Ethan Page has reached a new level on WWE Raw after defeating Chad Gable to win the Intercontinental Championship, capturing his first title on WWE’s main roster in a result that caught plenty of viewers off guard.
Page’s victory did not come without controversy. The new champion used underhanded tactics during the match, sending Gable into an exposed turnbuckle before following up with his finishing move to secure the pinfall. It was a decisive moment for Page, but it also brought a sudden end to Gable’s first Intercontinental Championship reign, which lasted exactly three months after he defeated Penta for the title at SummerSlam.
Bully Ray was among those surprised by the change. Discussing the Raw result on Busted Open, the WWE Hall of Famer praised the significance of the win for Page while also making clear that he did not expect Gable’s reign to end when it did.
“It’s a big win for Ethan Page last night. Huge step forward for him. I’m shocked Gable lost,” Ray said.
For more background on this topic, read The Miz Says He Still Feels as Good as Ever in the WWE Ring at 46.
While a title change of this nature would often lead directly into a rematch program, Ray does not believe Page necessarily needs to remain tied to Gable in the immediate future. Instead, he sees an opportunity for WWE to establish Page as a distinct Intercontinental Champion with his own identity, direction, and set of rivals.
A clean slate for WWE’s new Intercontinental Champion
Ray’s preference is for Page to receive a clean break following the title win rather than quickly getting locked into a prolonged back-and-forth with Gable. In his view, the key now is allowing Page to explain what the championship means to him and what he intends to accomplish as champion.
“I’m not so sure if I want to see a story between Ethan Page and Chad Gable. I’d love for Ethan Page to have a clean slate. I’d love to hear from him next week with a mission statement,” Ray said.
That suggestion speaks to a major part of Page’s presentation. He has long been a performer capable of building a character through speaking as much as through what he does in the ring. Winning a championship gives him a larger platform, but it also raises the need for WWE to define the priorities of his title reign. Is Page looking to prove he is the best athlete on Raw? Does he see the Intercontinental Championship as the first step toward an even higher position? Or will he embrace the opportunistic tactics that helped him defeat Gable and become a champion who finds every possible way to escape with the gold?
Ray would like to see the latter qualities play a role in Page’s run, particularly if WWE gives him consistent promo time. The veteran said Page should have room to grow into the position and use his personality to keep the championship, including by finding creative ways to avoid losing it.
For a heel champion, that can be an especially valuable formula. Page does not need to be presented as unbeatable in every physical exchange to be effective. A champion who is clever, evasive, self-assured, and occasionally willing to bend the rules can generate a wide range of challengers. It also allows the title to remain central to Raw while Page develops further as a main roster act.
Bully Ray proposes a possible role for Cass
Ray also offered a specific idea for Page’s presentation: placing Cass beside him as a bodyguard. He compared the potential pairing to the dynamic shared by Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon, suggesting their personalities could work well together on screen.
“I wouldn’t mind if Cass was his bodyguard moving forward. A Shawn [Michaels] and Razor-esque scenario. I think they have the personalities for it,” Ray said.
The idea would give Page another dimension as champion. A bodyguard presence can help protect a titleholder from direct confrontations, create complications for babyface challengers, and give the champion a reliable advantage without requiring every finish to follow the same pattern. More importantly, it could reinforce the perception that Page is someone who has planned for life at the top of the Intercontinental division.
Whether WWE goes in that direction remains to be seen, but Ray’s larger point is clear: Page has arrived at a moment that calls for a defined character direction rather than merely treating the championship victory as a surprise result. The first promo after a title change can set the tone for an entire reign, especially when the champion is trying to establish himself in a new place on the roster.
Ray praises Page’s WWE growth
Ray’s belief that Page can handle the opportunity is rooted in what he has seen since Page joined WWE. He said he has been a fan of Page from his NXT period onward and singled out both his physical transformation and the work he has done across different stages of his WWE run.
“I’ve been a fan of Ethan Page ever since he came over to the WWE. Obviously, as a guy who transformed his body, I respect Ethan for what he was able to do with his getting into, you know, cosmetic shape. He did well in NXT. I love the stuff that him and Chelsea did together in the tag matches. I like what he’s been doing on the main roster so far,” Ray said.
That progression has now led Page to a championship that traditionally carries major weight in WWE. The Intercontinental Title has often been associated with wrestlers aiming to prove they are ready for bigger featured roles. Page’s win does not guarantee what comes next, but it gives him a chance to show that he can carry a division, speak with authority, and deliver in matches where the title is the focal point.
There is also an inherent contrast in the way Page won the championship. His route to the belt was not a clean, overwhelming victory over Gable. The exposed turnbuckle and the ensuing finish make Page’s title reign immediately contentious. That may be exactly what helps him find his footing, as Gable and the rest of the Raw locker room now have every reason to question whether Page deserves to call himself the standard bearer of the division.
Questions follow Chad Gable’s abrupt title loss
As much as the result opens a door for Page, it leaves major questions surrounding Gable. Ray was particularly puzzled by the decision to remove the championship from Gable after recently speaking with him about his goals as Intercontinental Champion.
Gable had expressed an interest in being a workhorse titleholder in the mold of GUNTHER, a champion who regularly delivered high-level matches and made the Intercontinental Championship feel essential. That ambition made the three-month length of Gable’s reign stand out even more to Ray.
Ray also revisited a conversation about Gable potentially wrestling in Mexico again. Gable was open to the possibility when the time and schedule were right, and Ray noted that the title loss could potentially leave more room for that opportunity.
“I asked Chad yesterday about whether or not he would like to go wrestle in Mexico again, and he was like, absolutely, when the time is right and my schedule allows for it. After last night, your schedule might allow for it,” Ray said.
That comment does not establish that Gable is heading to Mexico, but it does reflect the uncertainty around what WWE has planned for him after dropping the Intercontinental Championship. Gable remains one of the roster’s most versatile in-ring performers, with the athleticism and technical ability to work a variety of styles.
Ray specifically pointed to Gable’s value as a wrestler who can deliver the type of high-spot-heavy match that is not always a weekly feature of WWE’s main roster programming.
“We were able to count on Gable to have those great match after great match after great match every single week,” Ray said. “You know, with wrestling being a buffet, on the main roster, we really don’t see the high spot match all the time, do we? But Gable does it really well. I hope they don’t get away from that.”
For now, Raw has a new Intercontinental Champion in Ethan Page, a title change that immediately reshaped two different careers. Page has the opportunity to establish a fresh championship identity and prove he belongs at the center of the show. Gable, meanwhile, moves into an uncertain next chapter after a reign that ended far sooner than many expected.
The next Raw will be especially important. Page’s first words as champion could reveal whether he plans to address Gable, lay out his own mission statement, or begin building the kind of calculating title reign Bully Ray believes suits him best.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.