5 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (December 6 - Results & Review)

Ups...

5. An Unexpected, Intriguing New Direction

Hangman Page MJF
AEW

In a curious and unexpected but not not compelling segment, MJF and Hangman Page interacted - for the first time since November 2019 - backstage. They traded insults, which can be a counterproductive race to the bottom, but the material was too good to care about that.

Page used hyperbole to get his digs in, saying that he didn't have time for MJF to talk at him for 30 minutes like he normally does, where MJF said he had enjoyed Page and Swerve trying to give each other STDs at Full Gear. Two killer lines, one great omen for the programme.

Before the exchange escalated into blows, Joe interrupted and scolded MJF for risking a beating ahead of their match. This was fun and fascinating - it felt big and quite shocking, underscoring the strengths of Tony Khan's über-patient booking approach, and MJF essentially played it like the Max of old: a brilliantly insufferable little turd.

This Page deal is one for later, you'd think (though Page working Roderick Strong next week indicates that he's set to be involved with this wider storyline imminently). Will MJF work it as a heel?

Surely Hangman, the main character, can't turn?

All very intriguing!

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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!