Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: Ethan Page
Date: 08/05/20
Your Host: james Walsh
When we last spoke to Ethan Page, he was just stepping out from the shadow of Matt Sydal as his understudy and was going into Ultimate X at Impact’s Homecoming at the now demolished Asylum in Nashville, TN. Fast forward a year and a half and Ethan Page’s Impact run has completely changed direction. Forging a team with his friend “The Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander as the North, Ethan Page was one half of the longest reigning tag teams in Impact Wrestling company history. But, that came to an abrupt hault when the Motor City Machine Guns came back into town.
In this exclusive interview, hear Ethan Page discuss the Machine Guns loss, his reign at the top, his recent social media exchange with The Rock, and all things Impact Wrestling including the North’s rematch with the Motor City Machine Guns at Impact Wrestling Emergence later this month on AXS TV.
“The North” Ethan Page & Josh Alexander challenge the Motor City Machine Guns for the Impact Wrestling Tag Team Titles at Impact Emergence, the AXS TV special, starting August 18th! Visit www.ImpactWrestling.com for more details.
To listen, visit www.WrestlingEpicenter.com. NOTE: If you do use this content on your site, which we encourage, please remember to include a link back to our site. Thank you!
Ethan Page:
On his growth since we last spoke in January of 2019:
“It has been great! Not only to see my own professional growth but also the company in general. Not only that, a legacy was built by myself and Josh Alexander that is going to be left with Impact for the remainder of the company’s history. We held the titles for longer than anybody else. We had a longer reign, the most gruelling schedule. It is cool to have gone from an “understudy”, quote unquote, to being a part of the best tag team in the world for an entire year straight.”
On his friendship with Josh Alexander:
“We’ve been tagging together for 10 years now. And, for a whole year, we held gold in one of the biggest companies in the entire world. It is fantastic. It is like a childhood dream to have a childhood friend as your tag team partner.”
On feeling naked without the Tag Team Titles since losing them to the Motor City Machine Guns:
“Well, look. I’ve lost almost 40 pounds in the last 2 weeks. So, being naked right now is not really an issue for me! As for the titles, absolutely, I feel naked. I told Ross (Forman) the PR guy to tell interviewers not to bring up the Motor City Machine Guns and this is the second interview in a row that it has happened! I’m going to let it slide.”
On hsi recent twitter exchanges with Kylee Rae and The Rock praising him:
“It is a good day to be me most days but the last few days in particular have been pretty great. Sharing a news website article headline with a childhood idol, sharing the billing, is pretty cool! (laughs) I wasn’t too mad at that!”
On if they were worried about turning babyface when submitting those funny videos from quarantine in Canada:
“Wow, that is a good question. I’m going to say the chips will fall how they want. (laughs) I knew that when it came time to getting back to the studio tapings, I would be able to get them back to hating me even though there is no audience there. I’m very confident in my abilities to portray whatever is necessary. My name is All Ego! If you ask me if I’m good at my job, of course I’m going to say “yes!” (laughs)”
On if it is difficult to work without a crowd to play off of:
“To be honest with you, no. I know a lot of people are complaining about it and I totally understand that because I’m working in the same environment as them. But, i truthfully believe not having a crowd has helped my career in a way that wasn’t possible before because I’m not mic’d when I’m in the ring. People can’t hear what I’m doing because there’s so much noise and commotion. Whereas, now, you could literally hear a pin drop if people aren’t walking in the ring. But, you will always hear Ethan Page! I’m louder than everyone that is in the match. I’m louder than the production. I’m the loudest thing inside Skyway Studios! I’m able to use my voice while on the apron! I’m able to make a whole match about me if I really wanted to. For me, that is such a benefit and creatively liberating.”
On his stance on inter-gender wrestling:
“For me, I’ll always say the same thing. If it is presented to me the right way, I’ll always do it. But, at the end of the day, it is not my show. If that is what is given to me, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability and be the best Ethan Page possible.”
On Kylee Rae’s recent glowing tweet about him inspiring her:
“I will say, in confidence, Kylee Rae is one of the best wrestlers that I’ve evern been in the ring with and I say that with a laundry list of, quote unquote, the best wrestlers in the world. She is better than a laundry list I could list. (laughs) So, if they ever asked me to share a ring with Kylee Ray, it would be a “yes” as fast as I could respond!”
On his Ultimate X experience and if he would do another one:
“I would 100% do another one especially if it was a tag one with Josh. I’ll let you talk about the Motor City Machine Guns. Maybe that is where this is headed? I feel, the way I’ve changed my body in the last little while, I’d love to test it out in an Ultimate X match!”
On Impact’s recent Slammiversary success and ratings bump:
“Oh, it is the best. It is almost like taking stress off of my shoulders. (laughs) Because, all of the hard work we put in keeping the company somewhat relevant and all of a sudden, we just got a surge of star power. All of the guys who have been here are ready. So, you mix that with a whole new audience and they’re seeing a polished product that has been molding itself for the past few years and is ready for this huge audience. The locker room is extremely hyped. Everyone that is new has been extremely helpful and friendly. It didn’t take long for it to feel like they have been there forever.”
On if he and Josh have their sights set on The Good Brothers:
“Yes, of course. That is THE match I’m looking forward to. I think when that happens in Impact, it will be big. I think it is one match people around the world are anticipating. Myself and Josh are anticipating it as well.”
