Austin Creed and Kofi appear to have substantial runway in AEW following their high-profile arrival at All In. New information on the pair’s status indicates that both wrestlers signed five-year agreements with Tony Khan’s company, a length that would place their AEW futures well beyond the initial impact of a surprise debut or a short-term crossover-style run.
Creed and Kofi made an immediate statement after entering AEW by joining forces with Swerve Strickland. The trio quickly captured the Trios Championship, establishing itself as a major part of the division almost as soon as the partnership began. Their championship reign has since ended, with “Hangman” Adam Page and Brodido defeating them at the recent WrestleDream pay-per-view.
While the title change may have altered the group’s immediate standing, the reported duration of Creed and Kofi’s deals adds important context. A five-year commitment, if accurate, gives AEW the opportunity to build far more than a brief nostalgia-driven reunion or one isolated championship program. It would give Creed and Kofi time to operate as a tag team, remain aligned with Strickland, pursue singles opportunities, or move through several different phases within the company.
Five-Year Deals Would Mark A Significant Commitment
The reported five-year contracts are notable in an industry where debuting wrestlers are often judged quickly on their opening angles, initial crowd reactions, and first title pursuits. Creed and Kofi did not arrive quietly, and their early booking reflected that. Winning the Trios Championship alongside Strickland immediately put them in meaningful matches and tied their AEW identity to one of the promotion’s most established top names.
For more background on this topic, read Ilja Dragunov Says The New Level’s AEW Revival Helped Draw His Attention to the Promotion.
However, the report also indicates that the trio was not intended to hold the championships for an extended period. That makes the WrestleDream result less surprising from a long-range booking perspective. The early title win helped introduce the group with momentum, while the eventual loss to Page and Brodido moved the championships to a new unit without necessarily closing the door on Creed, Kofi, and Strickland as a featured act.
There is a major difference between a short reign being used as a sign of diminished plans and a short reign being part of a broader introduction. The length of the reported contracts favors the latter interpretation. AEW would not need to establish the pair’s entire role in only a handful of weeks if both have years remaining under contract. The company has the flexibility to let their first championship run serve as an opening chapter rather than a final statement.
Neither specific financial terms nor other provisions of the reported agreements have been publicly detailed. There is also no confirmation within the available information of whether Creed and Kofi’s contracts were structured identically beyond the reported five-year length. Still, the reported deals point to a clear long-term intention rather than an arrangement designed solely around their All In debut.
Swerve Strickland’s Role In Bringing The Pair To AEW
Strickland reportedly played a key part in bringing Creed and Kofi into AEW. His involvement is especially relevant because he became their first on-screen teammate and shared in their immediate championship success. Rather than presenting the two as an isolated arrival, AEW connected them to Strickland from the outset, giving the alliance an established centerpiece and an instant place in the company’s landscape.
The partnership with Strickland was also reportedly among the earliest creative ideas presented to Creed and Kofi before their debut. That suggests the group was not simply assembled after the pair had already agreed to come aboard. Instead, teaming them with Strickland was part of the foundational concept for how their AEW run would begin.
Tony Khan was reportedly hesitant to approach the celebrated tag team while they remained under WWE contract. That detail underscores the significance of their eventual AEW arrival. Once they were available, AEW moved quickly enough to establish a major debut, attach them to Strickland, and put the Trios Championship on the line in their opening stretch with the promotion.
The story of their entrance into AEW is therefore not just about two recognizable wrestlers changing companies. It is also about a three-man act being built around existing relationships and a specific presentation. Strickland’s reported involvement gives the alliance an additional layer beyond a simple convenient pairing for the trios division.
The Early Trios Championship Run
Creed, Kofi, and Strickland’s run with the Trios Championship was brief, but it was meaningful. Championships remain one of the clearest ways to signal that a new act matters, particularly when that act is still defining its identity in a different promotion. Their victory gave them an immediate accomplishment and made them a central team in a division built on groups, alliances, and fast-moving matchups.
The loss to Page and Brodido at WrestleDream shifts attention toward what comes next for all involved. For Page and Brodido, the win creates a new championship direction. For Creed, Kofi, and Strickland, losing the titles removes the responsibilities of defending them and potentially opens the door to a different kind of story.
What that story will be has not been established. There is no confirmed indication that the trio will separate, continue pursuing the championships, or move toward individual feuds. Their long-term reported contracts, however, mean AEW has time to let that question develop naturally. A title loss does not have to define the group’s ceiling when the performers involved are potentially signed through a much longer period.
The immediate focus will likely remain on how Creed and Kofi adapt after their first major AEW setback. They arrived with momentum, had a championship reign early, and now must show whether the alliance can remain compelling without gold. That is often the more revealing stage for any new group: not the moment of arrival, but the choices made after the first major turn in the road.
“New Level” Entrance Required A Fast Music Clearance
Another detail surrounding Creed and Kofi’s debut highlights the scale of effort put into their presentation. The pair used A$AP Ferg’s “New Level” as their entrance theme, continuing AEW’s willingness to pursue recognized commercial music for wrestler entrances even when obtaining the rights can be costly and complicated.
The song was reportedly approved on the day of All In. The delay was tied to waiting for approval from Sony, which owns RCA Records, the label that released the track. Securing a song through the appropriate rights holders can involve several layers of permission, particularly when major recording labels and artists are involved. In this case, the clearance arrived just in time for the pair’s debut presentation.
Creed has previously said that there was less than a week to finalize the rights to the song. He also explained that the process required speaking with someone who knew A$AP Ferg’s manager in order to help get the agreement completed. That compressed timeline adds another dimension to the All In debut: the music that helped define the act’s introduction was not a routine last-minute selection, but a major piece of presentation that had to be secured under pressure.
“New Level” became a fitting choice for a team entering a new company with immediate championship aspirations.
Entrance music is not merely background noise in professional wrestling. It helps establish tone, signals intent, and can make a debut feel larger than a standard walk to the ring. For Creed and Kofi, using a recognizable track reinforced the idea that AEW wanted their arrival to feel significant from the first moment.
A Long View Beyond The First Title Reign
The most important takeaway from the reported contract details is that Creed and Kofi’s AEW story may only be beginning. Their All In debut, alliance with Strickland, Trios Championship win, and WrestleDream loss have all occurred in rapid succession. That is a busy opening stretch, but the reported five-year deals would mean there is no need to rush every defining development.
AEW now has the opportunity to decide what the next version of the act looks like. Creed and Kofi can continue as a team within the company, maintain their connection to Strickland, or eventually explore paths that place them in different competitive settings. At this stage, those possibilities remain possibilities rather than confirmed plans.
For now, the established facts are clear: Creed and Kofi arrived at All In, joined Strickland, won the Trios Championship, and later lost it to Page and Brodido at WrestleDream. Their entrance was strengthened by a last-minute clearance for A$AP Ferg’s “New Level.” Most significantly, the reported five-year contracts suggest that AEW views both wrestlers as long-term pieces of its roster rather than temporary additions.
Their first championship reign may have been short by design, but their reported AEW commitment is anything but short-term. The post-WrestleDream period will reveal whether the next chapter keeps the trio intact or sends Creed and Kofi toward a new challenge. Either way, the pair appear to have ample time to build a lasting legacy in AEW.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.