This past Saturday, at All Out, Chris Jericho defeated “Hangman” Adam Page to become the first AEW World Champion.
From the inception of All Elite Wrestling, Page’s goal was clear: to become the promotion’s world champion. At Double or Nothing, Page participated in the Casino Battle Royale, becoming the last man standing. With this victory, Page punched his ticket to an eventual AEW World Championship match. Along the way, Page would pique the attention of Chris Jericho, who bested Kenny Omega at Double for Nothing for a world title match as well. After numerous violent encounters, Page and Jericho met in the main event of All Out.
Leading up to the match in question, Page and Jericho alike made it clear that they “had” to win. For Page, it was a matter of receiving the opportunity of a lifetime, believing that he wouldn’t receive another at this level. Jericho, on the other hand, deemed it necessary to win because if he failed to win, his legacy would die. Between the desire to make a name for oneself and the need to keep one’s legend alive, Page and Jericho entered All Out with immeasurable purposes.
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The match began slow enough, with both men exchanging strikes. Page, in particular, utilized stiff chops, reddening the chest of the former multi-time world champion. The action would soon spill to the outside, where Page attempted his signature shooting star press from the ring apron. Always the wily veteran, Jericho caught the younger wrestler with a Codebreaker. From there, Jericho continued the attack in front of Page’s family members, who were sitting in the front row. Jericho even took the ring bell and rung it, as if he had already won. Needless to say, Jericho wasn’t shy about exercising his ego.
Back in the ring, Jericho executed a flying crossbody. Page attempted to fight back, but the upstart found himself on the defensive against Jericho. From there, Jericho would lock in the Walls of Jericho, which Page would eventually escape from. Page executed a discus shot to the face, causing Jericho to bleed. Page targeted the eye, laying in numerous punches. However, Jericho resumed control of the match. Jericho’s ego would start to get the better of him, though, as he mouthed off to AEW official Aubrey Edwards. Page used this as an opportunity to dump Jericho to the outside before performing a moonsault.
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Page almost secured the victory after nailing the Buckshot Lariat, but Jericho kicked out at two. The conclusion of the match came when Jericho hit his back elbow finisher, the Judas Effect. Jericho covered Page for the 1… 2… 3! With fans both stunned and amazed, Jericho stood tall as the inaugural AEW World Champion.
Chris Jericho is no stranger to history-making moments. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment in wrestling took place in December of 2001 at WWE Vengeance. It was on this night that he became the first-ever Undisputed WWE Champion, having defeated The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on the same night. Roughly 18 years later, Jericho won another world championship in impressive fashion, besting the up-and-coming Page to win AEW’s top prize. Will Jericho find himself at odds with Page down the road? Will the Pain Maker be encountered by another hungry challenger? Regardless, Jericho will enter AEW’s eventual debut on TNT with a sizable target on his back.
