There has been no better story in AEW history than the storyline rivalry between Adam Page and Kenny Omega.
Friends turned enemies, the story of Hangman emancipation from The Elite will live long in the memory of ardent AEW fans.
It was a rivalry that explored many themes. Friendship, jealously, anxiety, alcoholism. It was multifaceted, and broke the mould as to what pro-wrestling could be.
During that rivalry, the matches between Kenny Omega and Adam Page turned out to be some of the greatest in the company history. In this article, we’ll explore just why they were fantastic.
This article also includes the star ratings for the matches, as awarded by Dave Meltzer, of the Wrestling Observer.
Full Gear 2021 (4.5 Stars)
The first time Adam Page and Kenny Omega locked up in AEW was in one of the best matches of the year.
At Full Gear 2021, we saw Adam Page vs Kenny Omega for the first time in AEW. The match had been a long time coming, with the former AEW Tag Team Champions teasing a break-up for months.
It finally happened at All Out, when they lost the belts to FTR. Omega stormed out, leaving Page a crumpled heap in the ring, solidifying his heel turn.
This started a singles run for both men, and they quickly began to rack up wins. They entered the AEW Eliminator Tournament, making it to the final for a chance at Jon Moxley’s AEW Championship.
In the final at Full Gear 2021, the crowd was electric for the opening bout. Both men but on a great show, but were clearly holding back for the eventual rematch, one year later.
In that match, Kenny Omega picked up the win over a despondent Adam Page. Omega would go on to face Jon Moxley for the AEW title, winning it at AEW Winter is Coming.
Full Gear 2022 (5.5 Stars)
Exactly one year after their first encounter, Adam Page vs Kenny Omega pulled out one of the greatest matches the world had ever seen.
Everything about the match was perfect. The build had been sublime, with it being the culmination of a three-year-long story that engulfed the AEW main event scene.
In a tale that weaved throughout the show, from Omega’s team with Page (and Hangman’s jealously over Omega’s friendship with the Young Bucks), to Page joining the Dark Order and finally finding the courage to face Omega, the story was one of the best the sport has ever seen.
It would need a five-star match to end it on the perfect note, and it did just that and more.
Being awarded 5.5 stars by Dave Meltzer, you know this match was good. Even with injuries stopping Omega from lifting any weight above his head, he worked around it to have an incredible, emotional, story-filled bout.
The end of the match even saw The Young Bucks reluctantly approve of Page winning, giving him a nod before laying in a Buckshot Lariat to pin Omega, and finally win the AEW Championship.