As one of the regular members of the EVOLVE showcase cards, Ethan Page has carved out a pretty good name for himself. His nickname is “All Ego” and he has confidently created the memorable promise that we’re all currently living in the “Era of Ego” at the moment. Case in point are matches he has scheduled during in Orlando in the coming days.
Tonight, Thursday, he’s a part of EVOLVE 80, facing Austin Theory, and on Friday afternoon (4 p.m.) he’ll be at EVOLVE 81 with his Gatekeepers (bodyguards) in an unspecified role, with both those shows at Orlando Live Events in nearby Fern Park. Then that night, he’s on the WrestleCon supercard taking on Jimmy Havoc at the Wyndham Orlando Resort.
With plenty of EVOLVE experience under his belt, Page isn’t too concerned with Austin Theory. “Theory is a newcomer to EVOLVE and I’ve been there about three years now, so I think I’ve established my name in the EVOLVE history already. That’ll be a big match for him,” said the native of Hamilton, Ontario.
The match with Havoc is a “cross-promotion match for EVOLVE versus Progress” said Page. On Twitter he pitied the loss of sales at Hot Topic once he disposes of Havoc: “They’ll be losing their most loyal customer #RIP”
He promises a new look this weekend. “Every year, I try to have a new set of gear so people who have been following the entire year of the program, and this is our big show, so I want to show off with a fresh look for the next season,” said Page. “That’s obviously an undertaking and an investment, but I think it’s worth it, especially with the exposure that we have. Knowing what we have going into the weekend, you always show up with some ideas to potentially steal the show.”
Stealing the show won’t be easy on any of the card. A supershow is by its very nature a collection of unique talent, and EVOLVE has succeeded because of its stable core mixed with the hottest names on the independent scene.
“You never know who will stop in,” Page said about EVOLVE, his home promotion. “They have their core roster. I’m under that contract, I guess, where I can’t just disappear to Ring of Honor or TNA or Lucha Underground; I’m part of the team throughout. You’ve got guys that are there every single show and then you’ve got guys like Ricochet that can just pop in at any time, or Brian Cage, who’s done that recently. Or Cody Rhodes, Dick Togo. These are guys that I’ve brushed shoulders with that on a caliber and show level of EVOLVE, to have these kind of guys come and wrestle a guy who’s there every single month, it really helped to elevate me for them.”
Ricochet is one of those guys that makes it tough to top, Page will concede. On Thursday’s show, it’s Keith Lee versus Ricochet. “I find both of them extremely talented and fun to watch,” said Page. “I feel like Ricochet can do absolutely anything in the ring, and Keith Lee does absolutely everything you think he can’t. So you put them in the ring together, which is smart booking by Gabe [Sapolsky], and that’s a super match for me.”
It is impossible to bring up EVOLVE without mentioning Sapolsky, its founder and visionary behind-the-scenes maestro. With his own promotion, Alpha-1, under his belt in Hamilton, Page has relished in the opportunity to learn another aspect of the business — as, you might guess from someone nicknamed “All Ego”, he thinks he’s a pretty good pro wrestler already.
“I see every card before it comes out and then I get to see his vision actually come to life, which is very cool,” said Page (real name Julian Micevski). “I’m slowly trying to get my way into a production level with them, helping guys with promos and stuff like that. Hopefully in the coming year, I’ll be going into, I guess, my second contract with them, they can start using me in that kind of way.”
Page already loves the EVOLVE process. Since there isn’t a regular TV show for fans to watch, YouTube becomes a destination for learning about the promotion and featured matches and feuds.
“They put out documentaries that are really well done by Kenny Johnson that advertise all the backstories, so going in, it’s all more or less free television on YouTube that anyone can get up to date on the wrestlers and characters,” said Page. “It’s a more deeper-rooted story, and you can actually get to know the person before they wrestle.”
He’s taken it as gospel to work on his own videos. “I try and make myself a larger-than-life character, because physically I am only 6’2″ and 260 pounds,” he said. “I go out of my way to film vignettes or promo videos for them, in a certain style to go along with my character in the company, and having the Gatekeepers in my corner.”
Outside of WWE, with Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Natalya and others, Page is one of the top Canadian indy talents traveling the circuit, maybe THE top Canadian when you consider that other names like Michael Elgin (on the EVOLVE shows this weekend) and Kyle O’Reilly (debuting at the end of April in EVOLVE) both call the U.S. home, and Kenny Omega works primarily Japan, while Page still will happily drive up to 10 hours from his Hamilton home for a booking, often bringing along other young, hungry talent.
The last three years have been good to Ethan Page, and he hopes the ride continues.
“My bookings have gotten a lot easier as far as getting what I’m asking for and being able to get flown all around North America. I had my first UK tour and when I got there, people were already wearing my t-shirts, which was mind-blowing to me, especially with it being such a big goal to go overseas,” he said. “In the last three years, things have really changed. I’m just kind of starting to get used to it, but I don’t want to, so I’m hoping that I can get to that next level soon.”
What is the next level for “All Ego” Ethan Page?
“For me, it’s just hitting that upper echelon of independent talent. When I have a weekend where I do very well, and this is our job, so we need to make money, and then I hear someone that I share a locker room with is doing twice as much, or way better than me, I don’t know, that’s a goal that I want to meet. I want to keep raising the bar and elevating my star power.”
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