MJF made sure Hangman heads to AEW Revolution without a belt

The March 5 AEW Dynamite opened with Maxwell Jacob Friedman retaining the Men’s World title against Kevin Knight. He had to pull referee Bryce Remsburg into the action to do so, and slipped on his Dynamite Diamond Ring to inflict more punishment to Knight after the bell. That brought out Hangman Adam Page, who will challenge MJF for his belt in Los Angeles at Revolution next Sunday (March 15), and who came into tonight a co-holder of the AEW Trios titles with Knight and his regular tag partner Speedball Mike Bailey. Page drew the World champ’s attention long enough for Bailey to slip in behind Max and superkick him.

Fast forward a bit to Page’s match, a squash of local talent-type Marty Snow. That was set-up for him to cut a promo about his PPV showdown with MJF, which will be his signature match type — Texas Death — with not only the World title belt on the line, but Hangman’s future ability to challenge for that belt as well.

Max showed up to retort, and reveal that he and Page would have a “press conference” for Revolution’s main event on next Wednesday’s go home. He was really baiting a trap though, which was sprung by The Don Callis Family’s Kazuchika Okada, Kyle Fletcher (ProtOkada!), and Mark Davis. Callis showed up with Lance Archer to reveal that Jet Set Rodeo (Page, Knight & Bailey’s team name, which is no ProtOkada!) would defend the Trios titles against the three men that just attacked Hanger.

That match didn’t even get started until Dynamite was into an overrun, but still went about 15 minutes and delivered the usual AEW multi-person match thrills and spills (and a nice tease for next Wednesday’s TNT title match between the Protostar and Speedball)…

… but when the Jet Set Rodeo was setting up to end it, MJF appeared just as Okada had referee Rick Knox distracted. The World champ took out Page, and left Knight alone with the Aussie powerhouse Davis. And that meant title change.

So Page is belt-free heading into a match that seems like it could go his way. Even setting aside how AEW probably wants to avoid the “Cody Rhodes stip” again, Max’s defense to open the show and his recent ones on the independents seem designed to make what could be a short title reign look more consequential on paper.

We’ll find out in less than two weeks. In the meantime, Claire covered all the happenings on tonight’s Dynamite here.