Paige Announces First Wrestling Appearance Since WWE Departure

[Liz]

Former WWE Diva's Champion Paige, known as Saraya since her emotional departure from WWE earlier this year, was forced to retire from in-ring competition four years ago following a serious neck injury. While she served as a "SmackDown" General Manager, on-screen manager for the tag team of Asuka and Kairi Sane, and played a significant role on "WWE Backstage," the injury completely derailed her in-ring career, and with her time in WWE having come to an end, her future in the wrestling business in general seemed to be in question. However, during a World Association of Wrestling show over the weekend, that all changed.

WAW is owned by Saraya's father, Ricky Knight, and her older brothers, Roy Knight and Zak Zodiac, are a popular tag team in the promotion. During this weekend's show, however, Roy turned his back on Zodiac, repeatedly hitting him with a chair. This led to the shocking appearance of Saraya, who showed up via titantron to demand that her brothers stop fighting, or at the very least, settle their issues at WAW's upcoming Fightmare IV event in October.

"But you also need an official for the match," Saraya proclaimed. "An official that's gonna call it down the middle, an official that's not gonna take any of your s***. And you're gonna make up afterwards. So your official for that night is gonna be...me."

This will mark Paige's first appearance in WAW in 11 years. She made her wrestling debut in the promotion in 2006 at the age of 13, teaming with her mother, but has been stateside since 2011, when she did a brief stint in SHIMMER Women Athletes before signing with WWE. Her story, and that of her family, was the focus of the 2019 feature film "Fighting With My Family."