CAGEMATCH » Promos Database » "Maybe it's time to let go of the past after all"

"Maybe it's time to let go of the past after all"

Promo

Promo Data

Title:

Worker(s):

Adam Page, Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay, Prince Nana, Renee Paquette

Date:

10.07.2025

Promotion:

All Elite Wrestling

Event:

AEW Collision #101 (Card with guide)

YouTube:

Watch it

Promo

[Renee Paquette is backstage after Dynamite the previous night, waiting to conduct an interview]

Renee Paquette: "That was an insane way to start things off as we head towards All In, going down this Saturday, right here in Texas. I'm looking to get a word with anybody who was involved in tonight's main event. [Hangman Adam Page approaches] Hangman, that was a chaotic scene we just saw out there, do you want to talk about it?"

Adam Page: "Yeah, I probably should, just... not with you."

[The camera follows Hangman as he approaches Swerve Strickland's locker room. Hesitating for a moment, he walks in to see Swerve, Prince Nana, and Will Ospreay; Ospreay immediately stands in between the two men]

Will Ospreay: "Guys, please, look--"

Swerve Strickland: "You bring a camera-man up in my locker room?!?"

Will Ospreay: "--we've got a few days before the pay-per-view, can we not do this, please? Please?"

Adam Page: "Will? Two minutes. Just give us two minutes."

[Swerve places his hand on Ospreay and indicates his assent]

Will Ospreay: "You sure? Okay. [he goes to leave]"

Adam Page: "And Will? Thank you. For everything."

Prince Nana: "I... think I'm gonna grab some coffee now. You want some, boss?"

[Swerve waves Nana away. Nana also leaves, leaving Swerve and Hangman alone]

Swerve Strickland: "[chuckles] I know what this is about. I know why you're here! I know what this whole thing is about! You want to come here and ask me for help, huh. Go ahead, go ahead, ask me for help! I know that's why you're here!"

Adam Page: "No. That's not why I'm here. I'm not gonna ask you for help; I couldn't. Look, I am going into a suicide mission on Saturday. And I figured, if I didn't say this now, I might never have a chance. So, I just wanted to do what I should've done two years ago."

[Hangman grabs a chair and sits down, placing his chain on the floor. After a pause, Swerve does too.]

Swerve Strickland: "Alright."

Adam Page: "The Bucks, Matt and Nick, Dynasty, and everything that happened after? I had nothing to do with it. And I know if I were you, I probably wouldn't believe me. And that's fine."

Swerve Strickland: [chuckles] "Yeah, I know! And?"

Adam Page: "And what you did to me, and my family... you know, my son still wakes up at night screaming because he sees you in his room! And I hate you for that! I always will! And what I did to you, you deserved it. But the part that pisses me off is that I think you know it. You know you deserved it. And that's why I regret it. I just need to know, do you regret what you did to me?"

Swerve Strickland: "You know, if you would've asked me this, before me becoming a world champion, I would've looked you dead in the eyes and said 'no". Hell, I'd do it all over again. But after the world championship, after me main-eventing Wembley, after our cage match, after me losing things, people, championships, matches, all of it? Yeah, I do."

Adam Page: "Okay. Okay. [Hangman stands up to leave] I'm, um, bringing my family Saturday. Maybe not to the show itself, but earlier, so, uh..."

Swerve Strickland: "I'll stay clear of them. I hope they enjoy the show."

Adam Page: "I believe you. [he goes to leave]"

Swerve Strickland: "Wait! That house that you burned down? I was planning to raise my kids in that house. Have them grow up, just like I did. Hell, I was planning to have my grandkids, raised and grow up in that house, just like I did. After thinking about it, I don't know... maybe it's time to let go of the past after all."

Adam Page: "Yeah. [he leaves]"

[Swerve sits back down. He picks up Hangman's chain, wraps it around his hand, and contemplates it]

9.76

Current Total Rating (?)

Valid votes: 92

Number of comments: 21

10.0

77x

9.0

12x

8.0

7.0

6.0

5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0

Average rating: 9.80 [92]

Average rating in 2026: 9.50 [2]

Average rating in 2025: 9.81 [90]

Your Options:

Other:

Latest comments of the CAGEMATCH inmates

CashGrabWrestling wrote on 03.03.2026:

[10.0] "A very beautiful conclusion to their rivalry at the time. Instead of one last fight, Hangman made an effort to go up to Swerve, man-to-man, and they apologized to each other. Who knew that emotional maturity could be a great way of ending a rivalry?"

Rassle Fan wrote on 18.07.2025:

[10.0] "I very much dislike backstage segments and skits but this kind of thing is very different. Very real."

blackgoku wrote on 14.07.2025:

[9.0] "Was a conversation between two lifelong rivals backstage where they reflected on the pain the other had caused them."

veroon wrote on 13.07.2025:

[10.0] "I think it's absolutely wonderful that one of the best segments of the year is two men talking about the past in a locker room. The context that is the greatest rivalry of this decade between Hangman and Swerve provides a whole lot more dimensions to it. Hangman tells Swerve about the trauma he and his family face due to Swerve's actions at the start of the rivalry. Swerve then around the end of the segment tells Hangman about his dreams (regarding the house of course) that got burned down by Hangman last year. This was a well done segment, provided the middle ground that these two guys needed before All In."

