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It has been a tough few years for WWE’s Paige aka Saraya-Jade Bevis, as the now 30 year old had to retire early from the ring after she picked up a neck injury back in 2018. Speaking at the time she admitted it was ‘one of the hardest things’ she had experienced in her life so far, but after a quiet couple of years on the sidelines and out of the limelight, Bevis made a shock return to wrestling, appearing for rival promotion company All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Obviously she did return as a competitor at that time, but four and a half years later, she pulled another shock return and physically got back in the ring and given all the news at the time, for fans who like a flutter, you would have got incredibly long odds with online sports book offers on that actually happening.
Speaking to the British Broadcasting Company, Paige began recalling the day she was medically cleared and given the green light to resume her passion.
“I just burst into tears and was like this is one of the best days of my life.”
Her match back as a competitor was against Britt Baker, someone who she personal credits and thanks for helping her with her November return, and having hailed from the City of Norwich in the United Kingdom, her return to the ring will undoubtedly bring back a couple who developed an interest in the WWE given the more local tie.
Saraya does however return to a slightly different and more vociferous climate on a social media front, and whilst the vast majority of fans were pleased at the news, there was obviously a stream of online negativity. It is a difference she keenly noted when comparing her return to the likes of male superstar Edge and Daniel Bryan, however, with any return in such doubt for so many years, she is happy to take a very laidback approach to any criticism, focusing instead on being able to get back to doing what she loves.
“There was a lot more support for them than for me – whether they just didn’t like me as a person or a wrestler. If it’s good, if it’s bad, people are going to hate it either way, so I just have to be like: ‘At least you’re watching me’.”
Understandably, her family and friends were the first to be contacted when she had been given the all clear, but she admitted she also quickly got in touch with fellow wrestler Sasha Banks, as her initial neck injury was sustained during a match against her.
“I felt really awful for Sasha. Even though I was the one that got the injury, it takes its toll on somebody mentally. Wrestling isn’t an easy sport. And we sign up to get hurt…but it really does mess you up to end someone’s career like that. We were just like we don’t have this rivalry behind-the-scenes. Wrestling is one big family, whether you’ve known someone for a day or for a decade. They’re all there for you and they know how important it is.”
For the vast majority, they will simply enjoy seeing her back in action and competing and entertaining, and hopefully for a good few years yet.