15 Greatest Match Finishes In Modern Wrestling History

15. Hangman Page Vs. Lance Archer - AEW Dynamite, February 9, 2022

The talk is that Hangman Page is a significantly better chaser than champion, and while that is not untrue, is the problem here that man is so good at getting the fans behind him that his title runs are only dull in contrast? 

His first run was overshadowed by the generationally brilliant CM Punk Vs. MJF feud; if that didn't happen in parallel, perhaps Hanger's maiden AEW World title reign would be remembered more fondly. 

Hangman Page had already passed his first test, and it was a daunting one. Page defeated Bryan Danielson in two seminal wars; in the first, Page survived the Dragon for an hour in a match that, across its epic duration and exceptional quality, cast Page in the mould of a bloodied traditional territorial champ with the smarts, guts and stamina to prevail. The second was a gory, ultra-compelling bloodbath. You could argue that this series was safe, in that it was almost impossible not to be great. The real challenge facing any World Champion is in how they elevate a cold, filler challenger to their level - and Page passed it with a phenomenally intelligent spot of in-ring storytelling against Lance Archer.

Everybody knew that Page was winning. Page was smart enough to change the question. It wasn't a question of if he'd win, but rather a question of "how?"

During a bloody, brutal Texas Death match, Archer's temporary manager Dan Lambert removed the top rope. How was Page going to hit the Buckshot Lariat? This incredible idea cast real doubt over one of the most predictable TV matches in recent times. 

Page answered this question by dropping a strand of barbed wire, forcing the ref to pick it up, and using Paul Turner as a platform on which to launch into the Buckshot and blast Archer through two ringside tables.

Cold challenger, red-hot match: cowboy sh*t and champion sh*t.