New Level’s arrival in AEW didn’t just excite fans. It turns out FTR were some of the loudest voices behind the scenes pushing for it to happen.
Speaking to The Sportster, Cash Wheeler revealed that he and Dax Harwood were vocal about wanting Kofi Kingston and Austin Creed to join AEW, saying they already knew exactly what the duo would bring to the company’s tag team division.
“I love it personally. I know that he and I were two people that were very vocal about wanting to do what we could to bring them into the company and to make them part of the tag division here because we’ve worked with those guys so much that that was our main roster debut, was knocking over the ice cream cart with those guys. I won’t even say the old name, but New Level.”
Cash explained that his history with Creed goes back well before WWE. The two were working independent shows together in Georgia nearly two decades ago, so he’s had a front-row seat to watching New Level develop into one of wrestling’s most accomplished tag teams.
“There’s so much history there. And I’ve known Austin since 2008 or ’09 when we worked independent shows in Georgia together.”
He also believes AEW’s environment is a perfect fit for them because wrestlers have more freedom to shape their own matches instead of simply following directions.
“Knowing how good those guys are and knowing that when you come over here and you have the level of tag teams that you have here and that you get to have a lot of creative freedom and just have fun and kind of remember what it can be. I’m not going to take a knock at anybody else, but it’s different when you’re more in the driver’s seat of how a match goes and how you can do this or that.
It’s a lot of fun. I knew those guys would come over here and they’re so likable. So bringing all that energy over, that positive energy, is something we need more of.”
Dax Harwood was just as excited, pointing out that FTR and New Level rose through WWE at roughly the same time. While FTR didn’t always get the opportunities they wanted to elevate tag team wrestling, Dax believes Kofi and Creed carried that torch in a huge way.
“I’m really excited. They’re huge stars, of course, in their own right and what they brought to tag team wrestling. At the same time Cash and I were coming up in the other company, so were they, and where we fell short to continue to elevate tag team wrestling because we didn’t have some of those opportunities, they took those reins over and did that to a huge level.”
Looking at the bigger picture, Dax believes New Level joining forces with teams like the Motor City Machine Guns gives AEW one of the deepest tag divisions in wrestling.
“Motor City Machine Guns are a great tag team of their generation as well, where people have copied their style and emulated them. I’m so excited to have those guys, all of those guys, in AEW with us so we can build this whole division up and we can have fresh matches.”
FTR clearly aren’t looking at New Level as competition—they’re looking at them as another major piece in rebuilding AEW’s tag division. Between FTR, New Level, the Motor City Machine Guns and the rest of the roster, they believe the best days for AEW tag team wrestling are still ahead.
What dream match do you want to see New Level have first in AEW? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
