was a done deal the second they got released or were able to look elsewhere. The whole situation was a big surprise to me… This was a great call. There is no way I could’ve planned for it because never in a million years would I have ever thought Austin and Kofi would be free agents.”
New Level Commits To Full Dynamite & Collision Schedule
Addressing their mindset coming into AEW, Khan praised Kingston and Creed for their work ethic, revealing that both men insisted on maintaining a rigorous touring schedule across both weekly television shows.
“Something that got me excited about New Level, these guys are not afraid to work very hard. They told me, ‘We see Jon Moxley at Dynamite and Collision basically every week. We want to be at Dynamite and Collision basically every week. We’re going to be there practically every week.’ That’s really exciting to have people coming in like that. It’s only going to bring more fans and attention.”
With the Trios Championship now around their waists alongside Swerve Strickland, New Level enters the AEW division as focal points for both Dynamite and Collision.
For live news, post-show reactions, and complete coverage following AEW All In, stay tuned to WrestlingAttitude.com.
RELATED: The New Level (Kofi & Austin Creed) Debut At AEW All In 2026 Alongside Swerve Strickland
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