WWE News: Huge Update On Paige And Her Current Status With The WWE
When Alberto Del Rio was granted his release from the WWE earlier this month, many expected his girlfriend, and fellow WWE superstar, Paige, to follow him out the door. There were numerous reports suggesting that Paige had already quit the company despite being under contract until 2019. Injuries, Del Rio’s departure and a violation of the WWE Wellness Policy led to major speculation that her time had run out, either of her own accord or the WWE’s.
In addition to the rumors that Paige quit, there were also reports indicating that she had hired legal representation to explore her options as it pertains to leaving or remaining in the WWE. The situation has often been compared to that of CM Punk and AJ Lee. Punk left the WWE in 2014, leaving AJ behind to finish out her deal before she departed too.
The other similarity stems from Punk receiving his termination papers on the day of their wedding, while the WWE announced Paige’s suspension on her 24th birthday even though the suspension didn’t go into effect until the following day. It was the first time in history that a suspension was announced before it actually went into effect. Paige and Del Rio would have been the most high-profile violators in 2016 had it not been for Roman Reigns.
lo mejor que consiguio Alberto del Rio en su última etapa en WWE: sin duda Paige pic.twitter.com/WNRT1lMLLo
— Andrés (@Futbol_MiVida) September 3, 2016
So with all that said, all amid constant speculation surrounding Paige and her status with the WWE, there finally appears to be a resolution. PWInsider is reporting that Paige will, in fact, remain with the company, and is set to return to action, re-joining the RAW roster next week. Her suspension concludes this coming Saturday, and she has been booked to appear on next Monday’s RAW from Memphis as well as the red brand’s live event tour the ensuing week.
RT if you miss @RealPaigeWWE #WWE pic.twitter.com/B2MkRBIePX
— AntiDiva-Paige (@DarkAngelPaige_) September 3, 2016
Del Rio was also originally scheduled to come off suspension on the same day, and up until his departure had been advertised to appear at the SmackDown live event show that night. The house show would have been used to clear off any ring rust before re-entering the fold and potentially building towards his first significant feud since the brand split, leading to No Mercy. All that now, of course, is moot, as Alberto has moved on and has already begun working independent bookings overseas.
Because the WWE decided to split up both the tag team and women’s divisions, there has been a clear lack of depth on both shows. RAW‘s only two established female superstars are Charlotte and Sasha Banks. Bayley was ready for a call-up but got promoted earlier than planned because of Paige’s injuries and suspensions and Sasha’s potential injuries. Dana Brooke is trying to stay afloat since she was thrust into the top women’s program, while Nia Jax is working her way up the ladder with a slow push.
Paige would offer another credible competitor to whoever emerges as the Women’s Champion at Clash of Champions, but she’ll at least provide a recognizable face to a division that has tried to book more than one angle at a time. It will certainly be interesting to see how she’s booked coming off the suspension and the perceived backstage friction stemming from her relationship with Del Rio.
We had reported in the past that Triple H purposefully split Paige and Del Rio up at the draft when every other WWE couple were aligned on the same show. Hunter and some other top WWE officials believed Del Rio to be a bad influence on Paige and an insubordinate employee. At only 24-years-old, there is a much longer future in wrestling for Paige than there is for Del Rio, and HHH didn’t want her to be contaminated with what he believed was Del Rio’s negativity. It even got to a point where a WWE official threatened to fire her if she didn’t break up with him.
The other interesting part in all this is how WWE will influence the upcoming season of Total Divas. There are already scenes that have been shot for the reality series and will be scheduled to air involving their relationship. Paige is a full-time member of the cast with Del Rio portrayed as a guest star, and both had contracts with the E! Network.
[Image via WWE]
