"Why is this guy the number one contender?" - WCW veteran says multi-time WWE champion should have called out Hangman Page
While wrestling fans have been rallying around Hangman Page's quest to fulfill his prophecy of becoming AEW World Champion, Disco Inferno doesn't seem happy with his storyline direction.
The Anxious Millennial Cowboy recently won a seven-man casino ladder match to earn a shot at the coveted prize. Page's rise to the top has been almost a year in the making. Many believe his redemption story would have culminated at the All Out pay-per-view in September if he hadn't taken an indefinite hiatus.
While speaking on the Keepin It 100 podcast, Disco Inferno expressed that it felt absurd to see the company push Hangman Page back into the title picture after he slipped down from the number one position in the rankings. The veteran added that the arrivals of Bryan and Punk had shifted the spotlight during Page's hiatus as well.
"Page doesn't seem like the flavor of the week right now. They built this whole long-term storytelling arc with Page, and then it's like, in the heart of it, Page I guess, what he got his girl pregnant or something like that, they had a kid, and then all of a sudden Punk and Bryan Danielson were on the scene. So Page [dropped below the #1 contender ranking during his hiatus], and they're still trying to book him like the number one contender," said Disco Inferno.
Hangman Page looks so good with the title man. #AEW https://t.co/f7n1Aaws6s
Disco Inferno further stated that the company should have inserted CM Punk into the world title picture with the following storyline idea:
"I mean, honestly, what the story should be right now, is Punk should call out Page. 'Why is this guy the number one contender? You know, he's a drunk?' It's a good promo for Punk to cut on this guy. This guy's a drunk. So, it would be good. That's what they should do. Okay, this guy's the number one contender for Kenny Omega's title. The gimmick right now is like, Punk says, 'I wanna wrestle for the title. Why is AEW promoting a drunk in a title shot?' That would be a good kickstart to this angle."
It's no secret that Punk follows a straight-edge lifestyle, which is in stark contrast to how Hangman Page has been frequently portrayed as a drunkard in storylines.
Hangman Page and Kenny Omega will have contract signing on tonight's AEW Dynamite
Five nights away from what may be the most cathartic moment to hit the Twin Cities since Purple Rain https://t.co/1pN9OUZ8rG
On the upcoming episode of AEW Dynamite, Hangman Page and Kenny Omega will make their impending world title clash official for AEW Full Gear. With the history of recent contract signings, it is unlikely that this one will go smoothly.
Since this will be the go-home edition of Dynamite, Omega and Page might exchange blows to add hype before their pay-per-view match. Whether or not The Elite or any other faction gets involved between them remains to be seen.
What do you make of Disco Inferno's statement? Sound off in the comments section below.