The One Massive Thing AEW Have NEVER Done...UNTIL NOW
Page's matches have been spectacular in the main, but a lack of suspense around the results has deflated the drama in ways the work simply hasn't deserved.
Battles with Bryan Danielson were instant classics, but after 90 minutes of pulsating professional wrestling, everything was still exactly where it had been before. A Texas Deathmatch against Lance Archer hugely overdelivered on even the highest of expectations, but absolutely nobody thought Dan Lambert's man had a chance in hell of holding gold. The same - unfortunately - could be said for Adam Cole, but this was substantially more problematic considering the length of their rivalry and the effort made to get Cole ready.
The former NXT Champion racing through the rankings didn't feel fake, but any sense of doubt did. Revolution 2022's headline attraction wasn't their title showdown in the final spot of the night, but an epic CM Punk/MJF dog collar bloodbath in the middle of the card. As he'd done at All Out against Darby Allin and arguably at Full Gear against Eddie Kingston, Punk drew the house (then tore it down) underneath whatever went on last. Punk Vs Page was beginning to feel like an unavoidable crescendo before it was even formalised, further hampering Hangman's attempts to not feel like a Champion waiting to lose.
With the match now finally booked, this niggling reality will categorically come to an end.
CONT'D...