Page returns to dash Jarrett’s Owen dream, but not to rejoin The Elite

When AEW revealed the bracket for this year’s men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, Jeff Jarrett’s opponent was labeled as a “Wild Card”.

The stakes were raised when Jarrett cut an amazing promo about his friendship with Owen, and how much being in the tournament that bears his late friend’s name means to him. And they were raised further when EVPs Matthew & Nicholas Jackson, aka The Young Bucks, announced that they’d placed the Wild Card in the field.

Speculation centered on Hangman Page being Double-J’s mystery opponent, especially after a vignette for the former World champion — who’s been out on personal leave since tapping out to Samoa Joe at Revolution in March — aired on last Saturday’s Collision.

And that’s who it was, complete with new heel music.

Commentary informed us that The Elite lifted the suspension they put Page, allowing him to come back for this. Hangman mean mugged as he inflicted more punishment on Jarrett than seemed necessary…

…and a Chicago crowd that many figured would have nuclear heat for CM Punk’s shoot nemesis cheered his arrival, then didn’t seem sure how to react to the match. There were some cheers for Jarrett’s first comeback, and chants for Hangman’s rival Swerve Strickland when he didn’t go for a cover when he could. The Wintrust Arena popped louder when Double-J reversed a Buckshot into a Sharpshooter.

Page escaped that, then poured on more offense before finally covering Jarrett with another Deadeye.

Karen Jarrett checked on her husband while the crowd processed what they just saw. Hangman will face Jay White on Saturday’s Collision, with the winner advancing to face Bryan Danielson in next week’s final for The Owen Cup, and a World title shot at All In.

After a commercial, The Young Bucks approached Page to welcome him back and offer him a spot on The Elite’s Blood & Guts team. The Cowboy made it clear he’s not longer their guy…

How do you process all that, Cagesiders?

Get complete results and coverage of everything on the Beach Break episode of AEW Dynamite here.