WWE's Ethan Page Says It Takes An 'Ocean's Amount' Of Patience Working With NXT Talent

After nearly two decades of putting in work on the independent scene and in promotions like AEW, Ethan Page signed his first contract with WWE earlier this year, quickly becoming a central figure on "WWE NXT." Page has been primarily wrestling the company's younger performers, and sitting down for a conversation with Sports Illustrated's "The Takedown," he was asked what it's like to work with wrestlers who are mostly new to the industry.

"You do it with an ocean's amount of patience," Page said.

As an example of what he meant, the former WWE NXT Champion told a story about visiting a children's hospital alongside some fellow wrestlers from the brand. During a recorded sit-down interview, the host asked everyone to name the point in their lives when they fell in love with wrestling. While Page had a specific answer dating back to his childhood, the rest of the performers said it happened when they were first hired by WWE.

"Is that a bad thing? No, not at all," Page continued. "I respect the hell out of these athletes. They're freaks. I can't do anything they can do, but it is a lot different than the 18 years it took me to get into the position that I'm in and maybe the 18 years of living it took them to land in the same spot as me. So yes, it takes a great deal of patience."

Page also stated that it takes a degree of maturity to understand that the younger WWE stars deserve just as much of a shot at success, despite the fact that they now often come from athletic backgrounds rather than independent wrestling. For WWE to even take notice of someone from outside the industry, Page believes they have to have excelled in their chosen field.