How a Depressed Cowboy became the Face of AEW: The Hangman Adam Page Story

Full Gear is happening in just a matter of hours and the show is filled with exciting match-ups. It's got a lot to live up to after AEW's last major show was the universally praised All Out which will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest PPV's of the decade. It'll be tough, and perhaps impossible to top that show but AEW will most definitely try their very best to do so

The main spectacle heading into this event is what may be the culmination of a storyline that's lasted for two years now. Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page have engaged in a masterful piece of long term storytelling. In particular, the character depth of Hangman especially is fascinating to say the least. Throughout this story, Hangman's character has altered in various ways. Whether that be emotionally or mentally, it's affected the on screen character drastically which makes for some wonderful storytelling. Today, we'll go though the character arc of Hangman and discuss the troubles he's faced throughout his journey to redemption

There's a lot to unpack when it comes to the character of the infamous cowboy. Let's start things off by discussing his relationship with Omega & the Young Bucks. Hangman was formerly associated with the trio until Hangman created a wedge between the group. There were multiple instances that led to the implosion, some of which you can see throughout the legendary Tag Team match between Omega, Hangman & the Young Bucks at Revolution 2020. Ultimately, the last straw would be when Hangman cost the Young Bucks an opportunity at the Tag Titles. Not long after, Hangman would be kicked out of the group and eventually himself and Kenny would drop the titles to FTR. Later down the line, Hangman would face Omega at Full Gear in the finals of the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament, a match where Omega would defeat his former ally and of course go on to become World Champion. This would lead to the demise of Hangman. He lost the most important match in his career, he lost his friends and perhaps the most unfortunate outcome was that he let himself down. As we'd see further down the line, Hangman would have self doubt and low confidence and this was the reason for that. The beloved cowboy would eventually get back to his normal self, but the road to recovery would be far from easy

Hangman separated himself from everyone. He didn't want any allies. He'd made that mistake before, it was time for the cowboy to ride on in the distance on his own. Nobody reached out to Hangman and that's what he wanted, that was until the Dark Order tried to convince Hangman to join forces with their group. As expected however, Hangman would decline this offer due to his trust issues. This wouldn't damage the Dark Order's spirits though, as they'd remain adamant about Hangman joining their side. After a prolonged period of time where the convincing continued, Hangman accepted the groups proposal.

Later, the Dark Order would actually stand up to Omega for Hangman, which Hangman himself wasn't too fond of. He didn't want to face his past yet, but it was too late. A 5 on 5 Elimination match between the Elite and Dark Order was set with Hangman's opportunity at Omega on the line. Despite AEW being forced to have Hangman lose due to the birth of his soon to be child, this still worked storyline wise as Hangman clearly wasn't fully mentally prepared to go in to battle. After the defeat, we would not see him on our TV screens for a while

We witnessed the triumphant return of Hangman very recently as he was revealed to be the secret entrant in the Casino Ladder Match at AEW's anniversary show where the winner would receive a shot at the AEW World Championship. The bout would come to a close as Moxley and Hangman hit each other with stiff strikes whilst both hung onto the ladder for dear life. Moxley would eventually lose his balance and descend to the mat which would leave an opening for Page. He slowly made his way to the top and reached up and retrieved the poker chip which generated an unforgettable roar from the crowd.

And with that it was set, Kenny Omega vs Hangman Adam Page at Full Gear for the AEW World Championship. A story years in the making that choreographed an anxious cowboy who was full of built up fear rising from a deep, dark place and emerging as this relatable figure that might conquer his demons once and for all. What makes this saga so special is that Hangman has become someone we can compare ourselves to. Everyone has their setbacks in life but it's all about how you counteract them. You can accept your failure, or you can get back up and fight again. Full credit has to go to everyone involved with the process of telling the story so far and regardless of the result at Full Gear, there's definitely more layers to uncover when it comes to this delicate story and it's an honour to be part of the journey thus far