AEW: ‘Hangman’ Adam Page convinces fans to believe in him with every word

Promos are an important part of sports entertainment. It’s the moment that athletes cross into the realm of entertainers, letting fans know why they should care about the action that is about to occur in the ring or cage. In professional wrestling, it is a skill that is often used to elevate or hold back talent for reasons beyond this piece. That is not the case with “Hangman” Adam Page. The former AEW World Champion has a knack for getting fans to believe in him and every word he says while in front of an AEW camera. It’s a skill that shouldn’t be overlooked and one that makes everything he does seem extra special.

On the October 12 edition of AEW Dynamite, Page confronted Jon Moxley as both men prepare for a big title match in Cincinnati. Moxley did what Moxley does, continuing to tear into Page just as he did in the previous episode. No one should be surprised because Moxley’s ability to deliver believable promos is where he excels as well. But it was Page’s response that has once again caused fans to buy into the premise of “Cowboy [Expletive].”

This segment was powerful because it reminded fans of the path that Page has been on in AEW. When the promotion started, it was expected that he would be the company’s first champion, but that was not the case as it went around the waist of Chris Jericho. From there, Page went on a journey that saw him go from the anxious, untrusting, and immature prospect to the confident champion that could face down some of the biggest names in the industry. The promo on Wednesday reminded everyone of that and pulled in people who may not have been invested in this angle due to the presence of MJF and his near-guaranteed title reign in the making.

“For all that I did, I’m left with nothing. I’m angry. I’m frustrated. I can’t sleep at night. I’m anxious. I’m depressed. The medicine is not working because I’m still here, because I am a man,” Page said. “I’ve been choked until my face turns blue and I’ve been beaten in that same face over and over but I keep coming back because I am a man.”

It’s these same promo abilities that elevated Page heading into his match with CM Punk a few months ago. Yes, it may have also been the catalyst that set off backstage issues among names at the top of the roster, but that does not remove the fact that Page was able to elevate himself by convincing fans that he belonged in his place as champion, convincing fans that he was there to protect AEW from Punk – a situation that played out in oddly ironic fashion.

If odds were to be created for his match with Moxley next week, Page should be the underdog. That’s understandable because the predictable nature of professional wrestling dictates that MJF will take that tile from Moxley in what the company’s most important angle at the moment is. But that doesn’t mean that Page doesn’t belong in this moment. In fact, he’s once again convinced the masses that he belongs, and perhaps there is a sliver of hope that he can pull out the victory.

There’s a lot that Page does well as a professional wrestler that his peers could stand to learn. One of them is creating a level of investment with every word that he speaks over the microphone. It wasn’t something he always had, but since his title run and now being back in the title picture, it is a skill that continues to prove that he’s a main event-level player wherever he competes.