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For over two years, Hangman Adam Page had been at the center of one of AEW's longest-running and most important storylines and his victory over Kenny Omega at Full Gear 2021 saw the culmination of this truly epic saga. His win against the Best Bout Machine felt like a huge deal and at that moment, Hangman was the biggest star in the company.
In the months since Full Gear, however, the world champion has quickly become an afterthought in AEW. With an influx of huge names joining the company over recent months — such as CM Punk, Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and Keith Lee — it is understandable that the limelight would not solely be on Hangman, but with how little we have seen the champ since his victory over Omega, it feels like he has taken a back seat so some of AEW's newer stars can flourish, to his detriment.
The world champion should always be portrayed as the biggest star a promotion has to offer, but unfortunately for this cowboy, that has not been the case yet.
He's Barely Wrestled
A company's world champion should be carrying the banner for that said company, they should be the main attraction and featured heavily throughout almost all of their shows, but with Hangman that hasn't been the case. Like, not even close.
While Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, and Kenny Omega were all featured almost every single week and wrestling in pretty much every show they appeared on during their runs as the AEW world champion, Hangman has barely shown his face. Since winning the title back in November 2021, Hangman has only had three, yes three, televised matches in AEW. Three matches in four months just is not enough and his absence inside the squared circle has played a huge role in the champion becoming a bit of an afterthought with fans.
Going forward, Hangman needs to be featured more prominently on AEW television if his reign as world champion is going to be as successful and as epic as his journey to winning the gold was.
Other Storylines Are Just More Interesting Right Now
As great as Lance Archer is, he was a disappointing choice for Hangman's opponent following his great matches with Bryan Danielson. Sure, the Murder Hawk Monster is a machine and is an incredibly underrated wrestler, but he has never been a main event level star for AEW. Archer is entertaining, but his continued failure to win the big matches in AEW has led to a victory over him feeling slightly underwhelming.
It doesn't help that there are just better and more intriguing storylines taking place elsewhere in the company as well. Whether it's Malakai Black building his brand-new stable with Brody King, MJF's electric feud with CM Punk, or even Keith Lee's exciting debut, there are just a number of different storylines going on in AEW right now that fans are more invested in than they were for Hangman's rivalry with Archer, especially with Dan Lambert somehow being involved.
It isn't all doom and gloom though, with Adam Cole confronting the champion in the ring following his victory over Archer on Dynamite, it seems the former NXT champion is next in line for a shot at Hangman's title and that is a feud that fans will surely get behind. With two of the biggest stars in the company, there is almost no conceivable way that this feud, which will likely lead to a match at Revolution next month, will disappoint, and it will surely be the one to push the 30-year-old back into prominence and help him reestablish his place as one of AEW's biggest stars.
Make no mistake about it, if utilized properly, Hangman Adam Page is still the biggest and best babyface in AEW. He just needs to be treated as such going forward. Sure, there is an argument to be made about how the world champion should be seen as a special attraction and shouldn't wrestle too often as it cheapens their aura, but Hangman isn't Brock Lesnar and as the face of AEW, he needs to be showcased regularly, reminding fans of why they fell in love with him in the first place.