10 Genius Ways Wrestling Companies Kept You Watching

5. Who's Turning On Who?

Sting WCW
AEW

Kenny Omega and Hangman Page were drawn together at the urging of Omega.

Page, despondent at his failure in the singles ranks and just sort of existing, went along with it. Deep down, he was probably delighted that an old friend had reached out, not that he could allow himself to fully believe that. Anxiety is devastating.

This is an important story beat to consider because it adds yet more texture to a story that has settled now into a more traditional pro wrestling vein: Omega is indeed the a**hole, Page the real hero of the piece.

It seemed like Page was the a**hole for a while there. He was surly, cold - and, in the final moments of those exceptional tag matches, entitled. Greedy. He made sure to score those falls. Or was he overcompensating? And if so, wasn't that kind of sad?

Omega was the benevolent face determined to share success with a friend, but how good a friend was he? He sided with the Bucks first and foremost. He claimed, while wearing the World Tag Team Title, that the Bucks were the superior team. He made fun of Page's lonely life as an alcoholic. And, as it transpired, he was a ruthlessly ambitious pro wrestler who used the brilliance Page couldn't recognise in himself to get back to the pay window. Until he had no more use for him.

A twisting emotional saga that pulsed with suspense - who was going to turn on who? - this storyline highlighted the seminal build to Revolution and quietly elevated AEW's uneven summer.

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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!