Paige Says Goodbye To WWE Wrestling, Says "You Can Call Me Saraya Now"

Paige hasn't wrestled since 2017. Her current contract is set to expire on July 7, meaning that it's time to say goodbye to WWE wrestling.

Paige Says Goodbye To WWE Wrestling, Says "You Can Call Me Saraya Now"

Paige’s WWE contract expires on July 7, which means that the time has come for her to say goodbye to the wrestling company that she’s been involved with since 2011. She was a major player in the early days of the women’s revolution and paved the way for the likes of Becky Lynch and Alexa Bliss to expand upon their characters over time. While WWE took care of Paige over the last several years, her contract expiring opens all kinds of doors for her as a performer.

IMPACT has already indirectly expressed interest in Paige—who will now go by her real name, Saraya—with the kicker, of course, being that no one really knows where she’s at with regards to the injury that has kept her on the shelf since 2017. Her health comes first, as she’s only 29, which is remarkably young for a professional wrestler, let alone one with the kind of resume Saraya boasts. Now, less than 24 hours before becoming a free agent, Saraya took to the internet to pen her farewell to WWE wrestling.

In a heartfelt post on ThePlayersTribune.com, Saraya thanked AJ Lee, the Bella Twins, and so many others. She also shared a touching story about Stephanie McMahon pulling her aside ahead of her return from injury in 2017. Saraya writes that “I probably had the craziest case of anxiety I’ve ever had,” ahead of that comeback, as she wasn’t sure how the fans would receive her. Then the interaction with McMahon happened. “As I was getting ready to go out there for my “re-debut,” Stephanie pulled me aside. And she just held me for a minute. She gave me the biggest, longest hug. And she said, “Hey — everyone out there loves you. They’re going to be excited to see you. You want to know why? Because you’re a survivor. You SURVIVED. And that means something. So hold your head up, and enjoy this moment. It’s yours.”

That comeback didn’t go exactly as planned, but it does shed some light on why Stephanie is so beloved backstage. It also lends credence to wrestlers being unsure about how they’ll be treated by fans after long layoffs. Everyone from Mick Foley to Triple H to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has spoken about the anxiety that stirs up before a return, and it sounds like Saraya was in the thick of those feelings in 2017. Now, the next time she walks through a curtain, it won’t be from WWE’s gorilla position.

It’ll be wherever she wants it to be, and for a performer of Saraya’s caliber, there will be no shortage of suitors. She’s already announced that she’ll be returning to her parent’s promotion, the World Association of Wrestling, for their Fightmare IV at the Norfolk Showground on October 15. The former Paige could debut on television as early as this weekend, however, so her WWE fans will just have to hang tight and see what’s next for the Anti-Diva.