AEW ALL ELITE ASSESSMENT: “Hangman” Adam Page, once a centerpiece of AEW stories, needs a reboot this fall to reconnect with fans

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The road to AEW All In has been a bumpy one from a creative perspective. The same metaphor could be applied to this week’s subject on the All Elite Assessment, “Hangman” Adam Page.

As with Kenny Omega (the subject of last week’s column), Hangman is an intriguing subject matter who demands an individual assessment. There is perhaps no other wrestler on the AEW roster who encompasses the good and the bad of the All Elite promotion so accurately as “Hangman” Adam Page.

“Hangman” Page

Background

Virginian native Stephen Woltz, more famously known as “Hangman” Adam Page, is arguably one of the most important figures in AEW’s short existence. The long-tenured “cowboy” began his wrestling journey as a teenager in 2008. Training in his home state of Virginia under the eye of wrestling legend Jimmy Valiant, Page would travel the independents before his first significant break in 2011 when associating with the ROH promotion. Indeed, prior to permanently signing with the popular promotion in 2016, Page worked full-time as a high school teacher specializing in Journalism.

Hangman was a sure hand in ROH, competing with fellow AEW alumni Matt Taven, Roderick Strong, and Colt Cabana. It was a change in attitude though which would shoot Hangman to the next stage of his career. A heel turn in which Hangman would join the hugely popular Bullet Club stable (arguably at their zenith) would feature an oft-repeated wrestling spot in which Hangman literally hung his adversary, Chris Sabin, over the top rope. Elevated by association with the Club, Page would battle at the upper tier of the ROH roster before his departure in 2018.

As ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling were closely associated during this period, so too was Hangman. Competing with Bullet Club stablemates, The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, and Kenny Omega, Hangman would form a close bond with his fellow heels both inside and outside the ropes – a bond which would prove pivotal when an upstart All Elite Wrestling was announced in early 2019.

Journey

Hangman was signposted as an important player for the fledgling promotion from the outset. Initially due to face Pac at the inaugural AEW PPV, Double or Nothing, Page instead competed as a surprise entrant in the Casino Battle Royale. Hangman won the match and in doing so earned the opportunity to become the inaugural AEW World champion.

That opportunity would be spurned as Hangman was defeated by Chris Jericho at All Out 2019. Gold was on the horizon, though, as Hangman would team with former stablemate Omega and challenge for the tag team titles. The team wwasere hugely successful, capturing the titles from So Cal Uncensored and holding the gold for nine months before dropping the straps to the newly debuted FTR. Omega and Page’s AEW careers would continue to run in parallel as both would then enter a World Title contendership tournament to culminate at Full Gear 2019. Both combatants would make the PPV final and stand opposite one another, no longer partners but adversaries. Hangman’s opportunity would again be lost as Omega was victorious and would go on to win the AEW World Title months later.

Hangman would spiral in storyline and begin the “Anxious Millennial Cowboy” phase of his AEW career. Filled with self-doubt and estranged from his Elite cohorts, Hangman would find support in an unlikely place – The Dark Order.

The Elite took exception to this newfound bond so a rivalry developed. A ten-man tag match with championship implications would lead to yet another opportunity squandered for Hangman. Outside the ring, Hangman’s popularity was soaring. Fans had been deprived of the opportunity to celebrate a Hangman title victory on several occasions and the anticipation was reaching fever pitch. It was at this moment that Stephen Woltz made a decision rare in professional wrestling; he stepped away.

With the impending birth of his first child on the horizon, Woltz was granted extended personal leave. This move reinforced the idea that AEW was a wrestlers’ welfare-orientated company and showed yet another facet of Hangman – that of a modern and empathetic man.

The hiatus did little to stifle Hangman’s ascent as a year after his first PPV clash with Omega. Page would finally defeat his nemesis for the AEW World Title at the Full Gear 2020 PPV.

