“Hangman” Adam Page remains the AEW World Champion, having defeated Maxwell Jacob Friedman in a chaotic semi-main event at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. Page secured the victory after hitting MJF with both a Dead Eye and a Buckshot Lariat, concluding a match that featured a reversed referee decision and numerous attempts by the challenger to cheat his way to the title.
The volatile nature of the contest was rooted in stipulations that allowed the championship to change hands via disqualification or countout. MJF had forced Page to agree to these terms on a previous episode of Dynamite by threatening to set Mark Briscoe on fire. This added another layer to a rivalry that had already seen MJF brutally attack Page in a parking lot just days before their showdown at the O2 Arena.
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A pivotal moment saw MJF seemingly capture the title. After shoving Page into the referee, MJF delivered a low blow while the official was incapacitated. He followed up with his Heat Seeker finisher for a three-count, but the referee failed to see Page’s foot on the bottom rope.
The decision was short-lived. As MJF celebrated, Mark Briscoe rushed toward the ring to confront him before being intercepted by security. The commotion prompted the referee to reverse his call, and the match was officially restarted. During the bout, Page also delivered a Dead Eye to MJF through a table at ringside.
In the final stretch, MJF exhausted his arsenal of illicit tactics. A second low blow failed to secure the win, and he later used his CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship to distract the referee while striking Page with the title shot contract case, which only resulted in a two-count. His final attempt to use his Dynamite Diamond Ring was thwarted when the referee caught him in the act and confiscated it.
Capitalizing on the chaos as the referee disposed of the ring, Page seized the contract case and hit MJF over the head. He immediately followed up with a Dead Eye and a decisive Buckshot Lariat to retain the championship. This marks another successful title defense for Page in his second reign, which began when he defeated Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match on July 12, 2025.
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