Austin Creed has made it clear that The New Level’s approach to its AEW rivalry with Bandido, Brody King and Adam Page has changed dramatically following the events of AEW Dynamite: Blood & Guts.
Bandido ambushed Kofi during the show before also attacking Creed and Swerve Strickland, pushing an already volatile situation beyond the competitive boundaries Creed said his group had attempted to maintain. In a backstage statement after the attack, Creed addressed Bandido directly and said the days of mutual respect are finished.
“Look, ever since we came to AEW, it's been nothing but respect from our end. Bell to bell, in the ring, to find out who is the best,” Creed said. “And now, Bandido, who obviously has a problem with Swerve, instead of addressing Swerve first and only, he felt the need to leave the ring, to come in the back and put his hands on Kofi, to put his hands on my brother.”
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Creed’s words placed particular emphasis on Kofi being attacked away from the straightforward competition that The New Level had wanted. The issue was not merely that Bandido targeted a rival; it was that the attack expanded the conflict to include Kofi in the backstage area. For Creed, that decision has transformed the tone of the feud and created a personal problem between himself and Bandido.
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“So, Bandido, now you and I have a very serious problem. This is no more fun and games. This is no more respect,” Creed warned. “Next week, it's Brodido against The New Level, and you are going to realize that our kindness is so much further from weakness than you could ever imagine.”
The confrontation did not end with Creed’s statement. Strickland then entered the shot carrying a chain that he had previously used against Adam Page. He offered the chain to Creed, who accepted it before walking away. The gesture was brief, but the history attached to it made the message unmistakable.
Strickland and Page have their own deeply physical history, including a Texas Deathmatch at Full Gear 2023 that ended with Strickland winning. By handing Creed that chain, Strickland connected the present conflict involving The New Level and Brodido to his past violence with Page. It also suggested that the feud is moving toward a far more dangerous stage than the competitive rivalry Creed described at the start of his promo.
Strickland later shared an image of the exchange on social media with the caption, “More crime.” The post appeared to serve as an additional warning to Brodido and Page while underscoring that Creed’s acceptance of the chain was not accidental or symbolic in a harmless sense. The New Level is no longer presenting itself as a group willing to absorb attacks without answering in kind.
Bandido’s attack changes the temperature of the rivalry
The New Level’s issues with Brodido and Page have been developing over the past several weeks. Their WrestleDream meeting did not settle the matter, as Brodido and Page emerged victorious and the rivalry continued afterward. Rather than serving as a conclusion, that result became another chapter in a contest that has steadily attracted more people and more personal hostility.
What unfolded on Dynamite: Blood & Guts made the conflict even more complicated. Bandido apparently has a problem with Strickland, as Creed acknowledged in his remarks, but his decision to go after Kofi brought The New Level’s full attention back onto him. Creed did not frame Bandido’s actions as part of a standard in-ring dispute. He framed them as an unnecessary escalation that crossed a line.
That distinction matters entering the next phase of the program. Wrestlers can disagree over wins, losses, championships and who is better inside the ropes. Creed said that had been the standard The New Level followed since arriving in AEW: determine the best through competition. After Kofi was attacked, Creed said that standard no longer applies.
It is also notable that Creed directed his strongest comments at Bandido rather than Page. Page remains intertwined with the story due to his alignment with Brodido and his longstanding problems with Strickland, but the immediate grievance is Bandido’s assault on Kofi. Creed’s focus establishes a direct issue between the two men, while Strickland’s involvement ensures that Page remains a central and potentially explosive factor.
Full Gear match set for Texas Deathmatch stakes
The situation is headed toward Full Gear, where The New Level will face Brodido and Page with the AEW World Trios Championships on the line in a Texas Deathmatch. With the title stakes and the stipulation already established, Bandido’s attack on Kofi has added a sharper emotional edge to what was already positioned as a high-risk encounter.
A Texas Deathmatch is particularly significant considering the history between Strickland and Page. Their Full Gear 2023 match became a gruesome spectacle, ending with Strickland scoring the victory. That previous match showed the extremes both competitors were prepared to reach when the Texas Deathmatch environment removed the usual limits of a conventional contest.
Now, Strickland is not heading into that setting alone. Creed, Kofi and the rest of The New Level are tied to him in a trios championship fight against Page, Bandido and Brody King. The chain offered by Strickland may be one visual reminder of his previous battle with Page, but it also communicates that his allies understand the kind of fight that could be waiting for them at Full Gear.
For Brodido and Page, the challenge is not simply retaining control of the rivalry after their WrestleDream victory. They now have to deal with an opposition that believes it was attacked after attempting to keep the conflict rooted in competition. Creed’s message was that The New Level’s patience should not be read as vulnerability, and the group’s response will likely be shaped by that belief.
What remains at stake before Full Gear
Creed’s mention of Brodido facing The New Level next week signals that the path to Full Gear is not expected to be calm. Any confrontation involving Bandido, Brody King, Creed and Kofi will take place with the Texas Deathmatch looming, while Page and Strickland’s history remains impossible to separate from the larger rivalry.
The central question is whether the sides can contain the conflict long enough for the championship match to arrive without further damage being done. Bandido’s attack demonstrated that the issue can spill beyond a sanctioned match, while Strickland’s chain handoff showed that The New Level is prepared to answer escalation with escalation.
There is also a major difference between a team attempting to win a title match and a team looking for payback. Creed’s promo indicated that The New Level is now operating with both motives. The AEW World Trios Championships remain the tangible prize at Full Gear, but the increasingly personal nature of the program means the championship outcome may not be the only measure of who leaves the rivalry satisfied.
Creed did not promise a specific act of retaliation or reveal a detailed plan. His message was more direct than that: Bandido has earned his attention, respect is gone, and kindness should not be confused with weakness. With Strickland standing behind that warning and Page still connected to the feud, Full Gear’s Texas Deathmatch has the potential to bring several unresolved issues into one violent championship contest.
For now, the immediate focus is on the upcoming meeting involving Brodido and The New Level. But after the attack on Kofi and Creed’s reaction, it is clear that the conflict is no longer being treated as business as usual. The New Level believes a boundary was crossed, and Creed has put Bandido on notice that the response is coming.
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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.