AEW's Hangman Adam Page was on the wrong end of an unfortunate mistake Tuesday night, leading to one of the scariest scenes pro wrestling has seen in a while.
The former AEW champion was concussed on AEW's flagship show, "Dynamite," after a lariat from current champion Jon Moxley. Page was spent spinning through the air and landed on his face, though it's hard to say where exactly he suffered the injury.
(You can watch the sequence of events here.)
AEW referee Paul Turner quickly realized something was wrong and checked on Page before signaling the problem. As a result, AEW ringside doctor Michael Sampson, quickly entered the ring to assess the situation and the match obviously was cut short.
The match was the main event of the night, and since it ended early, it put AEW in the weird position of having to fill the remaining TV time on TBS. Cameras eventually cut to the announcing crew as Page received medical attention. A ringside fan video posted to YouTube showed Moxley and Turner in the middle of the ring on a knee with their arm around each other as Page was helped by medical personnel.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I hope and pray that Cowboy Hangman Page recovers to 100%, can walk again, can talk again, can play with his little baby again and come perform for all you fans again," Moxley said on the microphone inside the arena. "But this is a dangerous game that we play. You've gotta have guts to play it. You've gotta risk it all to play it. You've gotta put every single thing on the line every time you step into this ring if you want to be successful in professional wrestling."
After the show, AEW posted an update that, all things considered, was quite positive.
"Hangman Adam Page was taken tonight by medical personnel to a Cincinnati trauma center and diagnosed with a concussion," AEW said in a statement early Wednesday morning. "He was discharged but will remain in AEW's concussion protocol.
"AEW and Hangman Page are grateful for the exemplary response and care of staff and local medical personnel and are appreciative of the love and support of fans everywhere."
Longtime wrestling reporter Dave Meltzer passed along an update Tuesday morning saying Page was "doing fine."
Dr. Chris Nowinski, a former professional wrestler who now is an advocate for concussion awareness and prevention in professional sports, offered more insight into the scary incident.
"Sending positive thoughts to Hangman," Nowinski tweeted Tuesday night. "This was not a high-risk move. Something went wrong. Ref Paul Turner is trained to recognize a concussion or possible neck injury and stopped match. (Sampson) was ringside and there in seconds, (which) gives us the best chance for a good outcome."
It does speak to the progress made by the entire injury when it comes to injuries, especially concussions and head injuries. The protocol to have a ringside doctor is relatively new, and it certainly helps ensures athletes get quick attention when needed.
After the show, Moxley broke character while talking to the crowd and showed his appreciation for his fellow competitor.
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight you saw the guts it takes to step inside of this ring," Moxley told fans, as seen in a ringside video posted by a fan. "Tonight, you saw the heart it takes and everything these wrestlers put on the line. Every time you step into this ring, it could be your last (time), and we all are gonna say our prayers for Hangman Page. He'll be right as rain, I'm sure. (Expletive) happens, and (expletive) gets scary in this business sometimes."
