Hangman Page questions the historical hierarchy of world titles in wrestling

Hangman Page has sparked an unexpected debate in AEW after explaining why he prefers to refer to himself as AEW Men's World Champion instead of using the traditional "world champion" title. In a conversation with ESPN 99.9 The Fan, the current company champion reflected on the language that has been used for decades to describe championships in professional wrestling.

Page believes that historically, the way these titles have been named inadvertently conveys the idea that the male championship is the standard and everything else is a separate category. For him, including the word 'Men's' invites questioning that idea and treating both divisions equally.

In wrestling history, the male title has always been called World Champion. That creates an implicit hierarchy. If one is 'World' and the other is 'Women's', you're saying that one matters more. I prefer to present myself as Men's World Champion so that people stop and think. I try to make small changes that reflect how I believe the world should be.

Page's reflection connects with a long-standing debate within wrestling. For decades, virtually all companies - from WWE to WCW, TNA, or ROH - have used the term "World Champion" for the male division, while "Women's Champion" has always been used for the female division. In the case of TNA, the word "Knockout" was included to differentiate the women's division. In practice, this has reinforced the idea that the male title is the universal standard, while the female title is a secondary or limited category.

This language difference has not only affected how the industry presents its championships but also how the audience perceives their importance. The male reign was automatically seen as the 'ultimate', while the female reign, even with great female wrestlers in charge, had to continually justify its relevance.