13 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Revolution 2022

6. 'Hangman' Adam Page vs. Adam Cole

Hangman Page
AEW

Orlando had fun with the "Adam" chants here. Struggling to settle their allegiances on Cole or Page, they chose to chant for both, with "this is Adam!", "Adam Sh*t!", and more doing the rounds, some semi-ironically. Your mileage may vary on that, but the audience was alive and engaged throughout.

The World Title fight highlighted that Page still isn't getting the level of praise he deserves as an excellent offensive wrestler. Everything he did here looked like death, from his spine-snapping apron powerbomb to his clubbing lariats, while Cole proved an excellent dance partner in all sequences. Their chemistry was tangible in a typically-styled AEW main event full of snap and zest.

Page slapping Cole in the face as soon as the former NXT Champion started a Performance Center-style monologue was a nice subversion of pre-match concerns. Cole tuning up the band Shawn Michaels style was another. Those tiresome Stamfordian tropes crept in unironically later on, with big move kickouts and shocked facial expressions aplenty, though they were far from ruinous. The end result was still a good main event.

Borrowing from Cole's arsenal to lower the Boom prior to the bout-ending Buckshot Lariat, having had his arm worked over for much of the bout, Page drew pockets of jeers in the match's final stages. This stemmed from him apeing Cole's go-home angle by attaching him to the top rope with his belt. Regardless, Hangman shook Cole's hand afterwards, maintaining the code of honour, keeping him on the side of the light.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.