As of this writing, Hangman Page is ten days away from the biggest match of his career; in the likely main event of AEW Full Gear, he’ll challenge his bitter rival, Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship. A victory for Page would punctuate the remarkable story of his quest to win the world title, which officially kicked off at AEW All Out 2019, when he lost the main event bout that crowned the company’s inaugural champion.
Over two years later, through various twists and turns, Page’s moment is almost here. In an interview with an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, two of his closest friends, Matt and Nick Jackson, also known as The Young Bucks, looked back at the road Hangman has taken to get to this point. Nick Jackson recalled how he knew Page was special years ago, and it was only a matter of time before he became a huge star.
“I knew he was special when we specifically told [New Japan Pro-Wrestling referee and executive] Tiger Hattori that he needed to join the Bullet Club,” said Nick. “He just needed the push to get to where he is now.”
Likewise, Matt explained how he’s enjoyed seeing Page grow into the fan-favorite competitor he is today. He argued that Page could be considered “the most over guy” on an elite roster of wrestlers.
“It’s been fun to live Hangman’s journey in real time,” said Matt. “He was just a shy, introverted kid who wore a baseball cap when I met him. Now he’s a megastar. Maybe the most over guy in a company full of world-class wrestlers.”
Even if Page loses, this feud should cement his status as a long-term major player in AEW. With this in mind, Nick stated that Hangman is the company’s future, and he emphasized Page’s relatable character as a key reason why this rivalry has been so captivating.
“There’s no doubt that Hangman is the future of AEW,” Nick said. “He is arguably the most over guy in our company and I feel like his backstory is very relatable to the fans, which makes his character so compelling. Him and Kenny Omega is box office.”
No matter what happens at AEW Full Gear, Page is set to continue his incredible run, but the Jacksons also highlighted Omega’s excellent reign as the champion, with Matt calling him the “king.”
“Hangman will be the center of the company long after we’ve all had our moment in the sun,” said Matt. “But right now, Kenny is king and he’s on the run of his life.”
