AEW has reportedly secured the services of The New Level for the long term, with new details emerging about the contracts signed by Austin Creed and Kofi.

The duo’s arrival at All Elite Wrestling involved months of creative planning. Now, a new report has revealed just how far ahead the promotion was thinking.

According to Fightful Select, both performers agreed to five-year deals with AEW, finalizing the paperwork one day before their appearance at All In 2026. Their long-term future may be settled, but several details about their introduction to the company are just as interesting.

The report states that plans for the duo’s AEW direction were discussed well before they signed their contracts. Swerve Strickland reportedly played an important role in connecting the former WWE stars with the promotion, with an early creative idea involving the three performers eventually leading to The New Level.



AEW President Tony Khan reportedly avoided direct negotiations with Creed and Kofi until they were no longer under contract with WWE. The approach allowed the company to prepare its creative direction before finalizing the agreements.

Their entrance music also came down to the wire. AEW secured the rights to use “New Level,” but Sony granted final approval on the day of All In. According to the report, such last-minute clearances are not unusual when wrestling promotions license music.

The New Level have since lost the AEW World Trios Championships. However, the report indicates that their reign was always intended to be relatively short. Their defeat was part of the original creative plan rather than a sign that AEW changed its commitment to the pair.

The five-year agreements reportedly allow Creed and Kofi to take outside bookings. This gives them opportunities to wrestle for other promotions while remaining part of AEW. That arrangement leaves room for the duo to continue working beyond the company’s weekly programming.

With long-term contracts in place, The New Level appear positioned to remain part of AEW’s plans for years to come. Their championship reign may have ended, but the bigger picture suggests their partnership with Strickland and their place in the roster are far from finished.