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#1 Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Page - An Elite Saga (AEW)
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Storylines in professional wrestling tend to unfold at a rapid pace and lack subtlety. However, the narrative behind the split in the Elite was a multi-layered feud that has slowly been crafted into a long-term saga. From torn friendships to inner turmoil, this has been one of the most fascinating stories ever crafted in AEW and possibly by a wrestling promotion in history.
Hangman Page came into 2020, feeling dissociated from his friends due to his many failures. On the other hand, Kenny Omega started the year trying to live up to his lofty expectations from his legendary run in NJPW after failing to beat Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho the year prior. The two men united in an effort to turn their fortunes around and quickly gained AEW World Tag Team Titles in the process.
Their classics against The Young Bucks and Lucha Brothers helped to elevate the gold to a status on par with the AEW World Championship. However, through their many successes, the underlining difference in philosophies between both men was there for everyone to see. While Omega was a loyal member of The Elite, Hangman Page had developed into a beer-drinking, millennial cowboy who wanted to stand on his own.
In his efforts to prove himself as his own man, Page was manipulated by FTR in their mind games to further the rift in The Elite and get closer to the AEW World Tag Team Titles. This manipulation paid off with Page being ousted from the group, and Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler defeating Hangman Page and Kenny Omega to become the new champions.
Although Hangman wanted to go back after the gold, Omega wanted to leave the tag team division in his rearview and go after the singles glory that was long foretold for him. Both men would then enter the World Title Eliminator tournament, which led to an inevitable battle between the former partners at Full Gear 2020.
The former AEW World Tag Team Champions put an absolute banger of an opener that was filled with high octane action and tremendous pacing. Omega pulled out the victory with the One Winged Angel to become the No. 1 Contender for the AEW World Championship, which he then won at "Winter Is Coming" weeks later. This storyline and rivalry consisted of stunning moments and classic matches over the course of the past 12 months.
The fact that these two men only met once in singles competition has left the door open for more encounters between the two and left fans wanting more. That is the hallmark of a successful story in wrestling. That is also why Hangman Page vs. Kenny Omega was the best AEW feud of 2020.
