At AEW Full Gear, Hangman Adam Page completed his long awaited journey to become the AEW World Champion. Fans rejoiced, as they watched one of the Hangman’s best matches ever as he pinned Kenny Omega to win the title he had waited nearly three years to obtain. However, at Winter is Coming he will defend the championship against Bryan Danielson, and we think that Bryan Danielson should beat Adam Page for his AEW Championship at Winter is Coming.
Bryan Danielson vs Adam Page
When Bryan Danielson debuted at All Out in September this year, the fans booing him seemed unthinkable. He was consistently the most over babyface in his run with WWE, and it beloved by fans for just his in ring work alone. To think the fans would boo one of the greatest wrestlers of all time seemed foolish.
However, anyone who thought that underestimated the immense popularity of the AEW Champion Adam Page. His title charge has been going ever since AEW was announced on New Years Day in 2019, and fans have been along on the ride with him ever since.
Danielson won his chance to challenge Page due to winning the Eliminator tournament. He went into the tournament as a face, but by the end fans were thinking that Page may have someone to worry about. Danielson defeated Miro in the final to earn his shot against Page.
Danielson started out his AEW career as the smiling, happy go lucky challenger to the Elite. His draw vs Kenny Omega was one of the best matches in AEW, if not one of the best matches of 2021. But after winning his tournament, something changed. Fans booed him for going up against Page, and he simply leant into it.
Danielson vs the Dark Order
Bryan Danielson has been on a tear recently, taking out each and every one of Adam Page’s friends on the way to challenging him for the AEW Championship.
Over the last few weeks, he has taken on a different Dark Order member. Whichever city AEW broadcast from that week, Danielson picks the Dark Order member who calls it their hometown, and “Kicks their fucking heads in” (His words).
Victims of the Danielson murder train include Alan Angels, Evil Uno and Colt Cabana. John Silver is up next, whilst Adam Page will hope he can avoid a kicking and walk out of Winter is coming with his AEW Championship in tow.
Should Danielson beat Page for the AEW Championship?
The Danielson character is a simple one. Is he a face or a heel? Depending on the situation he can be either.
The consistent thing is he is the best wrestler in the world and he wants to prove it. And by beating Hangman Adam Page he proves that. The best way to do that is to get in Page’s head. Danielson knows that Page is easily beaten when he doesn’t keep his emotions in check.
So, Danielson is getting to Page’s friends. Before, he refused to let friends into his life because he couldn’t handle what would happen if they abandoned him.
Now, he has to deal with how his success causes his friends harm. It’s something he resented the Elite for during his time, saying himself he could “Not deal with being the least successful member of the Elite”. How will he be able to cope when he sees the Dark Order in himself, and himself in Kenny Omega.
Danielson seems to have the mental edge over Page, and seems to have him beat on the wrestling side of. Whilst Page has earned himself the title of AEW Champion, Danielson has been champion wherever he went and has yet to lose in singles competition in AEW.
Bryan Danielson has Page’s number. He’s beating down the Hangman’s friends as a way to get into his head. He’s doing it to make him angry, and Page is never at his best when his anger takes over. The Hangman is an emotional man, but when kept unchecked those emotions can ruin him. See Page and Omega vs FTR, or Page vs Brian Cage.
Is it too early to drop the title?
With zero defences to his name, is it too early for Adam Page to drop the AEW Championship?
Well, yes and no. Usually I’m not a fan of a champion losing the belt straight away. Especially after a multi-year long arch to finally climb the mountain and achieve the title.
But AEW have never been shy to buck the trend. Whilst Page losing straight away could be anticlimactic, it would add a new page in the story of Hangman.
Hangman’s story so far has been his goal to win the AEW Championship by taking down his former friends, the Elite. Beating Kenny Omega was the culmination of this goal, and it was his singular reason for joining AEW.
So now the man has his friends, his confidence and his AEW Championship. Where does he go from here? What’s motivating him? Once you’ve achieved everything you set out for, what left is to achieve? Will Page be complacent and cost himself the one prize he’s dreamt of?
For me, I don’t know. I want both men to the be the champion. Bryan Danielson is my favourite wrestler of all time, but I don’t wan to see the Adam Page lose his championship at the first hurdle.
It’s a tough one, but as usual I expect Tony Khan to make the right choice.
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