Match Point: Hangman Adam Page vs MJF (AEW Revolution)

One of the smartest things a wrestling promotion can do is to know when to pit two exciting elements together. Another is knowing when to keep them separate. Such is the case for AEW Revolution’s non-title match pitting “Hangman” Adam Page and Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF).

These two men have grown so much without spending too much time in the ring together. In fact, they were sparsely placed on opposing sides of the rings in 2019.

The Double or Nothing Casino Battle Royale saw Page eliminate MJF, followed by the runner-up insulting the winner and Bret Hart during the AEW World Championship reveal later that night. Mostly, however, they had short affairs to advance their unrelated plot lines.

On March 9, the pair will face off in the ring for the first time in over five years. So much has happened on their different paths that has informed who they are as characters. Moreover, they’ve both progressed tremendously in the past half-decade.

But how will they stack up? Can they live up to the hype?

Well, I’m confident that they will.

History Between Hangman Adam Page and MJF

Page and MJF signed to AEW in 2019, both with lucrative ties. The Anxious Millennial Cowboy galloped aboard as a package deal with his friends in The Elite.

MJF, meanwhile, impressed Page’s fellow Elite member Cody Rhodes enough to be another day-one signee. Both have made significant strides since then.

Page’s AEW tenure is most famously known for its epic journey of reclaiming confidence and coping with anxiety that saw him become the AEW World Champion. He meandered a while after losing said championship to CM Punk but reinvented himself with the gnarly bloodbaths of Texas Death Matches. Most recently, Page suffered a home invasion courtesy of rival Swerve Strickland that pushed him to madness.

There’s been a wildness in his eyes, softened by the retirement of Christopher Daniels. In his promos, there’s humor, but there’s also passion. Unwittingly, he’s slowly been returning to a respectable mission of handling the antagonists of AEW’s current stories – this includes MJF.

Speaking of, the Salt of the Earth has evolved into a concrete star of his own. Initially welcomed into the Elite fold by Rhodes, MJF has made a habit of turning against would-be mentors and sparing no expense at employing underhanded tactics to rivals. From Chris Jericho to CM Punk to Bryan Danielson, Friedman has beaten the big names of the company, bolstering his star power.

From 2023-2024, he entered a prominent storyline, befriending Adam Cole, which made him vulnerable and sympathetic. Cole inevitably betrayed MJF, causing him to spiral and revert to his usual stick of hedonistic villainy.

His promos accentuate this, from low-hanging fruit to gripping, personal anecdotes. This dichotomy balances the humor with the drama that he has learned to balance.

Stylistic Differences

It’s important to have things in life that set you apart. That’s a life lesson. Set your aesthetic, tailor your personality, and work towards your goals.

In professional wrestling, that’s the same thing. Their wrestling styles are diametrically opposed.

Page is big on offense and power. He moves like a rampaging stampede, a locomotive with no stops. His Deadeye drops opponents on their heads in a vicious piledriver, whereas Turn the Page is a reverse STO. His finisher is the oft-imitated, never-duplicated Buckshot Lariat that charges his forearm to drop competitors on the mat.

Page’s matches are structured as brawls that are stiff and unforgiving as the desert plains during summer heatwaves. As a babyface, he rises by the spirit of the crowd, but as a heel, he’s a terror as chilling during freezing nights on mountaintops.

MJF has a refined,  defensive approach. Oh, he’ll get physical, and he’ll play dirty when he does. But he’s a psychological manipulator. He’ll cheat as a face or a heel, a la Eddie Guerrero.

But when he’s near his comeuppance, he’ll either dart away or plead for mercy. Occasionally, he’ll resort to losing via disqualification, for the sole purpose of not giving the satisfaction of an earned victory. He co-opted Rhodes’s Cross-Rhodes as the Double Cross but primarily taps out his foes with an armbar he affectionately refers to as The Salt of the Earth.

Not only do Page and MJF’s different stories and character arcs make this collision a tantalizing anticipation, but so too does their in-ring style. They’ve developed who they are when the microphones are off and it’s time to lock up.

Each high spot, each narrative beat will earn the boos and cheers of the crowd as they rain down like a downpour. This is a clash of identities and styles that have been carefully developed

The Intrigue

No title is on the line. No high stakes. Yet, it’s something more.

These men seasoned themselves under Tony Khan’s payroll. This is as AEW as AEW can get. There’s a certain niche this fits under, where PWG meshes with classic NWA while embracing a modernity that dares to explore something else.

It goes beyond wrestling, as the character work Page and MJF have strove for is evident. MJF is The Great Gatsby mixed with American Psycho, while Page is Tombstone, engraved with No Country for Old Men.

Moreover, they’re stark reminders that AEW is choc-full of story. Their actions over the past five years have had ramifications throughout the company. With talents like theirs, the high perception fans have of AEW is plausible.

And this will be another beat in their stories, but it will be significant. 

Why’s that?

Because they’re vying to prove who’s deserving of what in the company, who is the realest. What we have here is a crossroads of two destinies, forked by their paths. Undoubtedly, they’ll give it their all.

Their arms will shake as they struggle to get up. They’ll earn each bead of sweat. Every drop of blood.

They’ve been kept apart long enough, so let them at it. 

Final Thoughts

Fans eagerly anticipate to see who is the better man and who will go forward with momentum behind them. I have goosebumps just talking about it. This is like a crossover, but they’ve been in the same company for a significant chunk of their careers.

Regardless of who wins this match, the storyline implications for both men will be a fine wrinkle whose folds show where they’ll go. For me, this is an impactful narrative based on masculinity.

MJF is someone who runs and hides from vulnerability and from being wrong. Page faces all of that head-on. MJF acts crassly, yet confident.

Page speaks softly and carries a big stick, yet he’ll rage and burn with the fire of a thousand suns. MJF is emotionally unaware, whereas Page is passionate and, when the time calls for it, kind.

With that in mind, the themes of gender, identity, and worth culminate as these stalwart roster members prove their place in the company. Who will come out on top, vindicated? Who will stare at the lights, disheartened? 

Only one man can answer that. And that question’s resolution will be televised.