When “Hangman” Adam Page unleashed a devastating Buckshot Lariat on Marina Shafir during this week’s AEW Dynamite, the wrestling world witnessed a defining moment that perfectly encapsulates the stakes heading into All In. Jon Moxley may question whether Page has the fortitude for their upcoming Texas Death Match, but the Anxious Millennial Cowboy just delivered his answer in the most emphatic way possible.
The Hero’s Dark Turn: Why Page’s Attack Makes Perfect Sense
TNA Tag Team Champion Nic Nemeth offered compelling insight into Page’s controversial actions during his appearance on “Busted Open Radio.” The former WWE star explained how wrestling’s greatest heroes often must embrace their darker impulses to achieve their ultimate goals.
“There’s a beautiful thing when it comes to pro wrestling that your good guy, your hero, your Bruce Willis walking on the glass can go one step further to be this hard-nosed, blue collar hero, he can beat the hell out of a woman on television and become an even bigger hero,”
Nemeth’s analysis cuts to the heart of what makes wrestling storytelling so compelling. Page isn’t abandoning his principles – he’s expanding them to match the brutality of his opponent.
The Moral Complexity of Championship Warfare
Nemeth further elaborated on the psychological warfare at play, emphasizing how Page’s actions send a clear message to the champion and his Death Riders faction.
“You know he’s a nice guy. You know he’s one of those people with a heart on the show, and he goes, ‘I’m willing to throw that all away and take everybody’s head off if I have to. I’m willing to go this far.’ That’s something that, out of context, you’re like, ‘What the hell is this guy doing? My good guy who’s fighting for the fans just took this lady’s head off?’ No, no, no. I’m letting you know that I will go above and beyond, and if I have to get out of my moral head and become a monster like you did just to get this title back, that’s what I will do.”
This transformation represents Page’s understanding that conventional heroics won’t be enough against Moxley’s relentless championship reign. The cowboy is adapting his approach to match the violence that has defined Moxley’s nine-month title run.
Nine Months of Dominance: Moxley’s Stranglehold on Gold
Moxley’s championship tenure has been built on systematic destruction, with The Death Riders serving as his insurance policy against every challenger who has stepped up. For three-quarters of a year, this formula has proven unbeatable, creating a seemingly impenetrable wall around the AEW World Championship.
The champion’s strategy has been simple yet effective: use overwhelming numbers and unbridled aggression to break down opponents both physically and mentally. This approach has left a trail of fallen challengers in its wake, each one unable to match the sheer brutality that Moxley brings to every title defense.
The Texas Death Match: Where Heroes and Monsters Collide
The stipulation chosen for All In couldn’t be more perfect for this particular rivalry. Texas Death Matches strip away all pretense and demand that competitors dig deeper into their reserves of violence and determination than any other match type.
Page’s attack on Shafir serves as his declaration that he’s prepared to meet Moxley in that dark place where championships are truly won and lost. The Anxious Millennial Cowboy has shown he’s willing to compromise his moral compass if it means “freeing” the title from Moxley’s grasp.
Allies in the Shadows: The Coming War
While The Death Riders have been Moxley’s ace in the hole throughout his reign, Page won’t be walking into this battle alone. Reports suggest that the challenger has his own allies preparing to even the odds when the stakes are highest.
This element adds another layer of intrigue to an already combustible situation. The question isn’t just whether Page can match Moxley’s intensity, but whether his support system can neutralize the numbers game that has kept the title around Moxley’s waist for so long.
Page’s calculated brutality against Shafir has reframed the entire championship picture heading into All In. The cowboy has shown he’s willing to shed his white hat and get his hands dirty in pursuit of wrestling’s most coveted prize. Will this darker version of Hangman Page be enough to end Moxley’s reign of terror, or has the champion’s months of violence prepared him for exactly this kind of psychological warfare?
