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As the new year settles in, the biggest buzz word in the wrestling industry remains AEW even after its scintillating rally officially declaring it a reality. That Cody Rhodes and Young Bucks have gone into business for themselves is fascinating no doubt.
Yet at its nascent stage, the company is already looking at a daunting task on how to build and sustain beyond the three-year grace period, fans and the industry might provide it. Not to say anything of billionaire Tony Khan.
While AEW got a grand boost from the backing of the Jaguars owner and the presence of the legendary Chris Jericho, questions remain about Kenny Omega's status with his Elite friends and whether the company can fill an able roster around him.
It's clear AEW will either need a major face barring a part-time Jericho or any way past prime legend like Goldberg, to anchor their ship.
If not the buzziest wrestler in the world Kenny Omega, then who props up the question. As frustrated as Cody may have been by his own positioning in the WWE, he's too calculating a businessman to foolishly make himself the top face of his own company and send it down a deep rabbit hole, much like Jeff Jarett would have done with TNA.
Yet what if AEW and the Elite looked past the Kenny's and Jericho's of the world and instead cultivated a homegrown star of their own.
Someone they are close to, can trust and anchor this ship on his back. Someone who is a popular face, part, and parcel within their group so as to be trusted not to get swayed away and most importantly someone who has the potential for bigger and better in years to come.
That someone is none other than Adam Page, the fringe Elite member is the perfect candidate to carry the relatively young company on his shoulders and hopefully backed by a stellar cast, propel it to new heights.
Signs from the AEW rally already point to this, we're just here to add fuel to that fire and so here are three points as to why Adam Page is the future of AEW.
#3 He's Improved Leaps and Bounds
A couple of years ago had Adam Page stood on the podium jawing on about being a future world champion and building AEW for the fans, he would get booed out of the building or worse of faced no real reaction.
It was in 2016 when the man who would be known as Hangman joined the Bullet Club with nothing much going for him, it was another body in a growing group of degenerates.
It seemed like Page had a place as the American version of Bullet Club's new jobber, much like Yujiro Takahashi back in Japan.
Yet with the Hangman persona and close proximity to the ELITE especially the Young Bucks, Page started to develop a character and grow dimensions to him on Being the ELITE. It added a benefit that his Bullet Club partnership allowed him to head East.
In the ring, Page hadn't been much of a dazzler, he's still the same hard-hitting brawler as before yet the mix of his character and exposure around the world and the Club has begun to see him improve in unbelievable ways in the past year and a half. At the age of 27, Page is at the pinnacle of his game improving with each second.
On an ALL IN card that saw an emotional tribute to Dusty Rhodes by Cody, a set of veritable dream matches for the ELITE members, it was Page and Joey Janela's hard-hitting hardcore match that a lot of fans were left in awe off.
Page's early year match with Ibushi in 2018, to his first G1 Climax run, had seen him positioned as a top star for both ROH/NJPW. Now he can take that ball and run with it in All Elite Wrestling.
#2 He's an Inside Man with No Stakes
History knows that wrestling companies have often failed when the performers had too much pull with the management especially if it were a friendly ear of the top brass.
History is also aware that booking yourself favourably as a wrestler of a promotion you have a stake in, never goes well. Yet history knows that it is important to have the men and women represent your company be absolutely trustworthy and beside you for 365 days a year.
For AEW no man embodies this than Adam Page, before WWE came knocking on the doors of Omega, Cody and Young Bucks last year, they came to Page.
In a hilarious skit on Being the ELITE, it was obvious WWE had interested in the now new and improved Hangman, someone who could definitely thrive in Vince McMahon's WWE. Page rejected the offer, he stuck by his friends and has done so time and again.
Yet Page isn't part of the day-to-day running of AEW, making that the smartest masterstroke pulled by the ELITE.
Cody is possibly over enough to get away with headlining his own company but he and the Bucks are smart to know that doing so could eventually generate apathy and sink their newly christened ship before it even takes to the seas.
In Adam Page they have the perfect substitute or even more than that. As a performer, he has all the skills and while he isn't Kenny Omega, that could work in their favor even better.
To book Omega in their own company might prove become a task, considering their friendship (not to say Omega wouldn't do what's best for business) but it is a tough emotional ask.
So is booking Page, but the growing star knows his place and giving him the opportunity would strike just the right balance between favoritism and faith. You can bet the ELITE can put oodles of faith on the Hangman, plus it's not like he doesn't come with his own perks.
#1 He has the Fan Support and Sentiment
As said about his improvement, the signs of this are showing slowly but surely with the way fans gravitate towards Adam Page.
The highs of the AEW rally might help, as well as a ready-made dream feud with PAC (formerly Neville) but there's no denying that Adam Page is genuinely over. This is especially true when he got to speak as himself, it always works like a charm.
While obviously shilling the company's motto of catering to fans, Adam Page also managed to light a spark on the AEW format and staking his personal claim to world championship glory.
Despite PAC's insistence to step up to the plate, this found a rise out of the crowd around him in unison with Page's declaration.
At the ripe age of 27 and with his ever-improving skill set, Page is only going to get popular and if any time there's a double turn by the public then with the knowledge he has now, Page could once more turn to an effective heel.
For now, if the AEW rally is any barometer, he does have the sentimental pull with the fans and with no Omega in sight, he could ride the way to success with AEW on his back.
Adam Page is the ELITE through and through and AEW's best bet to build to the future, cause they've got to believe they're in this for life.
