3 Reasons why Hangman Page is a bigger babyface than Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes and Hangman Adam Page are the top babyfaces of their respective promotions. While The American Nightmare is among the most beloved superstars in WWE, The Anxious Millennial Cowboy is adored massively by the AEW audience.

The two stars have witnessed several ups and downs in their journey to becoming the biggest babyfaces of their respective companies. Cody Rhodes' connection with the All Elite Wrestling fanbase had become nonexistent by the end of his run, and this was one of the main reasons why he left the company to join WWE.

Despite achieving enormous success as a heroic figure in WWE, The American Nightmare does not seem to have the same appeal as a babyface that The Hanger does. The journey of Hangman Page has been quite inspiring, and some key factors make him a better good guy than the former AEW EVP.

In this article, let's look at three reasons why Hangman Page is a bigger babyface than Cody Rhodes:

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#3. Hangman Page has managed to thrive despite getting inconsistent pushes

Since he arrived in WWE, Cody Rhodes has been portrayed as the biggest star on the roster. The American Nightmare won the Men's Royal Rumble Match two times in a row, which is one of the rarest feats a pro wrestler can accomplish.

Although he lost to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, Cody continued to be featured in the main event picture. Rhodes has always been seen working with main event talents, as he has not had to face many hurdles in his journey.

At WrestleMania 41, Rhodes lost the Undisputed WWE Title following a low blow from John Cena. The Triple H-led creative regime does not want Cody Rhodes to look weak in any scenario. The management has pushed the former TNT Champion to the moon ever since he stepped foot into the company in 2022.

The 39-year-old star is one of the most protected figures in WWE, hindering his character growth to a certain extent.

However, Hangman Page has had a chaotic journey in AEW. While he has always been treated as the main character of All Elite Wrestling, things have never been easy for The Anxious Millennial Cowboy.

In 2024, The Cowboy incurred several crucial losses. Instead of working with top-level talents, Hangman was pitted against Christopher Daniels and Jeff Jarrett, both of whom are way past their prime.

The Hanger's win-loss record has taken a massive hit in recent years, as he has lost many matches to stars such as Swerve Strickland, Jay White, Darby Allin, and Bryan Danielson. Despite suffering many significant losses, The Cowboy continues to be an impactful figure on the AEW roster. It shows that Hangman Page has an organic connection with the audience, as he does not really need the constant backing of the management to get over.

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#2. Hangman Page is a more relatable character

Hangman Page's journey to the top has been quite inspiring. While Cody Rhodes also has a great connection with the audience, the degree to which fans connect to Hangman's persona is a lot greater.

During the buildup to WrestleMania 39, a section of the audience wanted Sami Zayn to be the one to dethrone Roman Reigns. In early 2024, the emotional attachment of fans to Cody Rhodes only increased when The Rock attempted to take his WrestleMania main event spot.

While he is undoubtedly a lot more popular, The American Nightmare's character has not dealt with as many hurdles as Hangman Page. Cody Rhodes has been portrayed as an honest babyface in WWE so far, making him slightly one-dimensional.

Hangman Page, on the other hand, has had to face many obstacles in his way. From 2019 to 2021, The Hanger struggled with self-confidence issues, which kept him away from the AEW World Title for a long time.

When Page finally dethroned Kenny Omega at Full Gear 2021, his title reign failed to live up to expectations. His issues with CM Punk further affected his connection with the audience.

The feud with Swerve Strickland was a breaking point for The Cowboy, as it drove him toward a dark path. The Anxious Millennial Cowboy gave up on his morals and did many heinous deeds after turning heel.

However, Hangman realized the flaws in his ways and returned to the good side, and now he is set to challenge for the AEW World Title at All In. Throughout this journey, fans kept supporting The Hanger, and this was one of the biggest reasons why he turned babyface again.

While they perform for different audiences, Hangman's flawed personality seems like a much more compelling and relatable character than Cody Rhodes' near-perfect and polished persona.

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#1. Hangman Page is a better overall performer than Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is one of the finest performers pro wrestling has to offer. The American Nightmare's ability to consistently keep fans hooked to his performances makes him an impressive talent.

However, the 39-year-old star appears a lot less exciting when compared to Hangman Page. The Cowboy outshines The American Nightmare in every aspect of pro wrestling.

The Anxious Millennial Cowboy has delivered in-ring classics against stars such as Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, and Will Ospreay. His moveset is a lot more captivating, and he can flawlessly tell stories in the ring.

While Cody has also had some memorable matches, his catalog of in-ring bouts pales in comparison to Hangman's. Both stars are known for their exceptional character work.

However, The Hanger brings a sense of realism to his facial expressions and mannerisms, which helps him attract the attention of the crowd. Rhodes has often been called out for his over-the-top expressions, which often take away from the quality of his performances.

Both stars have cut several engaging promos as babyfaces. However, Hangman's tone and delivery help him make fans believe in his words much more easily than Cody's.

Cody Rhodes has some incredible accomplishments under his belt, which make him the Quarterback of WWE. However, Hangman Page edges past Cody by a slight margin when it comes to emulating a heroic babyface.