Austin Creed discusses departure from WWE to join AEW tag division

Austin Creed, formerly known as Xavier Woods in WWE, addressed the reasons behind his recent transition to AEW during a discussion on The Ariel Helwani Show. Creed noted that while the December 2024 heel turn involving Kofi Kingston and Big E provided a successful initial segment, WWE lacked long-term creative focus for tag team wrestling following the move. He expressed a desire to prioritize tag team competition, which he identified as a central component of his career goals. After both Creed and Kingston were asked to accept pay cuts by WWE, the duo opted to leave the organization. They debuted this past weekend at All In: London under the team name The New Level. Creed stated he is now looking forward to focusing his energy on the tag team roster within AEW.

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