Trombek Kushinika wrote on 12.07.2025:

[8.0] "Don't get me wrong this was a great segment and it beautifully illustrated the complexity of the relationship between Swerve and Hangers. I was just left feeling there was something missing.... I can't quite place what that something is though! It just seemed like it should have been way more iconic than it actually was. Doesn't matter though cos when Swerve comes out to help Hangman and Texas Death we all know we are all gonna lose our shit."

Dynamax Dawn wrote on 12.07.2025:

[10.0] "Wonderful segment, both of their characters feel so emotional and real AEW has something really special here."

CSTLW wrote on 12.07.2025:

[10.0] "Fireworks every time they are on screen together. Its hard to give any segment between them less than a 10"

Loki Hipster God wrote on 12.07.2025:

[10.0] "What I love about this is how atypical it is for a wrestling segment. It's not full of anger or people shouting, it's two guys having a down-to-Earth, calm, honest discussion. I also like how it doesn't magically erase the past, or give us a forced happy ending where both guys hug and shake hands. It's a segment where, for the first time, these two guys are able to be in the same room together without getting into a fight. They aren't best friends, but it's a small start towards making peace. This is the type of gradual, nuanced character building you'd see in a TV drama like Breaking Bad."

Dragon Master Adam wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "This might be the most authentic and well acted promos of all time. No over the top shouting or screaming, just intense storytelling and character development that has large implications on the biggest show of the year"

AlexClark314 wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "Fuck me this was more amazing then words can describe the end of an almost 2 year long blood feud and one of the best feuds ever set aside by the two of the apologising and showing remorse and regret realising there is a bigger picture then just the two of them. But as swerve never fully said he would help on Saturday and the way he looked at the chain what helped him beat Hanger in their Texas death match makes you think it might not be over. It also felt real as it was done backstage meaning it felt like a real heart to heart with each other."

GM56 Champion wrote on 11.07.2025:

[9.0] "One of the best and one of the most important feuds in AEW history was settled in a movie-ish way. A happy ending. Man, I could watch them fight again and again, but these type of segments are necessary for such a storyline if done correctly. Touching and engaging"

Nami wrote on 11.07.2025:

"Great Character Work, Hangman is working at another level, the way he and AEW has build and evolved his character is unbelievable."

Keithnelson18 wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "Brother, this was a great segment, I watched this 4 more times cause it was that good. Swerve and Hangman will go down as one of AEW's best feuds ever and the moment Swerve helps Page win the title, it'll possibly be the loudest reaction of the night"

casnonotbcofspn wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "I love wrestling. I love gay people. The feeling is restored. This was masterful. I love professional wrestling. I love."

SkyIcons wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "Just beautiful. The culmination of a 2 year blood feud, 2 deeply scarred men settling their differences for the sake of a bigger purpose. Hangman and Swerve were awesome here as well, they made it feel like a real conversation."

GreatAetherBoss wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "Two men who will hate each other forever coming to an understanding. This story has reached new heights again and again, and every time they do they hit the mark dead center. Such a perfect promo from both of them, admitting regret, remorse even in the face of one another after all they've put each other through."

Brye wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "This was SUCH a breath of fresh air. Just two people with loads of issues with each other talking things out. And in a backstage segment, no less. This flowed way better because of that, imo. I've grown so tired of in-ring promos in general, especially because it requires people to talk in a cadence that people don't actually talk in. This felt like a real conversation between two people and it was so deep. I'm so incredibly invested in these characters in a way that I don't generally feel."

arisenby wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "[10.0] I say this without a lick of irony or recency bias, Hangman and Swerve genuinely might have put on the best talking segment I've ever seen. I don't consider myself to be someone who's a huge fan of promos getting airtime in big spots over the actual wrestling on the wrestling show, and even I think this should've gone on last. Having the payoff to what is far and away the most violent and personal feud AEW has ever done be just these two sitting down before one of them goes into the match where they will (presumably) win the world championship and admitting they both took things too far and deserved what they did to each other was an inspired choice. Evoked so many feelings that I literally was unable to focus on the match that followed it. Honestly nothing to say except bravo. I'm going to run through a wall when Swerve shows up in the main event on saturday."

sarahlicity wrote on 11.07.2025:

[10.0] "The whole point of wrestling is that it supposed to make you feel something. If it does that, it doesn't matter if it's 27, 000 people or 27, then it's succeeded. And by god, this program is making you feel. What an amazing promo to get everyone locked in for Saturday. And when Hangman raises that title, it's because of stuff like this. A legit contender for promo of the year."