Adam Page has quickly become the quintessential babyface in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). One of the original AEW stars to not have benefited from past WWE TV exposure, or even New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) acclaim, he holds the mantel of being AEW’s homegrown babyface star. Like WWE Hall of Famer and renowned legend of pro wrestling, Stone Cold Steve Austin, “Hangman” Adam Page is a southern star who loves to drink. A key difference between Page and Austin, however, is that Page is far more human; this 21st century portrayal of heavy drinking southern boy has endeared him to the AEW audience in a unique way. He is also the one who must defeat Kenny Omega and claim the AEW World Championship. Let’s explore why.
Challenge accepted: #DarkOrder + @theAdamPage vs. #TheElite elimination style with some high stakes!
Tune into @tntdrama NOW to watch #AEWDynamite #FyterFest LIVE! pic.twitter.com/5astlHwm57
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) July 15, 2021
The Story of Adam Page and Kenny Omega Is Some of AEW’s Best Work
Whereas AEW Dynamite is far from a perfect show, it is still one which hits the right notes far, far more often than not. It is testament to their storytelling, as well as their in-ring performances, that AEW has come through a year of crowd-less shows unscathed and is now hitting well over a million viewers on a weekly basis. It is fully deserved. Among their best work is the story of Adam Page and Kenny Omega; two top competitors who were, for a time, the AEW Tag Team Champions. Their story of close friends, within The Elite, turned fierce foes is one which has hit well – and it is no surprise that Page is getting the loudest babyface crowd reactions on a regular basis. To make an Austin comparison again: whereas Austin was rebelling against the Vince McMahon led Corporation, Page is rebelling against the Omega led Elite. Omega has rigged The Elite to maintain his title run by any means necessary, but Page, perhaps on a drunken mission of rebellion with no cares to give, will do whatever he can to restore justice and, maybe, beat some sense into his former friend.
There is a modern, human aspect to Page as the leader of the rebellion – which in recent weeks has seen the Dark Order firmly behind him – as he is not the fearless, trash talking, beer guzzling bad*ss of the 90s. There is an element of fear to Page; he knows The Elite can, if he fails to overcome them, destroy him and potentially end his career. This is why he has been seen having bouts of anxiety in backstage segments with the Dark Order. Initially, when they were convincing him to challenge Omega, he refused for that very reason. He knows how good Kenny is and, despite now being willing to give it his best shot, that doubt plays in his mind and, in many ways, the drink numbs those doubts. It is brilliant storytelling and, surely, one which must culminate in Page overcoming The Elite and ending Omega’s seemingly unstoppable reign.
If Not Delayed Too Long, Page May Become a Mega Star
We all know Page is a star. We all know Page has the potential to become a big star. Should this story be done right – and so far, AEW are doing a fine job – Page may well become a mega star. Page is very likable; his character (as well as the man behind the character) is very relatable and one anyone can root for. Yet, there is a fear that if the AEW creative team holds off for too long, Page might become an afterthought and cooled off somewhat. There have been many examples over the years of wrestlers becoming white hot, only to lose out on the title a number of times and cool off immensely (recently released Bray Wyatt is a fine example). Then, when they finally claim the title, it is to a far lesser reaction than what the would have achieved had they won when they were supposed to. With CM Punk and Bryan Danielson both coming into AEW, Page cannot be allowed to become an afterthought. If he drops down the card and either Bryan or Punk takes his spot, Page’s time to become a star at their level will have passed. Thankfully, there is faith that AEW’s creative are smart enough to not let this happen. Additionally, Punk and Bryan are presumably selfless enough to not let this happen. Page should be fine.
What could – and maybe should – happen is that Bryan and Punk debut to back up Page against The Elite. It is the hottest feud in the company and adding in two mega stars in Punk and Bryan would potentially bring mainstream appeal to the feud and, most importantly, to Page as the challenger to Omega. They do not have to remain allied with Page for too long; either Punk or Bryan could eventually feud with a champion Page in the future. For now, however, despite all of the buzz and great signings AEW is making, Page must remain a key focus going forward.
Stay tuned to Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TNT and weekly on YouTube.
