Dream Match: WWE's Seth Rollins Vs. AEW's' Hangman Adam Page

One of the distinct joys of professional wrestling is that it offers the chance to watch two (or more) long-running characters clash in the ring, each carrying with them their history and baggage, as well as an intense desire to win. As fans, there are certain hypothetical match-ups that stick out in our mind for their possible greatness. In this latest series from Wrestling Inc., we intend to make a case for some of the most exciting possibilities, throwing realism out the window. We'll begin with a prospective battle between two top WWE and AEW stars: Seth "Freakin'" Rollins and "Hangman" Adam Page.

Rollins has spent the last decade near the top of the industry, winning world championships and headlining major shows. Still, it would be fair to say he's currently reaching new heights his career, having picked up a huge win against Roman Reigns and CM Punk at WWE WrestleMania 41 and revealed himself as the leader of a new heel faction. Meanwhile, AEW itself is younger than Rollins' WWE career, but Page has been an integral part of the promotion since day one — so much so that some AEW fans refer to him as the company's "main character." There are probably a few reasons for that, but one is that Page has crafted an easy-to-follow character arc for those who have been watching since the beginning.

There's little doubt that Rollins and Page would make magic in the ring together, especially if they were afforded a lengthy storyline to build up the match.

Page and Rollins both excel at telling stories in the ring, from "Hangman's" hesitance to push himself too far over the edge before finally relenting in his feud against Swerve Strickland to Rollins time and time again showing that he's unable to let go of his history with Roman Reigns. It would be hard to pass up an opportunity to see what they can do when putting their minds together.

The two performers also have plenty of similarities to play off of. Their characters are each highly emotional, though that usually presents itself in different ways. While Rollins has formed a tendency to lash out through betrayal, Page instead focuses his anger inward. If the two wrestlers picked up on this shared aspect of their personas, it could serve as a core theme of their potential rivalry. The back-and-forth promo work would also be something to behold, as they're among the best talkers in their respective promotions. Page has the ability to weave together both the overarching aspects of his character arc and the granular bullet points that his promo needs to hit. As for Rollins, he's spent years developing a unique voice and a connection to fans that will likely last for their whole lives.

There are also some shared figures within wrestling that can connect the performers. Rollins and Page have both had serious disagreements with CM Punk, and one could make the argument that Rollins' recent WWE feud with Punk took some influence from the former AEW star's real backstage animosity towards Page. Additionally, Rollins and Page have close connections to Cody Rhodes that they could call back to, and the similarities between Page's focus on Strickland and Rollins' obsession with Reigns would be a rich vein to mine.

Beyond the storyline potential, there's also the matter of the in-ring work itself. Rollins and Page are two of the best wrestlers working today, and it'd be a shame if they never crossed paths onscreen.

Taking into account their different styles, it wouldn't be a surprise to learn that Page took influence from Rollins when developing his own. There are plenty of differences, but both men blend their strength and athleticism with a healthy dose of acrobatics, and they'd almost certainly play well off each other. Rollins and Page are two wrestlers that can make chain wrestling look smooth while also delivering powerful-looking impact moves and flipping their bodies around in the process. In addition to all that, if you're the type of wrestling fan that enjoys discovering the occasional callback or easter egg, a match between these two wrestlers would give you a lot to pore over. That mutual attention to detail makes up a big part of the argument for this match.

With all of that being said, it's time to declare a winner. A match like this could go either way, and it'd be easy to turn it into a series of bouts. However, when the dust settles, it should be Page standing tall. Though he's had some darker stretches, Page is a natural babyface, while Rollins has always been better suited as a villain. With Rollins serving as a dark reflection of what Page could become if he embraced his sadistic side, we would hope to see the heroic cowboy triumph in the end as Rollins gets his comeuppance and is shown the error of his ways.