Did Seth Rollins really copy Hangman Page’s AEW promo? Line-by-line breakdown reveals the truth
Hell continues to freeze over in WWE with CM Punk back in the fold, and this week, fans were treated to a hotly-anticipated face-to-face encounter between the Second City Saint and Seth Rollins.
The World Heavyweight Champion's scathing words from the latest episode of RAW have drawn comparisons to Hangman Adam Page's now-infamous "workers' rights" promo ahead of AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view in 2022.
Everyone knows how that turned out for AEW, but could Rollins' promo send WWE down a similar path? Did Seth Rollins really copy Hangman's promo?
In short: No, not exactly. But there are some points of overlap. Let's analyze the two and measure how they stack up.
#5. Seth Rollins takes a harsher stance than Hangman Page
It's fair to say that CM Punk has garnered his fair share of detractors over the years, and Hangman Page and Seth Rollins weren't shy about placing themselves firmly on that list.
Standing but a few feet from the self-proclaimed Best in the World, Page said the following:
“I will tell you face-to-face, man-to-man how I feel about you. I don’t hate you. I almost pity you.”
Seth Rollins took a harsher stance on CM Punk, bluntly stating:
“Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I don’t want there to be any confusion. [...] With every fiber in my being, I hate you.”
#4. CM Punk's character comes into question
Both Hangman and Rollins did an excellent job of blurring the lines between fact and fiction in their respective promos (maybe too well, in Hangman's case). One topic that both stars subtly touched on was Punk's backstage issues.
“I don’t think you understand what it means to be a champion after all these years. I don’t think you get it. Because it’s not just about what happens in this ring. It’s what happens when that red light turns off. What happens when you go back through the curtain. Those small, quiet moments when you think no one’s watching,” Page said.
This, coupled with the "workers' rights" line, provided fans with a sneak peek of how some of the AEW locker room perceived Punk during his time in the promotion.
Rollins followed a similar vein in his promo, noting that "the truth always comes out" and effectively predicting that the Straight-Edge Superstar will "self-destruct" imminently:
“The truth always comes out, pal. The truth always comes out. I know, you know, everybody else knows this is your last chance.”
#3. Rollins copies Hangman word-for-word
The most glaring example of Seth Rollins and Adam Page's promos overlapping in content is the use of the word "home" to describe their respective promotions.
A fired-up Hangman earned raucous cheers when proclaiming his love for AEW:
“I love this place. I care for this place. This is my home.”
Similarly, Rollins waved the company flag high this past Monday night, also to loud applause:
“You spent 10 years slandering me, slandering every single person back in that locker room, and then you want to walk back in here and call this place your home. This is not your home. This is my home.”
#2. Hangman Page "defends" AEW while Seth Rollins "protects" WWE
Adam Page and Seth Rollins shared a simple mission statement during their respective promos: safeguard their promotion from the CM Punk virus.
Once again referring to the Voice of the Voiceless' behind-the-scenes transgressions, Hangman and The Visionary both made it clear that they don't want the Chicago native ruining what they have going on.
“This Sunday at Double or Nothing, I will not-- I will not be defending this championship against you. No, for the first time in my life, I will be defending All Elite Wrestling from you,” said Page.
Rollins took the same approach, claiming that he will protect his home from the Second City Saint:
“Everybody in the back, those are my brothers and sisters. Everybody here, everybody watching at home, that is my family, and this is our home. And I will do everything within my power to protect it from people like you,” Seth Rollins said.
#1. A similar aura in both segments
Aside from the actual verbiage in these promos, the entire energy and aura from these segments warrant the comparisons they have been receiving.
In both, Punk stands silently and calmly while his adversary, a world champion in both instances, gets riled up. The crowds' split cheers also add to the overall atmosphere of the promos being strikingly alike.
Whether intentionally or otherwise, WWE seemingly drew, at the very least, some sort of inspiration from AEW. Now it's time to wait and see whether this storyline plays out better than it did for Tony Khan's company.