When Hangman Adam Page clashes with MJF this weekend at AEW Forbidden Door, we get the next stage in a forever rivalry that we, as AEW fans, have yet to fully appreciate.
When we consider Page’s greatest rivals, we think of Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, and Swerve Strickland. The first was from a “golden age” where Page overcame imposter syndrome to become the world champion. The latter two, violent affairs that pushed Page to self-discovery, resilience, and vengeance. Some would argue Page vs. Strickland was AEW’s greatest, most personal feud.
Contrastingly, the rivalry between Page and MJF has been sporadic, a slow burn with each man coming and going from the other’s orbit. Yet, in terms of longevity, subtlety, and entrenched characterisation, Page’s perfect foil is Maxwell Jacob Friedman.
This might be partially clear at Forbidden Door. The match will be awesome. The build-up is stellar.
Moments will retrospectively become milestones. I don’t understand baseball innings, but we aren’t even mid(!)-way through this story yet.
Both men’s characters, their emotions, choices, character growths/regressions, failures, and frustrations have sometimes mirrored each other. The difference is binary: a choice between good and evil. Right and wrong. Shaped by us, the fans.
Nothing Wrong
MJF is the one who needs to prove himself despite being a self-proclaimed generational talent, better than everyone, and we know it. Matches between Page and MJF are built on pre-existing and longstanding jealousy.
It’s not just because the Hangman has Pretty Platinum. It’s about MJF’s insecurity, best shown by MJF’s repeated mockery of how Hangman did nothing wrong. The fans loved Page ending Christopher Daniels’ career.
The fans turned on MJF when he tried to be the champion that AEW and the fans needed. A few of us (although I did here) gave the devil its due for adapting temporarily after CM Punk’s exit. However, in trying to give fans everything and collecting injuries whilst failing to gain friendship and acceptance, MJF lost himself, and many lost interest in him.
On the other hand, Page could do something more despicable, criminal, and heinous than MJF and still retain our love.* Honestly, we loved Page for burning down Strickland’s childhood home. To the point that we played the looped footage in place of an open fire on Christmas Day.
*However, that’s selective. After all, in MJF’s lore, he crashed a car and switched places with a past-out cheerleader. It’s also not the only time MJF’s character has revised history to conform to his story or ignored his and Page’s similarities.
Rejection
Page, on two occasions, did not have our support as fans.
First, we picked Strickland over Page as the next AEW World Champion. We picked the man who traumatized his family and ruined his life. Page blamed us for his dark relapse, used excessive violence, justified under the illusion that it would somehow make everything better.
Page tried to take shortcuts and cheap shots. The Hangman used simplified black and white logic to justify bad behaviour. Sound familiar? When you also consider Page also expected happiness would come with revenge or winning the world championship, it again resembles MJF’s arc.
Friedman, despite his privileges and prowess, cannot get over his past trauma. Antisemitism he experienced in the locker-room, teachers labelling him stupid, and unanswered emails to William Regal. Further fuel for MJF’s rejection sensitivity.
Being AEW’s youngest world champion and having amazing matches (the best ironman, four-way, comeback) was not enough. The fans rejected MJF’s attempt to change. It confirmed to MJF to remain the devil you know.
The paradox of MJF’s character is that his brash, loud, obnoxious persona masks a different shade of inferiority and imposter syndrome to Page’s. Contrastingly, Page’s quiet and introspective nature presents almost a purity that attracts sympathy. Oppositional, MJF’s words seek to enforce distance, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Page’s character was like MJF. The difference is Page’s ability to listen without a filter. The second time fans weren’t with Page was after the Lights Out steel cage.
Returning to the ring, possibly to end Strickland, fans screamed. Page stopped and seemed to recognise the devil in him. Eventually, Page got past his trauma. MJF hasn’t, and it goes back to day one.
Nepotism
Surprisingly, if you consider nepotism as a factor, within the politics of AEW, Page is undoubtedly the ultimate recipient, if we look at things through MJF’s eyes.
Their rivalry started at AEW’s first PPV. A relative unknown was given an opportunity to prove himself. However, really, he was the third wheel of the segment.
MJF had to make his own luck and opportunity when he interrupted Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Friedman made himself memorable and undeniable, but ultimately, his role:
“Let’s not kid ourselves: I was pretty much brought in to be the guy you disliked- who didn’t stand a chance against the guy you loved… I said a few words, got booed, and took a punch. I wasn’t looked at as being a potential top guy.” MJF, The Players’ Tribune.
MJF wrote this just before the end of his AEW World Championship reign. Even as champion, Friedman, despite having everything, could not move past being positioned as secondary or the bad guy. His attempts to be the man, to be good, were rejected.
Page, AEW’s main character, was handpicked by The Elite, Tony Khan, and by the fans, eventually. Again, there’s a distortion to the logic, jaded by rejection sensitivity.
Plenty of fans were still uncertain of Page, before and after he eliminated MJF from a battle royal to win the chance to become the first AEW World Champion. Page still had to earn our respect and love.
Graft and Love
MJF grew up idolizing CM Punk, who later rejected Friedman and, in turn, MJF mimicked the snake. In many respects, MJF’s character has acted like Punk to Page’s John Cena. Believing that the system inherently favours someone else, MJF played to his strengths.
Manipulation, using his wealth and privilege to cheat and politic the system. Ironically, this made us fall in love with the persona, not the real MJF.
Page did the opposite and grafted, failed repeatedly, but gained our love. MJF has failed and shown resilience, but in that destructive manner Page embraced last year.
Going beyond the biblical to take limbs for an eye. Or more appropriately, have someone else do it.
Work smarter, not harder, narratively has failed MJF in the end. Babyfaces overcame his challenges, and cutting corners saw karma cost him titles and alliances. Falsehood leads to failure in AEW. We saw this with Page’s tweener role.
Contrastingly, Page is always real and able to endure the criticism, whereas MJF, when the mask slipped, couldn’t let go of his ego, the past, what the internet says, and things beyond his control. Unlike Page, MJF has chosen darkness because that’s all he knows and is.
If he let go of it, what’s left of him? Page had a bedrock beneath his hate for Strickland. It was something to return to.
MJF only has a grudge with the world and everyone in it. It’s what makes him “The Main Antagonist”. Whilst Page tries to be the best man he can be, accepting his past, flaws, and humanity, MJF is the mirror opposite.
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