Hangman vs. Swerve Is AEW's Best-Ever Feud, WWE's Bloodline Problem, More Quick Takes

After everything that transpired in the appalling All Out main event, there can be no question that Swerve Strickland vs. "Hangman" Adam Page is All Elite Wrestling's new best feud ever.

For many, that elusive spot was previously occupied by MJF vs. CM Punk, a heated rivalry that spanned several months and exceeded fans' already-lofty expectations. Page's program with Kenny Omega is also well-regarded, specifically for its satisfying payoff.

Hangman in particular has undoubtedly been AEW's most complex character since the start of the company five years ago, and his latest unforgettable encounter with Strickland at All Out simply cemented the fact that their feud will be tough to top.

WWE's Bloodline saga will also go down as one of the strongest stories that's been told in pro wrestling's modern era, but some serious changes with its current pacing are needed to avoid fan fatigue.

Roman Reigns' return at SummerSlam provided the angle with a major boost that was long overdue, but the aftermath on SmackDown has left a lot to be desired so far. As viewers await the next chapter, WWE should be looking ahead to how they can regain audience investment.

This installment of Quick Takes will delve into The Bloodline's booking, Jey Uso continuing to lack long-term direction, improving Kazuchika Okada's subpar presentation in AEW, and more.

WWE has largely done a masterful job of keeping things interesting with The Bloodline over the last four years and progressing the storyline at a consistent pace, but the bizarre booking of the group since SummerSlam has hurt its stock considerably.

Roman Reigns being back as a babyface is obviously refreshing, but for as logical as a match as Solo Sikoa would be, WWE has done nothing in their limited interactions over the past month to make fans want to see them finally go one-on-one.

The Tribal Chief making infrequent appearances on WWE TV is to be expected given his part-time status, but The Bloodline led by Sikoa hardly feels special. They won their eight-man tag team match on Friday's SmackDown and retained the WWE Tag Team Championship against The Street Profits last week, but they have come across like total afterthoughts otherwise.

Reigns has decisively gotten the better of Sikoa every time they've collided, but Jacob Fatu lends a lot of credibility to The Bloodline merely by being a part of it. Reigns vs. Fatu is far and away the bigger attraction, hence why holding off on Reigns vs. Sikoa for as long as possible will only cause the feud to drag.

The Bloodline has enough members that it could be years before the angle is completely paid off, but replacing Sikoa with Fatu as the self-appointed Head of the Table would make them much more of a legitimate threat in their rivalry with Reigns.

There was plenty of buzz surrounding the signing of Kazuchika Okada to AEW in March and rightfully so given his reputation as one of the best wrestlers in the world.

Aligning with The Young Bucks and joining The Elite as a heel immediately established them as a top act in the company, resulting in him dethroning Eddie Kingston for the Continental Championship shortly thereafter.

He's competed in the Double or Nothing main event and racked up various wins on AEW TV, but he has yet to feel remotely as special as he should.

His successful defense of the continental title in the fun Four-Way match at All Out was a step in the right direction, but branching out on his own again and reminding the world what they've been missing out on might be what needs to happen to get him back on track.

AEW has no shortage of star power at the moment, so it isn't imperative that he is spotlighted as a singles competitor right now. However, The Elite as a main event group have been a bust and Okada could and should be utilized much higher up the card.

Once he loses the continental title (ideally to Konosuke Takeshita), a serious reboot of The Rainmaker is sorely needed.

WWE's Jey Uso dilemma doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon.

Uso is, of course, one of the most beloved Superstars on the entire roster at the moment. This is despite his lack of long-term direction, something he has been suffering from since beating his brother, Jimmy Uso, at WrestleMania 40.

On the Sept. 9 edition of Raw, Jey will be involved in a Fatal 4-Way with Braun Strowman, Pete Dunne and Ilja Dragunov to determine the next No. 1 contender to the Intercontinental Championship.

All signs point to the former Bloodline member emerging victorious and earning the next title shot, but the odds of him beating Bron Breakker for the belt this early into his run are slim to none.

Beyond that, the 39-year-old will again have no obvious direction and be back in the same spot he currently finds himself in.

Jey and Sami Zayn at one point teased teaming up to chase the WWE World Tag Team Championship (leading to fan speculation that they could be involved in the Bloodline drama again before long), but there has yet to be any follow-up on that.

He eventually needs gold to complement his immense level of popularity, but WWE first needs to figure out how he can maintain a meaningful role on the show without him constantly losing whenever it matters most.

Gunther's disputed victory over Randy Orton at King and Queen of the Ring in May made The Viper a fitting first opponent for him as world heavyweight champion.

The Ring General decisively defeated Orton in an excellent outing at Bash in Berlin and threatened the Raw roster to step up on the subsequent episode of the red brand.

Sami Zayn emerged and explained he was the first and (so far) last person to pin the Austrian on the main roster, making him the perfect challenger at this stage of his reign.

For as exceptional of a moment as Zayn conquering Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40 was, it went unchecked. Both men quickly moved on to different feuds, so this allows them to logically revisit their rivalry and write a different ending.

Furthermore, Zayn is right where he belongs: in contention for a top title. This won't be where he beats Gunther again and is crowned world champ, but a strong showing in defeat can go a long way in establishing him as a main event player.

CM Punk has made it known that he has his sights set on Gunther as well, so if he's being saved for a bigger stage such as Survivor Series, Zayn keeping The Ring General busy until then has the potential to be fantastic television.

AEW is often criticized by a certain section of fans who say storytelling in matches doesn't take precedence.

That couldn't have been any further from the truth during Swerve Strickland vs. Adam Page at All Out, an Unsanctioned Lights Out Steel Cage match that marked the culmination of an incredibly personal year-long feud.

All four of their matches have delivered so far with each installment in the series feeling more violent than the last. Their weekly television segments—one of which saw Page burn down Strickland's childhood home—have been brilliant as well.

The beauty of the outcome at All Out was that it technically doesn't count in the record books as a win for Strickland due to it being an "unsanctioned" match. In other words, they're destined to fight forever.

AEW has had its fair share of spectacular storylines over the years, but none of them has felt as personal or as intense as Hangman vs. Swerve. Their character arcs alone have been fascinating to follow and, in turn, have affected other areas of the card.

There's bound to be many more matches between them in the future, but with Hangman exacting his revenge on Swerve in shocking fashion, they should put their rivalry to rest for now so it will feel fresh once it comes time to reignite the flame once more.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.