ALL IN 2018: Star Ratings For All 9 Major Matches

5. Hangman Page Vs. Joey Janela

Hangman Page Stars II
FiteTV

F*cking hell.

We fully expected Hangman Page and Joey Janela to attempt to murder one another in our preview piece. They almost accomplished that goal in the match's most gruesome spots, in which Janela, lunatic that he is, took a powerbomb through a table, just barely, from an absurd height. He also took the Rite of Passage from the top of a ladder and through another table in a moment of unadulterated hands-to-mouth anxiety. Janela tucked his head at the last second, but that was terrifying.

The range of this beast was as astonishing as it was complementary. Across 20 stupidly entertaining minutes, Page and Janela made a rapt audience laugh and wince. This was impressive in itself, and especially in contrast to the uneven match that followed. Page and Janela conveyed a genuine sense of animosity and danger that the comedic elements somehow didn't undermine. A fun grudge match was, fittingly, a new frontier for a show that in itself broke new ground.

Capped off by one of the best epilogues of all time - an hilarious procession of druids dressed as d*cks provided the resurrected Joey Ryan a guard of honour, before he suplexed Page with his own - this was the show in microcosm: just a pitch-perfect blend of levity and brilliance.

Star Rating: ****3/4

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!