Following Saraya’s (fka Paige) departure from WWE, she has now publicly commented on the possibility of her popping up in AEW.
Saraya officially left WWE on July 7 when her contract expired and the company decided not to re-sign her.
As with most people who leave WWE, fans immediately started to wonder when she would end up in AEW. Saraya was forced to retire in December 2017 due to a neck injury and after serving as General Manager of SmackDown and in a managerial role for Asuka & Kairi Sane, she had been off television since March 2020.
Saraya Won’t Be In AEW Anytime Soon
During her live podcast ‘Saraya: Turning The Page’ at Starrcast V, Saraya commented on her future following her WWE departure.
Saraya said, “I’m in the middle of writing a book right now, which I’m really excited about. We got a book, it’s going to be another year before it officially comes out. We’re in the middle of writing that. We’re doing other things, but I’m not allowed to say anything right now. It’s non-wrestling related, sorry guys.
I’m not going to be going to AEW anytime soon. AEW seems great. I love AEW. I would love to face Britt Baker one day if the time is right, that would be awesome. All my friends are there now.”
The former AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker recently named Saraya as one of her dream opponents.
Former Paige Reflects On Career-Ending Injury
Saraya last wrestled at a live event on December 27, 2017, teaming with Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville in a six-woman tag against Bayley, Mickie James & Sasha Banks. During the bout, Banks kicked Saraya in the upper back/neck area, leading to injury.
Saraya was how her neck is doing and if she would like to get back in the ring.
Saraya responded:
“I would love to, for sure. Having your career taken away from you without you wanting it to, having to retire on not my terms, it was really disappointing.
I already knew once my neck got kicked in the middle of the live event match. Once I went down, I was like, ‘This is it, this is the end of my career.’ I couldn’t feel my body. I lost control of my arms, my leg. Then, I’m just laying there and looking up at the referee like, ‘I can’t feel my body, I’m paralyzed right now.’
He threw up the X and I look at poor Sasha in the corner and she’s like, ‘I’m so sorry.’ If it wasn’t you, it would have been someone else.”
Saraya reiterated that she holds no ill will towards Banks. Saraya says that it was her mistake of thinking she could do the same stuff and take the same moves as she did after returning from her first neck surgery.
H/T to Jeremy Lambert of Fightful for the transcription
