On a recent episode of the Busted Open Podcast, host Dave LaGreca and guest Nic Nemeth (fka Dolph Ziggler) gave high praise to AEW’s ongoing storyline involving “Hangman” Adam Page, Will Ospreay, and Swerve Strickland — calling the emotionally charged arc “Shakespearean” in its depth and execution.
The two broke down the most recent AEW Dynamite segment, which saw Page’s character inch toward redemption in the face of rising stars like Ospreay and Strickland. LaGreca noted a noticeable shift in the crowd’s reaction during the segment. “Will Ospreay’s the guy that people love. But even with that, people were cheering for Hangman,” he said, spotlighting a shot of Hangman standing over the AEW logo, positioning himself as “the guy to save AEW.”
Nemeth praised the nuance in the character dynamics, especially the contrast between Ospreay’s confidence and Page’s desperation. “Hangman had that ‘I have to win this’ energy. That means you’ve really done a nice piece of work — a nice piece of art — out there for that match,” he said, crediting AEW’s layered storytelling for the compelling atmosphere.
Both hosts emphasized the importance of emotion and long-term build in wrestling narratives. “Seeing the emotion from everyone involved, and then Swerve kind of making some fair points… I really liked the story around this,” Nemeth said. “Let us soak it in. Have us drooling, wondering, ‘When are they going to get to this match?’”
LaGreca also praised Swerve’s refusal to simply forgive the past, referencing his deeply personal feud with Hangman. “This guy tried to kill me, burnt down my house,” he said, channeling Swerve’s point of view. “There’s drama, there’s turmoil. This makes me want to tune in next week.”
Nemeth envisioned a dramatic climax where Swerve’s decision could tip the scales. “You don’t know if he’s going to make the right call — or the right call for him. That’s when the roof blows off. And now you’ve made Swerve, you’ve made Hangman, and you’ve created a whole new AEW landscape.”
Wrapping up, Nemeth called the storyline “a beautiful work of art” and expressed hope that AEW stays the course heading into a future title showdown.
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(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
