Swerve Strickland and New Level remain the AEW World Trios Champions after overcoming Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong in the opening contest of AEW Dynamite: Rebel Heart. The champions had to withstand the varied offense and established chemistry of The Conglomeration representatives, ultimately putting Cassidy away with their Daybreak combination following a decisive House Call from Strickland.
The title defense also became the center of a larger developing situation after the bell. Ricochet and The Demand made their way to the ring to confront the victorious champions, only for “Hangman” Adam Page, Brody King and Bandido to arrive before matters could turn physical. With Page, King and Bandido identified as the former champions, the segment ended with the current titleholders and their predecessors facing one another, while Ricochet and The Demand had already made their presence felt.
It was an eventful conclusion to a match built around six competitors with markedly different approaches. Cassidy brought his unpredictable rhythm and sudden bursts of offense, while O’Reilly and Strong leaned on their familiarity as a tandem. Across the ring, New Level combined Kofi and Creed’s team coordination with Strickland’s ability to change a match in an instant. The champions emerged with their titles, but the aftermath made clear that the division’s attention is not likely to leave them anytime soon.
A first-time meeting set the tone
The match began with Kofi and Cassidy sharing a ring for the first time. That opening exchange offered a fresh matchup before Creed entered against O’Reilly. O’Reilly and Strong soon showed why their teamwork was an important factor for the challengers, repeatedly working together to gain control over Creed, then Kofi, and then Creed once more.
For more background on this topic, read Swerve Strickland and New Level Retain AEW World Trios Titles at Dynamite: Rebel Heart.
Strong and O’Reilly’s coordinated attack produced the first cover attempt of the bout, though the champions escaped without losing their grip on the AEW World Trios Championship. The early sequence established the challenger strategy: isolate a member of New Level, use efficient tags, and force the champions to spend energy escaping positions where O’Reilly and Strong could dictate the pace.
Cassidy took his turn looking to slow Creed down in the corner. However, the attempted control did not last. Instead, Cassidy and Creed moved into an exchange of Manhattan drops that left both men on the canvas. The moment temporarily reset the action and gave Creed the opening he needed to fight toward his corner.
Creed eventually reached Kofi, bringing fresh momentum to the champions. Kofi looked to change the complexion of the contest with Trouble in Paradise, but Strong stopped that attempt by dropping him before he could connect. Rather than remain caught in the challengers’ momentum, Kofi made the important tag to Strickland.
Strickland enters as the match breaks down
With Strickland now involved, the structured portions of the trios match quickly gave way to a wider brawl. Bodies were down across the ring and at ringside as both teams traded control. The champions had their own answers for O’Reilly and Strong’s tandem work, while Cassidy continued to represent a dangerous wild card for the challengers.
Once the ring began to clear, Strickland targeted Cassidy for the Swerve Stomp. Cassidy evaded the attempt, rolling out of the way before Strickland could land the move. That escape created an opening for Cassidy to surge back into the match against all three champions.
Cassidy fought through New Level and connected with a tornado DDT that sent Strickland down on the floor outside the ring. It was a major sequence for the challengers, as Cassidy had not only avoided the Swerve Stomp but also put Strickland in a position where he could not immediately intervene. Returning to the ring, Cassidy had an opportunity to capitalize with the champions momentarily scattered.
The finish developed quickly from there. Cassidy looked for the Orange Punch while Kofi prepared another attempt at Trouble in Paradise. Neither man landed his strike. Kofi then caught Cassidy, creating the opening for Strickland to connect with House Call. With Cassidy rocked by Strickland’s kick, Kofi and Creed followed with Daybreak and secured the pinfall that kept the championships with New Level.
Swerve Strickland, Kofi and Austin Creed defeated Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong to retain the AEW World Trios Championship.
The champions win, but the picture expands
New Level’s victory was definitive in the sense that they scored the fall after a coordinated closing sequence, but there was little time for a conventional celebration. Ricochet and The Demand came down to address the champions immediately after the match. Their arrival put the focus on the titleholders just as they had completed a difficult defense.
A fight between the sides did not break out, because Page, King and Bandido ran to the ring to make the save. The appearance carried clear significance in the title scene. Page, King and Bandido are the former champions, and their confrontation with Strickland, Kofi and Creed closed the segment.
That image leaves several interested parties around the AEW World Trios Championship. Strickland and New Level have beaten a lineup featuring Cassidy, O’Reilly and Strong, but Ricochet and The Demand have now put themselves in front of the champions as well. At the same time, Page, King and Bandido have returned to stand face-to-face with the team that now holds the titles they previously possessed.
The immediate result is a crowded and potentially volatile championship landscape. No next title match was announced during the segment, and no formal challenge was established. Still, the sequence of arrivals ensured that Strickland, Kofi and Creed did not leave the ring with only one team in their sights.
What the result says about New Level
For the champions, the defense showed the value of their three distinct roles within the group. Creed spent significant time absorbing damage as O’Reilly and Strong worked to break him down. Kofi repeatedly looked to create a sudden opening with Trouble in Paradise. Strickland entered the match at a crucial point and helped shift the bout from a challenger-controlled contest into the type of fast, chaotic exchange where New Level could thrive.
The final sequence required all three champions. Cassidy escaped one major Strickland attack and briefly had Strickland down at ringside, but he could not convert that momentum into the Orange Punch. Kofi’s ability to catch Cassidy set up House Call, and the Daybreak finish completed the team effort. It was not simply an individual Strickland victory or a Kofi-and-Creed tandem win; it took the full champion unit to overcome the challengers.
For Cassidy, O’Reilly and Strong, the loss came after several strong stretches of offense rather than a lack of cohesion. O’Reilly and Strong controlled portions of the match through their teamwork, and Cassidy had the champions in trouble after avoiding the Swerve Stomp. But one missed Orange Punch and one missed Trouble in Paradise changed the contest, allowing New Level to strike first in the exchange that mattered most.
A crowded road ahead for the trios champions
The opening match of AEW Dynamite: Rebel Heart accomplished more than establish that New Level can survive a high-level defense. It also brought multiple groups into the orbit of the AEW World Trios Championship in rapid succession. The Conglomeration trio pushed the champions to the limit in the ring. Ricochet and The Demand then arrived with a direct post-match message. Finally, Page, King and Bandido made it clear that the former champions remain a force in the conversation.
Strickland, Kofi and Creed stood tall at the end of the match itself, with Cassidy taking the deciding pinfall after House Call and Daybreak. Yet the final visual of the broader segment was less about one completed defense and more about unresolved tension. The champions and former champions stared each other down, while Ricochet and The Demand had already added another layer to an increasingly busy division.
New Level still holds the AEW World Trios Championship. After Rebel Heart, however, keeping it may become even more complicated than winning it.
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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.