Why The New Level are what Hurt Syndicate wanted to be in AEW: Examining the runs of both groups

There has been plenty of conversation over the status of The Hurt Syndicate in All Elite Wrestling as of late.

Considering their lengthy absence from the company, there has been a microscope put on the run of MVP, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, The New Level have come into AEW and made a seamless transition to the company over the past few months.

Here are four potential reasons why The New Level is what Hurt Syndicate wanted to be in AEW.

Feeling like a natural fit from day one

When Hurt Syndicate was established in AEW, the stable felt different from everyone else in the company.

With history in WWE and TNA Wrestling, MVP, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin didn’t see like a natural fit for AEW and took a while to adapt if they ever truly adapted.

Meanwhile, The New Level also have a lengthy history in WWE, but they have gone out of their way to naturally adapt. From the moment Kofi and Austin Creed debuted on AEW Dynamite alongside Swerve Strickland in a bout against The Rascalz, it was easy to see why New Level made the jump.

Feeling like a natural fit has a lot to do with why New Level and Hurt Syndicate’s runs in AEW feel so different.

Timing of their arrival

Another element of this has to do when Hurt Syndicate came into AEW compared to The New Level coming in this year.

In the latter half of 2024, All Elite Wrestling was still rebuilding after a tumultuous year following the exit of CM Punk in 2023.

It wasn’t until 2025 that many fans notice a significant change in the way stories were told in the promotion.

For The New Level, Kofi and Austin Creed have come into an AEW that knows their identity and how they want to tell stories, while Hurt Syndicate had to see that change first hand in their first few months in the company.

Willingness to work on any show with anybody

After making their debut at AEW All In London 2026, The New Level expressed their desire to work on any show.

Whether it be AEW Dynamite, Collision or pay-per-view, Kofi and Austin Creed showed their enthusiasm to work as much as possible.

New Level have also worked with a variety of talent in their opening months in AEW from Lee Moriarty and The Rascalz to The Demand and The Conglomeration.

Meanwhile, there have been reports that Hurt Syndicate wanted to only work or put over certain pairings over others.

Security in legacy

Coming into AEW, The New Level’s legacy in wrestling has already been secured from their time in WWE.

Widely regarded as one of the best groups and tag teams of their generation, Kofi and Austin Creed were secure with their place in the business.

Meanwhile, Hurt Syndicate had to reshape their place in the industry in AEW due to the abrupt nature of their ending in WWE.

Before they were able to go for a significant amount of time, the then-Hurt Business were broken up thus did not have the time to truly etch their legacy legitimately, which could be part of the reason why things have not worked quite like they have wanted to in AEW so far.

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