5 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (4 May)

2. Inferiority Complex

'Hangman' Adam Page's promo on CM Punk seemed a complete misstep until its very last second, which is why it ended up being such a triumph.

Recent months have seen this Anxious Millennial Cowboy grow in confidence. From being fearful of the Texas Deathmatch stipulation opposite Lance Archer to relishing it with Adam Cole and not only matching, but besting Bryan Danielson, to how he speaks and conducts himself as the top guy, Page has grown. Clearly, he is more comfortable in his skin than when he started this journey.

But not believably comfortable enough to tear into CM Punk the way he did last night. Initially, Page's aggression felt like a huge leap forward. Rather than registering as a natural, organic progression, it felt forced, as if he was trying to fit himself into a tweener-shaped box to circumvent the fact that as AEW's babyface champion, he faces a popularity battle with one of the most beloved wrestlers of this era.

Furrow of brow and harsh of tone throughout, Page's veneer cracked at the very end. Leaving the ring, his message seemingly spread, the World Champion's expression softened. It became this:-

This last-second change of expression is critical to the Hangman Page promo. A man who did not want to say the things that came out of his mouth - and knows he was trying to convince HIMSELF that he believes them. #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/HfskPV3SDl

— Andy H. Murray (@andyhmurray) May 5, 2022

If you didn't believe Page's words as they were coming out of his mouth, it's because he doesn't believe them himself. This was Hangman putting up a front. A product of his inferiority complex, he erected brash, bullish walls to protect himself from 'The Best in the World.'

And CM Punk will see all the way through it.