All Elite Wrestling arrives in Phoenix, Arizona, in approximately three days for the annual Full Gear pay-per-view. The card promises a series of high-stakes encounters, headlined by a brutal showdown for the AEW World Trios Championships. This title bout features current champions Adam Page, Brody King, and Bandido—collectively known as The Good, The Bad and El Guapo—defending their belts against Swerve Strickland and his partners, the New Level. Including a number of championship bouts, the event will feature several of the Tony Khan-led company’s top stars in action in a variety of high-stakes matches. Rather than regaining the World Trios Championships, it is more than possible that Swerve wanted the violent matchup mainly for the opportunity to punish the Hangman. Get all the hottest wrestling news FIRST by clicking here.
The match has escalated into a Texas Death Match, a change in stipulation prompted by recent events. While Adam Page initially intended for the contest to remain a standard trios title fight, the environment shifted when Bandido launched a retaliatory attack on Kofi, Austin Creed, and Strickland. This response was fueled by the Mogul’s previous vicious assault on the luchador. With the personal stakes at an all-time high, fans have closely tracked this rivalry as one of the most compelling narratives currently unfolding in the promotion.
The history between these factions dates back to the summer of 2026. At All Out, Swerve Strickland and the New Level successfully defended their titles against Page, King, and Bandido, with Strickland pinning Bandido to seal the victory. Bandido eventually rebounded, successfully retaining his ROH World Championship against Kofi at Grand Slam France. The animosity continued, leading to a 2-out-of-3 falls match at WrestleDream last month, where The Good, The Bad and El Guapo reclaimed the World Trios Titles after Bandido secured the decisive falls by pinning both Austin Creed and Strickland. However, by reminding his arch-rival of his lack of accomplishments up till that point in 2026, the Cowboy fired back. Allowing the Trios Champions to finish him off 3-on-1 and successfully retain their straps, such an angle could lead to the New Level walking out on Swerve during their upcoming Texas Death Match.
Following that loss, tension boiled over when Page refused a rematch request under Texas Death rules. In an act of intimidation, Strickland brutalized the ROH World Champion backstage. When confronted by Austin Creed, Strickland claimed he was justified in his actions because he had previously pinned all three members of the current championship team. Bandido later launched his own counter-attack, successfully pushing for the Texas Death stipulation for the upcoming pay-per-view. Days later, he challenged Hangman and Brodido to a Texas Death Match at Full Gear 2026, harkening back to having beaten the Elite member under the same stipulation back in 2023.
One likely outcome for this Saturday is Bandido securing a definitive victory. Given the intensity of his grudge and the physical toll taken by the team, the Mexican grappler could effectively knock out Strickland to retain the championships, serving as retribution for the recent backstage violence. And he might get his wish this Saturday, it is clear that the Mexican grappler wants his pound of flesh from the Realest.
A second possibility involves a dark turn for the challengers.
Since arriving at All In: London last August, Austin Creed and Kofi have been adjusting to the competitive nature of the AEW locker room. While they initially expressed disapproval of Strickland’s aggressive tactics, recent developments suggest they are willing to descend into a darker side of professional wrestling. On a recent episode of Collision, the former WWE Tag Team Champions indicated they were prepared to enter a more ruthless space to reclaim the gold, which could see them embrace heel tactics to help Strickland overwhelm their opponents. Kofi’s baffled reaction to Lee Moriarty taking exception to being called an “up-and-comer” by the former WWE Champion was a notable early instance of this.
Finally, the match could end in internal collapse. There is a possibility that the New Level, sensing the escalating volatility, chooses to abandon Strickland midway through the fight. This scenario would mirror the friction that has existed since Swerve formed the team to win the titles in the All In: London Roulette Royale. If the New Level decides to walk out, it would leave Strickland vulnerable, allowing the trio of Page, King, and Bandido to isolate and defeat him, potentially signaling the end of their alliance.
The rivalry between Page and Strickland remains a focal point of the division, starting from their initial conflicts over the Men’s World Championship picture earlier this year. Their continued clashes, from Grand Slam Mexico through the various pay-per-views, have consistently raised the intensity of the trios division, setting the stage for what promises to be a violent conclusion at Full Gear 2026.
