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Adam Page

American professional wrestler (born 1991) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Adam Page
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This article is about the professional wrestler. For other people, see Adam Page (disambiguation).

Stephen Blake Woltz (born July 27, 1991), better known by his ring name "Hangman" Adam Page (ocasionally shortened to Adam Page or Hangman Page),[1][2][3] is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the reigning AEW World Champion in his second reign.

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Woltz began his career on the independent circuit in 2008. He began to appear in Ring of Honor (ROH) in 2011, staying there for seven years. In 2016, he joined the villainous Bullet Club stable and began to gain prominence. It was at this time that he adopted the cowboy-inspired persona of "Hangman" Adam Page. Along with his stablemates The Young Bucks, he won the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, and began working with Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) due to its agreement with ROH. In 2018, he was named as a member of the Bullet Club sub-group The Elite.

In 2019, Page joined Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, and The Young Bucks in leaving NJPW and ROH to establish AEW with the financial backing of Tony and Shahid Khan, becoming one of AEW's core talents from its inception. At AEW's inaugural event, Double or Nothing in May 2019, he won a Casino Battle Royale to receive a shot to become the inaugural AEW World Champion, but was defeated by Chris Jericho at All Out that September. In January 2020, he won the AEW World Tag Team Championship with Kenny Omega, whom he would defeat for the AEW World Championship at Full Gear in November 2021. He captured the championship for a second time by defeating Jon Moxley at All In in July 2025.

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Early life

Stephen Blake Woltz[4] was born on July 27, 1991,[5] in the small community of Aaron's Creek in Halifax County, Virginia.[6][7][8][9] He is the nephew of George Woltz, best known for co-creating Virginia's tourist slogan "Virginia is for Lovers".[10] He graduated from Halifax County High School in 2009.[4] He later graduated from Virginia Tech, where he earned a BA in communications in two years.[11][12] During his early wrestling career, he worked as a high school journalism and graphic design teacher for five years,[13][14][15] and stepped away from teaching when he became a full-time wrestler with New Japan Pro-Wrestling in May 2016.[16]

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Professional wrestling career

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Early career (2008–2011)

After training under Jimmy Valiant,[9] Woltz debuted on the American independent circuit under the ring name Adam Page on May 24, 2008.[6] In January 2011, he won his first championship, the CWF Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship with Jason Blade. The following year, he became CWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion. Over the next several years, he wrestled for various regional promotions, winning multiple titles.[17]

New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Ring of Honor (2011–2019)

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Page making his way to the ring at a Ring of Honor event in May 2018

In 2011, Page began working with Ring of Honor (ROH), becoming a regular competitor by 2013. Initially used in undercard matches, he gained more prominence in 2014 after joining the veteran-led stable The Decade. Page aligned himself with Bullet Club in 2016.[16] During an angle on the War of the Worlds tour, he attacked Chris Sabin with a hangman's noose, earning the nickname "Hangman".[18]

Page’s association with Bullet Club elevated his position within both ROH and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In ROH, he was involved in several mid-card feuds and, in August 2017, won the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship with The Young Bucks.[16][19] He later feuded with Punishment Martinez over the ROH World Television Championship and reached the finals of ROH's International Cup tournament in 2018.[20]

Simultaneously, Page became a regular in NJPW as part of Bullet Club, appearing in events such as Dominion 6.19 in 2016[21] and G1 Special in USA in 2017,[22] and tournaments such as the 2016, 2017 and 2018 World Tag League (alongside Yujiro Takahashi), and the G1 Climax in 2018. He challenged Jay White for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship at Strong Style Evolved, though he was unsuccessful.[23]

On September 1, 2018, Page appeared at All In, an independently produced event promoted by Cody and The Young Bucks. He defeated Joey Janela in a Chicago Street Fight.[24] Page would later join The Elite, a Bullet Club sub-group. His last appearance in NJPW was on the Wrestle Kingdom 13 pre-show where Page, Marty Scurll and Takahashi were the first team eliminated from the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship number one contender Gauntlet match.

