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There should be no rush in turning AEW World champion Adam Page heel any time soon.Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Between WrestleMania Backlash airing Sunday night and Double of Nothing happening later this month, May is a month of big bouts in WWE and AEW, giving plenty for fans to look forward to.
One interesting development from this past week in wrestling saw Finn Balor and AJ Styles interact for the first time in several years on WWE TV with Balor making the save for Styles. It wasn’t so much a reunion as it was a new alliance being formed, which couldn’t come at a better time for Balor.
For all the time The Demon has spent in WWE, he has sadly never meant less than he does currently. Putting the two former leaders of Bullet Club together is one of those better-late-than-never situations, specifically as it pertains to Balor.
Whether it leads to a heel turn or not remains unknown, whereas one could certainly be in the cards for AEW World champion Adam Page based on the promo he cut on Wednesday’s Dynamite. Although it makes sense to lean into his kayfabe frustrations, transitioning him into a full-fledged heel role at this point would be premature.
This installment of Quick Takes will tackle how Hangman should be handled heading into Double or Nothing, WWE’s apparent renewed interest in W. Morrissey, Blackpool Combat Club needing direction, and more.
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Adam Page’s reign as AEW World champion has been a point of contention for fans pretty much since it started six months ago.
As well as he’s done in the role and as many excellent matches as he’s had, Hangman has also felt slightly overshadowed by other stars on the roster, most notably CM Punk. That’s what makes the multi-time WWE world champion being his opponent at Double or Nothing all the more appropriate with the story they have the potential to tell.
Speaking of said story, Page touched upon on it in his promo about Punk on Wednesday’s Dynamite without going into too much detail. His heelish approach to the promo was definitely noticeable, giving viewers the impression that it was designed to plant the seeds for a heel turn either ahead of Double or Nothing or at the event itself.
Based on the 50/50 reaction their first face-off on the stage a few weeks back received, it would be foolish to turn Page into a full-fledged heel at this point just to ensure Punk is completely cheered. The audience is clearly willing to get behind both, and because of that, it’s a true marquee match.
AEW hasn’t dealt with this dynamic before in the AEW World Championship before, and to alter anything about it prior to the pay-per-view would be a mistake. Page still has a lot of goodwill with the fans and shouldn’t take any steps toward turning heel until after he loses the title at the earliest.
Page adopting a more aggressive edge for now is acceptable provided he remains a fan favorite for the foreseeable future.
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W. Morrissey’s tumultuous journey over the last several years has landed him in an awesome spot lately, both personally and professionally.
The former Big Cass has been open about his real-life issues, his road to redemption and conquering his demons. He’s had a fantastic first year in IMPACT Wrestling and it earned him the opportunity to wrestle Wardlow on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite.
While a full-time move to AEW is possible, WWE may be an option as well according to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast, who reported that the company was “impressed” with his performance against MJF’s former bodyguard.
The idea of Morrissey being back in WWE a few years ago wouldn’t exactly have been enticing after how his last run with the company ended. However, the work he’s put into improving every aspect of his game as well as his life should undoubtedly put him on WWE’s radar.
He’d be a great get for any company, but in WWE specifically, he’d have a real chance of becoming the big star they likely hoped he would be originally provided he’s pushed properly.
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It’s not a stretch to say that the Blackpool Combat Club consisting of Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta and William Regal are among the best things going on AEW TV today.
They’ve been running rampant over the AEW roster since joining forces two months ago. Yuta has proven to be an excellent fit for the group, while Danielson and Moxley come off as motivated as ever.
Despite the string of wins they’ve racked up in recent months, there’s been zero indication as far as what’s next for them. None of the members are set to compete in the men’s Owen Hart Cup and the possibility of chasing the AEW World Tag Team Championship has yet to be hinted at.
The only explanation is that AEW is holding off on having the stable do anything of note until trios titles are introduced, potentially as soon as Double or Nothing later this month. Otherwise, it’s high time they involve themselves in something more meaningful than random tag team matches against makeshift teams.
At the very least, their constant presence on Dynamite and Rampage has been appreciated. They continue to kill it every time they step in the ring but could use some definitive direction heading into Double or Nothing.
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With the qualifiers wrapping up on Friday’s Rampage, the brackets for the men’s and women’s Owen Hart Cup tournaments have been officially unveiled this week. Interestingly, a “joker” spot is saved for both brackets.
That has immediately led to speculation among fans that a pair of free agents will be brought in from the outside to wrestle in the tourneys. This also doesn’t necessarily mean they will be signed to a contract with the contract like Toni Storm was upon qualifying in late March.
For the men, the two top names that come to mind are Johnny Gargano and Cesaro. Gargano hasn’t done anything wrestling-related on television since leaving WWE NXT on his own accord last December, whereas Cesaro has also kept a relatively low profile since the expiration of his WWE deal in February.
Either one of them would make fantastic opponents for Samoa Joe. Britt Baker will be battling the female joker, yet the identity of her opponent is a lot less obvious it seems.
Nixon Newell (f.k.a. Tegan Nox), Taya Valkyrie and Athena (f.k.a. Ember Moon) are the best bets. Athena in particular has so much to offer and should have been signed from the moment she became available, though a loss her first night in wouldn’t be ideal.
Although currently contracted AEW talent who are inactive such as Miro and Leyla Hirsch are possible candidates, they shouldn’t be losing in the first round. Thus, a one-off appearance from someone who isn’t going to stick around makes more sense.
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WWE’s bungling of Finn Balor over the last year has been quite puzzling, to say the least.
He went from being one of NXT’s hottest commodities to an absolute afterthought on the Raw roster. Several key loses contributed to his downfall and now he’s reached a point where he’s never felt lower on the totem pole in the company.
In other words, an alliance with AJ Styles wouldn’t hurt his current case. In fact, it could be what gets him back on the right track and prevents him from being the next notable name to depart the promotion when his contract expires.
Styles has been embroiled in an ongoing rivalry with Edge and Damian Priest since before WrestleMania 38 and has been outnumbered by the demonic pairing as of late. Partnering up the two former Bullet Club leaders is only academic and should make for some fun matches coming out of WrestleMania Backlash—assuming Balor doesn’t turn heel before then.
If the plan is indeed for Balor to go rogue and join Edge’s new Judgement Day group, that might be even better. He hasn’t had a chance to show off the excellent heel persona he developed during his time in NXT and this would be a perfect time to bring it to the main stage.
Either way, Balor will benefit from being a part of this storyline, but if it ends up being short-lived, there may be no salvaging him.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham “GSM” Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.
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