On AEW Winter is Coming, Hangman Page defended the AEW World Championship against Bryan Danielson.
This buzzworthy bout kicked off the show, and the crowd was electric for this grudge match between the two rivals. Tensions betweens the beloved cowboy and “The American Dragon” have been rising in recent weeks, as the challenger has made it his mission to kick every Dark Order member’s head in.
Early on, Danielson showcased his technical excellence when he and Page felt each other out. The challenger gained the upper hand and grounded Hangman, but the champion rallied and traded chops with his foe. Danielson again took control, but Page blasted him with a big boot. Again, “The American Dragon” weathered the storm and continued to punish the champion.
Later on, Page rallied with a fallaway slam, a lariat, a dive and a moonsault to the outside. Danielson nearly stole the win when he dodged a moonsault and went for the pin. The challenger hit Page with a flurry of offense, but Hangman caught his opponent with a powerbomb. Danielson smelled blood in the water when Page landed badly on his shoulder, and he violently targeted this new weakness. In the process, he busted Page open, as the champion started bleeding. Danielson then honed in on Page’s wound.
The American Dragon smells blood and is on the attack. Watch #AEW World Champion @theAdamPage vs @bryandanielson NOW on #AEWDynamite #WinterIsComing LIVE everywhere on @tntdrama! pic.twitter.com/Z22ugzbV0d
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 16, 2021
Given Page’s bloody head and his weakened arm, the champion was seemingly on the ropes. But he kept fighting, and he took Danielson’s knee out by slamming it into the ring post and using the barricade to inflict more punishment. The two men kept waging war for the next several minutes, and broadcaster Tony Schiavone pointed out that the bout broke the record for the longest match in AEW Dynamite history before it ended.
In the closing minutes, Page caught Danielson with the Deadeye, but “The American Dragon” dodged a dive and sent the champion crashing onto a table. During a commerical, Danielson dropped Page with a DDT onto the exposed concrete floor. Danielson continued to attack Page’s injured arm, as the champion hurt the limb when he went for two more lariats. The challenger got a near fall on a nasty kick to the head, but Page caught him with another Deadeye for a two count. In the end, Page hit the Buckshot Lariat, but the clock struck 60 minutes, so it ended in a time-limit draw.
WOW! #AEW World Champion @theAdamPage and @bryandanielson go the limit in an incredible battle ???
Watch #AEWDynamite #WinterIsComing LIVE on @tntdrama NOW pic.twitter.com/nEKj6tGxc1
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 16, 2021