All Elite Wrestling (2019–present)

Early years and championship reigns (2019–2022)

See also: The Elite (professional wrestling)
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Page appearing on an episode of Dynamite, October 2019

In January 2019, Adam Page was announced as one of the first signees of the newly established All Elite Wrestling (AEW), joining alongside other members of The Elite (Cody, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks).[3] He was originally scheduled to face Pac at AEW's inaugural pay-per-view event, Double or Nothing on May 25; however, the match was canceled due to creative differences.[25][26] Page instead entered the Casino Battle Royale as a surprise entrant, where he last eliminated MJF to earn a future shot at the AEW World Championship.[27] At All Out on August 31, Page was defeated by Chris Jericho in a match to crown the inaugural AEW World Champion.[28]

On the premiere episode of Dynamite, Page lost to Pac, but avenged the loss at Full Gear on November 9. Shortly thereafter, Page began teaming with Omega. On the January 22, 2020, episode of Dynamite, the duo defeated SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) to win the AEW World Tag Team Championship—the first title change in AEW history.[29] They successfully defended the titles against The Young Bucks at Revolution on February 29.[30] During their reign, Page began displaying signs of dissension and isolation from The Elite in storyline.

The Elite entered a feud with The Inner Circle, culminating in a Stadium Stampede match at Double or Nothing on May 23, which The Elite won along with Matt Hardy.[31] However, storyline tensions within the group escalated, and Page was removed from The Elite by The Young Bucks after costing them a tag team match.[32] At All Out on September 5, Omega and Page lost the tag titles to FTR, ending their reign at 228 days.[33] The team subsequently disbanded.[34]

Page entered a tournament in October to determine a new number one contender for the AEW World Championship. He defeated Colt Cabana and Wardlow to reach the finals,[35][36] where he was defeated by Omega at Full Gear on November 7.

In early 2021, Page was involved in a storyline with The Dark Order, who attempted to recruit him.[37] Although he declined their offer, they continued to support him during his matches. At Revolution on March 7, Page defeated Matt Hardy, and at Double or Nothing on May 30, he scored a victory over Brian Cage.[38][39] Page then resumed his rivalry with Omega, who had since become AEW World Champion. Page and The Dark Order faced The Elite in a ten-man tag match at Fight for the Fallen on July 28, but were defeated, costing them future title opportunities.[40] Page was later written off television to take paternity leave.[41]

Page returned at Dynamite's second anniversary on October 7, winning a Casino Ladder Match to secure a future title shot.[42] At Full Gear on November 13, he defeated Omega to win the AEW World Championship.[43] His first title defense against Bryan Danielson at Winter Is Coming on December 15 resulted in a 60-minute time-limit draw.[44] Page won the rematch on the January 5, 2022, episode of Dynamite.[45] He later retained the title against Lance Archer in a Texas Deathmatch on the February 9 episode of Dynamite[46] and against Adam Cole at Revolution on March 6, despite interference from reDRagon.[47] Page again defeated Cole in a subsequent Texas Deathmatch. He lost the AEW World Championship to CM Punk at Double or Nothing on May 29, ending his 197-day reign.[48]

Various feuds (2022–2025)

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Page about to give Adam Cole a powerbomb at Forbidden Door in June 2022

Page returned on the June 8 episode of Dynamite, defeating David Finlay and expressing interest in the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.[49] After Jay White won the title from Kazuchika Okada, a four-way match between Page, Cole, White, and Okada was announced for Forbidden Door on June 26, where Page was unsuccessful.[50] He later competed in the AEW World Trios Championship tournament with Dark Order members Alex Reynolds and John Silver, reaching the finals at All Out on September 4, where they lost to The Elite. Page also took part in the Grand Slam Tournament of Champions but was eliminated in the opening round by Bryan Danielson.

