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EXCLUSIVE: MASSIVE SPOILER ON EXPECTED WWE WRESTLEMANIA RETURN THAT ONCE SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE

In a story that would seemed unthinkable when WWE ruled her medically disqualified from being an active competitor in 2018, PWInsider.com is told that Saraya Jade-Bevis, known as Paige during her original run for the company, has signed to return as a wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment and is expected to return to the ring this weekend as part of Wrestlemania 42.

The belief among those we have spoken with is that Saraya, as Paige, will be part of Saturday's WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Fatal Four Way, substituting for Nikki Bella who has not been cleared to return from the ankle injury suffered several weeks back on Smackdown.  We are told she was seen taking part in a run through for the match earlier this week.

As of this posting, WWE did not return a request for comment.   If they do, we will update accordingly.

A second generation star from Norwich, England who broke into the business at just 13 years of age, Paige's signing to WWE developmental was instrumental in leading to the current incarnation of the WWE women's division.  She was one of the first breakout stars of the WWE NXT brand as it evolved from just being a developmental territory.  NXT's Women's division, unlike the WWE main roster at the time, specifically focused on the athletic in-ring abilities of the female talents and built stories, title matches and rivalries no different than NXT's male counterparts. 

As more and more talents migrated from NXT to arrive on WWE's main roster, the women's division there also evolved, becoming far more performance-based as the division became a more popular and important piece of WWE's product, Paige was not only a major part of moving the division forward, she was the first sign that the tides were changing.  Paige, at the the first NXT Women's champion, was moved to the main roster the day after Wrestlemania 30 in New Orleans, shockingly defeating AJ Lee to become the WWE Divas champion in a surprise debut.   In doing so, Paige became the first and only woman to hold the belts simultaneously.  With her Divas championship win, Paige, at 21 years of age, was also the youngest woman to hold the Divas belt.  She would hold the Divas championship twice and become a cast member of Total Divas, an E! reality series that helped open the door for a new female generation of fans and many future female wrestlers who were inspired by the series and its cast to step into professional wrestling.

In January 2018, Paige, then just 25 years old, was informed that she would not be cleared to return to the ring following a December 2017 injury suffered during a tag team bout at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island.  In that match, Paige had her back to Sasha Banks (now AEW's Mercedes Mone), who was behind her against the turnbuckles.  Banks used the ropes to pull herself up and kicked with both legs into Paige's back.  Paige went down but when she tried to get up but could not get her legs under her.  She finally did get up and turned to grab Banks, but immediately fell down again and rolled over to her back, where she remained.  The referee checked on her and called for the bell.   She was examined by WWE medical personnel and a stretcher was brought to ringside to transport her back to the locker room.  After several minutes, Paige finally walked out under her own power.  It was believed at the time that Paige had suffered a stinger, leading to her losing feeling in her extremities.  Given her previous neck surgery, WWE pulled her from the ring and set up further testing that led to the decision to remove her from the ring. 

That injury came, as most injuries do, at the worst possible time. 2016 into 2017 was an explosive year for Paige that saw her undergo neck surgery, be hit with a pair of WWE Wellness Policy suspensions, undergo the embarrassment of personal and explicit videos being leaked and a relationship with Alberto Del Rio that saw a number of incidents play out publicly.  By the latter part of 2017, however, Paige was cleared medically and was finally back in the ring, spending time at the WWE Performance Center in order to prepare for a television return.  She was brought back with great fanfare during a Raw segment, helping to introduce then-NXT talents Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville to the main roster as part of the Absolution faction.  Almost immediately, the trio was clicking, feuding with Sasha Banks, Bayley and Mickie James. 

Paige the performer was right back where she should have been.  Then, the injury happened.

After she was taken off the board for physical performances by WWE, Paige was shifted into the role of Smackdown General Manager.  She was the subject of a Dwayne Johnson-produced WWE Studios film Fighting with My Family, which was released theatrically and in all likelyhood was the best WWE Studios production ever.  Based on a British documentary made about Paige's family, The Knights, who have been wrestling and promoting the World Association of Wrestling (WAW) promotion in Great Britain for years, the film hits all the right emotional and entertaining moments for viewers.  Paige was portrayed by actress Florence Pugh (now best known for Marvel productions) as the film follows a fictionalized version of her path to World Wrestling Entertainment, right down to a major scene where they recreate the night she debuted on Raw, captured the WWE Divas Championship to close the film.

When Paige's WWE deal expired in June 2022, sge signed with All Elite Wrestling, making a surprise debut in September of that year.  No longer subject to WWE's jurisdiction, Paige returned to the ring, winning the AEW Women's Championship from Hikaru Shida.  She was a major part of the All In: London PPV at Wembley Stadium and competed for the company through March 2025.  She completed a memoir several years ago as well that was well received.

Now, 33,  Saraya gets to return to WWE under TKO's ownership and carve a new chapter in an in-ring career once though ended prematurely, returning once more as Paige.

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