8 Times AEW Legitimately Changed The World

4. Hangman vs. The Elite

There were many enjoyable feuds in the early days of AEW.

Chris Jericho and The Inner Circle being taken down by Jon Moxley, and the incredible tag reign of Hangman Page and Kenny Omega both yielded compelling television, but it was the aftermath of that particular tag-team which would provide AEW with its breakthrough story for the ages.

Adam Page was a member of The Elite as AEW first aired, but he had none of the international recognition of his teammates. His 'Anxious Millennial Cowboy' story had him mask his inferiority complex with alcoholism, for which he was kicked out of The Elite. His personal demons refused to allow him to see his own ability and, more crucially, that he had friends in his corner in the shape of lovable misfits The Dark Order. 

Kenny Omega was the antithesis of Page. The world recognised him as 'The Best Bout Machine', and alongside The Young Bucks, The Good Brothers, Adam Cole and Don Callis, The Elite ran AEW with Omega as the group's kingpin and company champion. Between Page's "off and on" union with Dark Order and The Elite being incredible bullying villains, all roads led to AEW's first WrestleMania-sized moment at Full Gear 2021.

There, Hangman would overcome Omega and the Bucks to win the World Title. There have been many great stories in pro wrestling in the 21st century (and other terrible ones!). This was as good as literally any of them.