Wrestling veterans Kofi Kingston, now known as Kofi, and Xavier Woods, as Awesome Austin Creed, have officially joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW), making their debut as a tag team named The New Level at AEW All In from London's Wembley Stadium. Their arrival in AEW had been anticipated since they departed WWE in May, reportedly declining a pay cut offered by parent company TKO.
The duo entered the Trios Championship Roulette Royale, which spanned the Buy In preshow and the main card. They joined forces with Swerve Strickland, a former AEW World Champion, to challenge for the trios titles against the team of "Hangman" Adam Page, Bandido, and Brody King. Prince Nana assisted Kofi during the match, echoing past Royal Rumble maneuvers.
Strickland expressed his ambition, stating, "We are gonna turn this whole s–t upside down. This is where the money is." The pairing of Kofi and Creed with Strickland, who has been involved in intense rivalries and matches within AEW, signals a potentially more serious and aggressive direction for the newcomers compared to their previous WWE personas.
Their entry into AEW's tag and trios divisions opens up possibilities for numerous high-profile matches. Potential opponents include The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson), Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, Motor City Machine Guns, the Hurt Syndicate, the Rascalz, FTR, the Bang Bang Gang, the Death Rider, and The Don Callis Family. This move comes after their WWE tenure, during which their unique heel turn in December 2024 led to one tag title reign, but was followed by limited creative direction.
In addition to The New Level's debut, Dr. Britt Baker also made her return to AEW programming after an extended absence. Appearing as a masked competitor, Baker assisted CMLL women's champion Queen of the Skies in defeating Mia Yim for the TBS Championship. Following the match, Baker revealed herself and applied her signature Lock Jaw submission hold on Yim. She later appeared backstage with Queen of the Skies, calling out rival Thunder Rosa. Former AEW Women's World Champion Emi Sakura also returned during the Buy In preshow with a promo directed at the broadcast desk.