In 2020, Marty Scurll was one of the names listed during the “Speaking Out” movement in pro wrestling, where numerous people in the industry were accused of various degrees of sexual harassment, assault, and unethical encounters. Scurll specifically was accused of engaging in sex with a 16-year-old (the age of consent in the United Kingdom) while she was intoxicated.
Last month, Scurll posted a picture with AEW’s “Hangman” Adam Page on Instagram, leading to controversy for the former AEW World Champion. “I guess I’ve just always thought that he’s still a human being, and that relationships are complicated, but they’re still relationships, and he’s still a human being,” Page said about his friendship with Scurll during an interview on “The Takedown on SI.”
“I think when that happened, I was obviously surprised. Shocked. It didn’t seem like the person that I knew,” Page said about the allegations made against Scurll.
According to the AEW star, when the news broke, he reached out to Scurll and remained in touch with him for the years since. Despite this, their relationship was strained, as Page maintained that he believes his friend’s actions were wrong.
“There’s no excuse. I completely recognize that,” he said. “For six years, I think because of those reactions [to his actions], he’s been unable to be a part of mainstream professional wrestling because of, you know, what the public perception would be.”
‘I don’t want that photo to seem like some kind of endorsement’
When it came to the picture shared on social media, Adam Page claims it was never meant to be shared publicly. “I don’t want that photo to seem like some kind of endorsement, or, I have any interest whatsoever in whitewashing what he did, or any interest or intention of rehabilitating his public image,” he explained. “None of that is something that I’ve ever been interested in doing. Not now, not ever.”
In light of the consequences Marty Scurll has faced since the allegations, Page maintains that everything besides the harassment was warranted, but noted that he believes that fans are entitled to feel however they want about Scurll. “If you hear all that, and you listen to all that, and you feel like maybe you wouldn’t have done the same thing had you been in my shoes, or maybe you still feel uncomfortable being a fan of mine, or even if you’ve lost, like, the smallest amount of respect for me because of any of that, I would just want to say I completely understand that. I can respect it and accept it,” Page expressed.
Page further defended his friendship with Scurll, claiming he chooses to return the kindness he receives from others, but chooses to have a private relationship with him instead. “Not out of a sense of self-preservation or shame, or something like that,” he noted. “More or less, I just would never want that to be misconstrued as like an endorsement or an effort to rehabilitate someone’s public image, something like that.”
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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