AEW Dynamite Reportedly “Heavily Rewritten” Following Hangman Page COVID Diagnosis

As noted, AEW World Champion Hangman Page announced this morning that he will not be at AEW Dynamite after falling ill with COVID-19. As fans would expect, this has caused some creative shifting backstage before tonight's episode of Dynamite went on the air.

Earlier tonight on social media, F4WOnline's Dave Meltzer confirmed that was indeed the case. "Tonight's AEW show was heavily rewritten due to Page getting COVID," he writes online.

AEW announced on tonight's show that the World Title Match between Hangman Page and #1 contender CM Punk is official for next month's Double Or Nothing pay-per-view. Instead of some angle leading to the official announcement, it was first announced after CM Punk wrapped up as a guest commentator for the Owen Hart Cup qualifying match between FTR members Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood.

Punk then grabbed a microphone and made a brief statement on the match's announcement.

"Double or Nothing is in Las Vegas, Nevada," Punk said about their upcoming title match. "And I have never been a gambling man but Hangman, listen to me, I will always bet on myself. Win, lose, or draw, Double or Nothing, you will know that you have been in a fight with CM Punk. And I will continue to fight until the wheels fall off!"

Stay tuned for updates on Hangman Page's condition.

You can keep up with our full live coverage of Dynamite at this link.

Tonight's AEW show was heavily rewritten due to Page getting COVID.

— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) April 28, 2022