There’s sometimes a misconception that all the talent in “WWE NXT” are young upstarts, but at 35, Ethan Page has been around the block. After stints in AEW and Impact Wrestling, Page made his “NXT” debut in May, and now carries the brand’s top prize, the NXT Championship, which he secured at Heatwave. Page appeared on “Busted Open Radio” to discuss the long journey that led him to this moment. 

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“To me, WWE was always the end goal,” Page said. “There’s been countless interviews when I was a lot younger, saying like, ‘Oh, by the time I’m 25 I’ll be in WWE.’ I just turned 35 like five days ago. Like this is something that I’ve been trying to accomplish my entire life.” Page said he’d heard a stat that 90% of the talent at this year’s WrestleMania came from “NXT,” and hopes to eventually add his name to that group. He also brought up the Intercontinental, United States, and World Heavyweight Championships as future goals, saying that holding a title some of his childhood favorites held would be extra meaningful. 

“The goal is to move on and win championships like the Intercontinental Title, the U.S. Title, the World Heavyweight Championship,” he said. “To hold a championship that some of my favorites held … that is what I want to bring to the table, to add my name to the history books of the biggest and best ever.” Up next for Page is an NXT Championship defense against Trick Williams on the CW debut of “NXT.” CM Punk will serve as special guest referee for the bout, just four days before facing Drew McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell rubber match at Bad Blood.

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