Storytelling is one of the complaints frequently levied against All Elite Wrestling. Whether an actual concern or internet grift, it's a conversation woth having. But there's one angle brewing that should be right up the alley of pro wrestling and sports entertainment fans alike. MJF versus "Hangman" Adam Page is the feud AEW needs and one that harckens back to what made this promotion beloved by viewers.
MFJ and Adam Page are characters who've played intriguing roles since stepping into the promotion. They are two young and talented men. Names who can be used to build the future of the industry. But that is where their similarities end in this regard.
MJF and "Hangman" Adam Page were destined to battle
MJF has been out for number one since day one. Everything he's done has been to get to and hold the position as the top dog in the promotion. Even that brief stint where he acted like a fan favorite alongside Adam Cole was nothing more than a ploy. He's reached the pinnacle and is willing to do anything needed to stay there.
Page, on the other hand, sees himself as the defender of all things "right" in AEW. His character arc started with him being the anxious outsider in a group of the best wrestlers in the business. A position he didn't think he deserved. From there, he went on to prove that he was one of the best and took a stance to protect the company that gave him the chance to do so. That led to him being directly opposed to individuals like CM Punk and Jon Moxley.
But along the way, Page took the darkest of turns thanks to Swerve Strickland. He started doing things that maybe he shouldn't have done, but still felt right to the end goal - protecting all things All Elite Wrestling. Becoming more like MJF than even he intended to be.
Main event angle without the championship
MJF versus Page is an important angle for several reasons. First, it's one that keeps both men away from the championship until it is right for either of them to become a top contender. Expect both of these individuals to be champions again at some point, but that doesn't need to happen right now.
AEW's main event scene is plagued with an unpopular angle. The Deathriders versus AEW feud has not worked since its inception and its one that the company continues to hammer home. While Moxley is one of the most important performers in the company's history, everything about this angle isn't working.
Keeping Page and MJF out of that angle keeps them away from being pulled down and their momentum stalled. AEW is doing a great job building interest in others outside that title angle and it shows just how destrutive it's been.
Second, MJF versus Page is the type of angle that AEW could come back for years to come. Think about some of the biggest feuds in wrestling that continued to play out over years. Randy Orton versus John Cena. Triple H versus Shawn Michaels. Charlotte Flair versus then Sasha Banks. Going back to those feuds created opportunities to present the performers in a new wave, adding interesting wrinkles to the story being told. AEW has the chance to create one of its own with these two popular performers.
MJF versus "Hangman" Adam Page is an angle that will feed familes as the fans say. They are two of the most important men on the roster and now is the perfect time to see them battle it out.