Page’s title reign was a bizarre one given his truncated journey to the top. Match quality wise, Hangman’s title defenses were stellar. Two matches opposite Bryan Danielson were star rating magnets (one 60 minute draw at “Winter is Coming 2021” being a potential Match of the Year candidate).

Hangman would then feud with a heel Adam Cole, but the rivalry which promised much would fizzle.

One rivalry which would not fizzle (more off screen than on) was his clash with C.M. Punk. An off-handed promo between the two would lead to a seething Punk to vent months later at the infamous All Out 2022 media press Q&A. Though it would be Hangman’s close backstage allies The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega who would be physically involved, Hangman would be tainted by association to the events and viewed by some as the instigator.

Hangman would conclude his only World Title run with defeat to the aforementioned Punk. Title opportunities, though, would continue to keep Page relevant. A losing effort at the inaugural Forbidden Door for the IWGP Title and defeat in the final of the Trios Title Tournament would mean that further gold would evade him.

Perhaps the most significant moment since Hangman’s title loss was a troubling in-ring injury when competing against Jon Moxley. A legitimate concussion from a often-presented lariat put Hangman back on the shelf. A rivalry with Moxley would follow, built off the animosity born from the legitimate concussion. The two would trade singles wins before stablemate involvement (Hangman would reunite with his Elite brethren) would escalate the feud to the latest “Blood and Guts” match on a recent Dynamite.

Future

As mentioned, Hangman perfectly encapsulates the elation and frustration of being an AEW fan.

Hangman was portrayed as a centerpiece for much of AEW’s short history thus far. A true breakout star with little association to previous companies, Hangman was a babyface born out of the Magnum T.A mold. A talented wrestler whom the fans could cheer and swoon over in equal measure, Hangman should have been AEW’s poster boy.

Blame can be apportioned here and divided amongst several protagonists. Page has not been helped by the stop-start nature of his booking. The “nearly-man” tag which haunted Lex Luger has similarities to Page’s quest for AEW World Title gold, but this sporadic booking can also be pinned on Hangman himself. In no way should paternity leave be viewed as a negative. Indeed, I applaud Stephen Woltz’s dedication to his family and AEW’s care for its employees work-life balance. AEW’s stars, though, do reportedly have some creative license and this is where Page has been erratic at times.

He has demonstrated a real talent for the in-ring promo, but has been recently restricted to backstage vignettes. Like his Elite partners, Hangman is rarely involved in compelling, narrative-driven segments. Although a tremendous wrestler, Hangman is such a compelling character that his current predicament feels like a waste.

The never-ending Dark Order saga has also anchored Page. Wrestling storylines can run long-term (hello Bloodline) but the Hangman/Dark Order narrative has dragged with little in terms of chapters or any form of conclusion. His character has also lacked consistency. There has been little in terms of storyline explanation for the Elite’s reunion.

To the casual AEW viewer, Page was betrayed, injured, and abandoned by his stablemates before only rejoining The Elite when faced with overwhelming odds. More than an Excalibur voiceover or a BTE segment is required to explain the nuances of his character. Worst still, this one red hot singles competitor has been moved into multi-man competition, diluting his relevancy to the main event scene.

The immediate future is a trios battle at the huge All In PPV at Wembley Stadium. For Hangman to regain his prior popularity, the rebuild must begin immediately after this PPV cycle.

Move Hangman back into the singles ranks and put him on a quest the fans can gather behind. If Cole turns heel at All In and conquers MJF, then Page would make an ideal first opponent for the new champion. The two have a previous history and a feud with the roles reversed could be compelling.

Page could distance himself amicably from the Elite by explaining he needs to furrow his own path. A rivalry with Swerve Strickland and his group could make for a fresh feud. Both competitors could state their intention to challenge for the World Title and battle in a series of matches for contendership.

Verdict

“Hangman” Adam Page needs to refresh. Although proving doubters wrong shouldn’t be his main motivating factor, it should provide a proud competitor with an added impetus. Page could be the main man in AEW for years to come. Can the organic fan support of AEW’s early existence be recaptured? Both the company and Page need to seize the initiative to achieve it.

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