Page won the Golden Ticket Battle Royale at Grand Slam and challenged Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship on October 18, but suffered a legitimate concussion during the match, which was stopped prematurely.[51] He returned on November 30, reigniting his feud with Moxley, who was no longer champion.[52] This culminated in a victory for Page on January 11, 2023, and a subsequent win in a Texas Deathmatch at Revolution on March 5, where he became the first wrestler in AEW to make Moxley submit.[53]

In May, Page rejoined The Elite to feud with the Blackpool Combat Club (BCC), leading to an Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing on May 28, which BCC won.[54] At Forbidden Door on June 25, Page teamed with The Young Bucks, Eddie Kingston, and Tomohiro Ishii to defeat BCC, Konosuke Takeshita, and Shota Umino.[55] At Blood & Guts on July 19, The Elite, alongside Kota Ibushi, defeated BCC, Pac, and Takeshita in the namesake match.[56] On August 2, it was announced that Page, Omega, and The Young Bucks had re-signed with AEW.[57]

At All Out on September 3, Page won the Over Budget Charity Battle Royale.[58] He then entered a feud with Swerve Strickland, which led to a match at WrestleDream on October 1, where Strickland emerged victorious.[59] During this time, Page and The Young Bucks won the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship but lost the titles to the Mogul Embassy on the November 1 episode of Dynamite.[60] Page and Strickland’s feud culminated in a Texas Deathmatch at Full Gear on November 18, which Strickland won.[61] The match garnered mainstream attention due to its violent content, including a controversial moment where Page drank Strickland's blood.[62][63] Page later defeated Roderick Strong at Winter Is Coming, but was attacked backstage by the masked "Devil" character and his associates.[64]

On the February 7, 2024 episode of Dynamite, Page faced Strickland in a match to determine the next challenger for the AEW World Championship. After the match ended in a time-limit draw, both were added to a title match against Samoa Joe at Revolution on March 3,[65] which Joe won.[66] Following the event, Page was suspended by The Young Bucks after attacking referees, in the kayfabe storyline.[67]

Page returned in July as a surprise entrant in the Owen Hart Cup, advancing to the finals before losing to Bryan Danielson. During this period, Page began exhibiting more aggressive and villainous traits. Though initially reluctant, he agreed to team with The Elite for Blood & Guts, where they were defeated by Team AEW (Swerve Strickland, Mark Briscoe, Darby Allin, and The Acclaimed).[68]

At All In on August 25, after Page failed to win the Casino Gauntlet match, he later attempted to interfere in the AEW World Championship bout between Strickland and Danielson, but was stopped by security.[69] On the September 4 episode of Dynamite, Page appeared in a vignette at Strickland's childhood home, which he set ablaze. Page defeated Strickland at All Out on September 7 in a lights out steel cage match, concluding their year-long rivalry.[70]

Following his victory, Page began a feud with Jay White, losing to him at WrestleDream on October 12 and Full Gear on November 23.[71][72] He then competed for the AEW World Championship at Worlds End on December 28 in a four-way match also involving White, Moxley, and Orange Cassidy, but was unsuccessful.[73] In late 2024, Page began a feud with Christopher Daniels, which culminated in a Texas Deathmatch on the January 18, 2025 (taped January 16) Maximum Carnage special episode of Collision, which Page won. On February 12, 2025, Page turned face by saving Dustin Rhodes from an attack by MJF. At Revolution on March 9, he defeated MJF.[74]

AEW World Champion (2025–present)

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Hangman Page celebrates winning the AEW World Championship for a second time at All In 2025

Page then entered the men's bracket of the Owen Hart Cup. In the quarterfinal round at Dynamite: Spring BreakThru on April 16, Page defeated "wild card" mystery entrant Josh Alexander.[75] On the April 30 episode of Dynamite, Page defeated Kyle Fletcher in the semi-final round. Page would go on to defeat Will Ospreay to win the tournament on May 25 at Double or Nothing, earning a title match against Moxley for the AEW World Championship at All In on July 12.[76] On July 2 at Dynamite 300, Page and Moxley's match at All In was turned into a Texas Deathmatch.[77] On July 12 at All In, Page defeated Moxley to capture his second AEW World Championship.[78]

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Personal life

Woltz married Amanda, with whom he has two children, in 2016.[79][80]

Championships and accomplishments

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Page is a two-time AEW World Champion
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References

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