On June 10, Paige took to social media to announce that her decade-plus career with WWE was coming to an end in July after the company decided not to renew her expiring contract. Even though a neck injury forced Paige to retire in 2018, she has repeatedly hinted that she would like to wrestle again. In an era where stars like Edge and Bryan Danielson have returned from serious injuries, could Paige, who is still only 29 years old, be next? AEW just might be the place to resurrect her career.
Paige Was The Catalyst For Today’s WWE Women’s Division
Paige’s path to success was so monumental that a feature film, Fighting With My Family, was made about her journey. And what a journey it was. In the mid-2010s, women’s wrestling in WWE was in a sorry state. Known as Divas instead of women, they were relegated to being afterthoughts, with their matches lasting usually only a few minutes. There were a few great stars with the likes of AJ Lee, Beth Phoenix, and Natalya, but this was the era before the women’s revolution that saw the rise of The Four Horsewomen. Before Becky Lynch, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Bayley, however, there was Paige. She was first, and the one responsible for the change to come.
Paige was barely out of her teens when she debuted in NXT in 2012. She quickly rose to the top, not just as a pretty face, but as a genuine professional wrestler. Her dark hair and pale features went against the bland blonde and tan look we’d grown accustomed to, and her dedication to the sport shone, making her an immediate fan favorite. She carried the NXT Women’s Championship for ten months and famously beat AJ Lee for the Divas Championship on her first night on Raw.
Paige Hasn’t Been Used Much By WWE Since Her Retirement
Despite being a two-time champion in WWE, Paige’s career was hindered by injuries and wellness policy suspensions. Still, she was one of WWE’s biggest women’s stars. When she was forced to retire in 2018 due to a neck injury, it was an unfortunate end to a career that still felt like it was just getting started.
WWE kept Paige around, first as the GM of SmackDown, then as a tag team manager. In 2019, she became a contributor for Fox’s short-lived WWE Backstage. Besides that, she hasn’t done much of anything. While Paige may not have been able to compete in the ring, it’s a shame that WWE couldn’t find anything to do with one of their most popular stars of all time. Paige could have been effective again in a GM or managerial role, but instead, she sat at home, with WWE having nothing for her.
AEW Could Use Paige to Expand Its Women’s Division
When Paige announced her departure from WWE, she hinted at her future plans, stating that she would “most certainly” wrestle again. If that is her goal, there is only one promotion to go to that will give her the spotlight she has earned. Only in AEW can Paige make a true comeback.
The Paige moniker is gone. Truth be told, it wasn’t the best of wrestling names anyway. Going by her real name of Saraya will already be a step up. As much as she would need AEW, they need her just as much. Britt Baker and Jade Cargill are two of the few big women’s stars on their roster. Thunder Rosa is the champion and a great wrestler, but her reign has been a dud. Ruby Soho has been horribly misused. Jamie Hayter is quickly rising but isn’t there yet. Paige as Saraya would bring a huge amount of mainstream attention to the promotion and would be the perfect canvas for Paige to write her next chapter on.
With Baker and Cargill both as heels, Paige would work great as the face making the comeback, attempting to overcome the villains who seek to hold her back and tell her she can’t do it. We could watch her rise through the rankings, proving that she’s still got it week after week, until retaking her place as champion.
Paige has to be itching to restart her career and show WWE and Vince McMahon that they were wrong about her. Maybe one day she could return to the company that she gave so much to, but right now, AEW and Paige are a perfect fit.