On Saturday, July 12th, 2025, “Hangman” Adam Page regained the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Championship by defeating Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match. The match was the main event of All In, the highest-attended United States show for AEW.
With Hangman re-gaining the biggest prize in AEW and recementing himself at the top of the AEW card, it is time to look back at his time with the promotion. He has been a core part of the programming from its inception in 2019 and has been a part of many memorable matches and feuds. Let’s look at how Hangman has always been a centerpiece of the AEW roster.
Hangman Has Always Been the Center of AEW
It Started With Him
AEW was announced at the end of December 31st, 2018, through the Young Bucks’ YouTube vlog “Being the Elite”. The show had been hinting at a massive announcement for the group that consisted of Matt and Nick Jackson (The Young Bucks), Kenny Omega (who was not part of the video reveal), Cody Rhodes, and Hangman Adam Page (while notable excluding Marty Scurll who was still under Ring of Honor (ROH) contract at the time). A countdown clock was featured at various times during the show that led to the group meeting outside the Tokyo Dome at midnight, as they were in town for New Japan Pro Wrestling’s (NJPW) Wrestle Kingdom 13 event on January 4th.
When the group arrived outside of the Tokyo Dome, The Young Bucks and Cody had a “Double or Nothing” graphic appear on their phone at the end of the countdown. This was a reference to the event that the three of them self-promoted in Chicago on September 1st, 2018, All In.
Hangman, looking confused, said, “Mine says something else” and turned his phone to reveal the AEW logo. Shortly after the video, Hangman was announced as one of the first to be signed to the new promotion, aside from the four EVPs in Omega, Rhodes, and the Young Bucks.
He revealed the AEW logo and the name of the brand for the first time to the world. This small detail from five and a half years ago was great foreshadowing for the pivotal part he would play as a centerpiece of AEW.
The E Stands For….
Of course, the E stands for “Elite” in All Elite Wrestling. Although the group of The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, and Cody Rhodes has dissolved (I am sure the first three will reunite eventually), Hangman was part of the Elite stable when the promotion started.
His on-and-off-again relationship with the group has been a focal point of storylines in the promotion.
The first sign of the Hangman splitting from the group came at Revolution 2020. He and Kenny Omega, who were the defending AEW World Tag Team Champions, retained against the Young Bucks. As the four members of the faction were in the ring post-match, Hangman teased a turn on Omega. It looked like he was going to hit the signature buckshot lariat on Kenny, only to back off when the rest of the faction noticed him the position to hit the move.
Things stayed tense for the group throughout their spring feud with The Inner Circle as Hangman continued to show signs of distance from the group. This culminated with him costing the Young Bucks their AEW World Tag Team Championships at Full Gear 2020.
He reconciled with the Bucks a year later at Full Gear 2021. He challenged his former tag team partner Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship in the main event of the show. Just as it looked like the Young Bucks were going to interfere on Omega’s behalf, Matt Jackson gave Hangman a nod to hit his finisher and defeat Omega for the title. The alliance was short-lived as Hangman lost the title in May of 2022 and found himself outside of The Elite again.
From there, he found himself on the other side of the ring of the Elite in the Trios World Title eliminator, where he teamed with The Dark Order. He rejoined the Elite in May of 2022 to take on The Blackpool Combat Club in May of 2022. He would stay affiliated with The Young Bucks until November of 2023, when the three lost the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships.
AEW started with The Elite, and even though the members have not always been on the same page, kayfabe-wise, the four make up the core of the promotion.
Hangman did not come into AEW with the pedigree of Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, or the Young Bucks. That does not mean he is a centerpiece of the promotion. Hangman has constantly been part of key tournaments such as the Owen Hart Cup and has been part of multiple title eliminator tournaments. His rivalries with Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, CM Punk, Jon Moxley, and others have been given heavy television and pay-per-view time. Although he didn’t come in as the biggest name in the industry, he has carved a name for himself as a centerpiece of AEW by the tournaments, rivalries, and title matches he has been a part of.
His Connection to the Fans
At its core, professional wrestling is about making a connection with the audience, whether they are watching live in person or streaming it at home. Hangman has gone through character changes in the five and a half years since AEW started, but his connection to the fans has stayed steady.
During his initial separation from The Elite, his character began to enjoy whisky weekly on AEW Dynamite, and he became known for his “Anxious Millennial Cowboy” tagline. From there, he became affiliated with The Dark Order, who were known for its humorous programming. Although he turned heel during his blood feud with Swerve Strickland, he completed his change back to babyface at All In 2025. one thing has stayed consistent throughout his AEW career: he makes a connection with the fans. Even when he wasn’t teaming with The Elite, his time with the humorous Dark Order stable also resonated with fans. The humorous approach mixed with his wavering connection with The Elite made for a memorable tag team run for Hangman.
Fans seem to appreciate the highs and lows that his characters have gone through. It reflects the highs and lows that we all deal with in day-to-day life. It is a simple yet effective formula of art imitating life. We all go through ups and downs with ourselves and our family, like Hangman has with his AEW career and The Elite. The AEW World Championship was also perceived as being held hostage by Jon Moxley and the Death Riders. Hangman came in to save the day, returning his original AEW character as a centerpiece of the promotion.
Hangman is a Core Part of AEW
From the moment AEW was announced to the world, Hangman has been a core part of AEW. He has constantly been in high-stakes tournaments, title matches, and feuds. His character resonates with fans and makes him easy to cheer for or against. With the AEW World Championship back in his possession fans will see him in more high profile matches and feuds in the coming months as he has cemented himself at the top of the AEW card.
What do you think of Hangman’s run in AEW? Sound off in the comments below.
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You think AEW will find a loophole so he can challenge for the World Championship again?