10 Best Wrestling Storylines Right Now

2. The Simmering Kenny Omega Vs. Hangman Page Tension

Jacksonville Elite
AEW/Lee South

The question many fans are asking is 'When is Hangman Page going to turn heel?'

Counter-question: Why should he?

Hangman Page cut a forlorn figure at the immediate conclusion of All Out, at which he failed to become the inaugural AEW World Champion. He lost an excellent series to PAC, and, no longer feeling worthy of the Elite, attempted to leave the stable. Kenny Omega, who also struggled for form in the singles division, empathised with his friend and took him on a reluctant - but successful - journey to the World Tag Team Championship. Throughout it, Omega incapacitated their opponents in awesome showings, but Page secured wins with his explosive hot tag death-blows. Page with his wild celebrations has taken the credit for their triumph, and taken also to over-celebrating with alcohol in skits that intersect a sense of both banter and pathos that creates fun episodic TV with a real, emotive substance to it.

In the meantime, Omega is also torn. He is intent on wrestling in the tag team division, but PAC has convicted him to singles obligations by attacking those closest to him. Page is in the right to question Omega's commitment to their team, just as Omega is right to question Page's increasingly dire recreational activities. Both men are sympathetic in this situation, which should at some point result in a conflict as agonising for them as it is for their shared fans.

This is an excellent, funny story driven by skits and exhilarating pro wrestling matches - and with its shades of grey, it's a new breed of wrestling storyline that does not require an old, binary dynamic.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!