On Sunday October 1st, 2023, in Seattle, Washington for the first time ever Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland will cross paths. All Elite Wrestling was set to hold their inaugural WrestleDream show. The show would be in tribute to the late Antonio Inoki.
On one side, we would have had the Hangman and the former AEW World Champion who wants to climb back to the top of the company. On the other side, we have Swerve and the guy who wants to climb up the ranks by taking out everyone in the way.
This is the story of Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland.
Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland –
Swerve Dares To Standoff With The Cowboy
Ever since losing the AEW World Championship to CM Punk at Double Or Nothing 2022, Hangman Page has struggled to climb back up the ranks with injuries haunting. However, after a brutally violent rivalry with Jon Moxley and the Blackpool Combat Club he has begun to get back on track on a singles run.
After winning the Charity Battle Royal at All Out 2022, the Hangman comes out on the September 6th, 2023, edition of Dynamite to talk about his charity. He also spoke about the future in the company. This was until his next adversary enters the arena: Swerve Strickland.
Swerve began to rip into the Cowboy about how he has wasted his opportunities. He said if he had the advantages Page had, he would be the ‘first black AEW World Champion’. Whilst trying to get under the skin of his adversary, Page tries to walks away from the confrontation.
Swerve does not allow this by mentioning Hangman’s family and how he does not take responsibility. This leads Page into a trap in the shape of an attack from the Machine, Brian Cage. This gave Swerve Strickland the upper hand. A match between Adam Page and Brian Cage was announced for the following week’s Dynamite.
On the September 13th, 2023, edition of Dynamite, after a back-and-forth war, the Cowboy lands the Deadeye on Brian Cage to win their trilogy.
After the match, Adam Page lays out a challenge for a contest again the Embassy’s leader.
Swerve agrees but wants the match on his terms. He wanted to face him on his turf in Washington. Strickland laid down the date of October 1st, 2023, and the show being WrestleDream. Page is then attacked by the Mogul Embassy, until the Young Bucks come in for the save.
Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland –
A Race To The Top of AEW
Every singles wrestler in All Elite Wrestling are eyeing the same goal, the top prize in the company: the AEW World Championship. The Cowboy has claimed to the mountaintop before at Full Gear 2021, defeating Kenny Omega and with a prolonged reign with the title.
Page had become desperate for another taste, despite struggling to get back into singles action since losing the championship in 2022. A win over a top villain such as Swerve would help him get back in the races for a title shot.
Swerve held the AEW World Tag Team Championships, as well as competing for the AEW International Championship. But not only has he never held singles gold in the company, he has never even had a shot at the world title.
Strickland has clearly been hungry for such a huge opportunity and to dominate All Elite Wrestling with his goal being to take out the guys in his way. His first target will be Hangman Page, which will be a huge accolade that is needed for Swerve on his mission.
Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland
A Clash Of Contrasting Styles
A big factor in the excitement for this matchup is the unique clash of wrestling styles that are proposed when Swerve and the Hangman face off. On one side, we have Adam Page, a wrestler who uses a variety of power moves to forcefully throw his opponents around the ring.
Along with this, he uses huge strikes to deal damage to his opponents and with his use of aerial assaults, he makes himself a dangerous opponent with the arsenal that he used to become AEW champion and to potentially beat Swerve
Swerve Strickland bases his wrestling ability on high-flying finessè, mixing aerial moves in with vicious kicks and stomps in a very difficult style to work against. With the power and brawling violence of Hangman Page, as well as the counter skills and high-flying strikes of Swerve Strickland.
Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland
Revenge for the Outlaw
For Swerve Strickland, this singles war at WrestleDream represented a huge opportunity to climb up the ranks. But for Hangman Page, there is a more personal goal. With the repeated attacks and targeted insults towards his family and career, the Hangman has grown a vendetta against the leader of the Mogul Embassy.
Not only did this matchup prove to be a unique war with a mix of styles, but also a fight between two hate-fuelled rivals.
And this lead us to October 1st, 2023 at the AEW WrestleDream. A huge clash of styles would take place between the Hangman would look to his more sluggish and hard hitting style against the finesse and agility of Swerve.
Would Hangman Page get back on track with a win in the singles column over a rising star in AEW?
Or will Swerve Strickland solidify himself as a top threat for any title by taking down a former AEW World Champion?
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