I’ve already mentioned Paige (slightly) in my Women Who Paved The Way In WWE blog, but let’s be honest she deserves way more. Paige started wrestling at 13 and her career only went up, even though she’s now retired, she’s ruling SmackDown as the GM.
Paige comes from a family where wrestling runs through their blood, the Knight/Bevis family. Paige began wrestling in 2005 at her families wrestling promotion – World Association of Wrestling as Britani Knight. At 14, Paige wrestled in many different countries and America travelling by herself, Paige entered Scotland’s World Wide Wrestling League Women’s Title but lost in the finals. Paige had success in many brands over the years, as she became quite the name, and in April 2011, she signed with WWE after an unsuccessful attempt the year before.
Paige was in the then Florida Championship Wrestling, she originally debuted as Saraya but at her televised debut her name was changed to Paige. Paige teamed with Sofia Cortez in a team named Anti Diva Army. During her time in FCW, she attempted to go for the FCW Diva Championship against Raquel Diaz, but Diaz retained after Paige was disqualified.
FCW got rebranded as NXT and Paige re-debuted at an NXT taping from Full Sail University. Paige went on a winning streak, but was attacked in 2013 by Summer Rae who was jealous of her popularity and success. Paige confronted Summer on a number of occasions and eventually defeated her one on one. A tournament was set up to crown the first NXT Women’s Champion, which Paige won after defeating Emma.
Paige had many successful title defenses, and made a debut on the main roster the night after WrestleMania XXX, where she congratulated AJ Lee on retaining the Diva’s Championship the night before. AJ Lee attempted to goad Paige into a match for the Diva’s Championship, Paige kept saying she wasn’t ready, until AJ slapped her into accepting. At first it looked like AJ was going to retain once more as she wrapped Paige into the Black Widow, but Paige countered out of it and put AJ into PTO in which AJ tapped out. This made Paige the youngest Diva’s Champion, the first Diva to win a championship on her first night and the only Diva to hold the NXT Woman’s Championship and Diva’s Championship.
Paige had a successful title defences against Brie Bella, Alicia Fox and Naomi but lost the Diva’s Championship to a returning AJ Lee the night after Money In The Bank. Despite the loss, Paige acted like her and AJ were best friends in tag matches, Paige lost a reattempt for the Diva’s Championship at Battleground and the night after a win in a tag match with AJ, Paige turned on her by viciously attacking her. Paige won the Diva’s Championship at SummerSlam, however lost it again to AJ Lee in a triple threat with Nikki Bella.
Paige then teamed with Alicia Fox, whilst Alicia was feuding with AJ Lee, after Alicia didn’t win a title match at Hell In A Cell, Paige turned on Alicia. Early 2015, Paige turned face, after saving Natalya from being attacked by Diva’s Champion Nikki Bella, the two teamed up against The Bella Twins at Royal Rumble. The Bella Twins walked away as the winners. The Bella Twins mocked Paige for being unsuccessful in recapturing the Diva’s Championship, and a returning AJ Lee saved Paige from a post match attack from The Bella’s. Paige and AJ teamed up at WrestleMania XXXI against The Bella Twins, this would be Paige’s WrestleMania debut in which she won.
After WrestleMania, Paige had many unsuccessful attempts at trying to regain the Diva’s Championship, after spending so long being outnumbered by The Bella Twins and Alicia Fox, Stephanie McMahon called for a Women’s Revolution and Paige was teamed with Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch. After Charlotte won the Diva’s Championship, Paige turned on her by saying she only won because of her Dad, Paige kept attacking Charlotte and Becky despite acting like she wanted to reunite with them. Paige became the number one contender for the Diva’s Championship but had many unsuccessful attempts.
Paige had a variety of matches in the buildup to WrestleMania XXXII, at WrestleMania, she teamed with fellow Total Divas cast mates in a 10 Woman Tag match in which team Total Divas won. Paige had a few more unsuccessful title defences for the new RAW Women’s Championship against Charlotte, and during the Brand Split was drafted to RAW.
Paige announced on her Twitter that she was taking time off due to injury. During this time, Paige had two wellness policy suspensions, in September of 2016 Paige underwent surgery on her neck and the rehabilitation began shortly afterwards.
Rehabilitation took most of 2017, and Paige eventually returned to RAW in late 2017 teaming with Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose as Absolution. They started dominating on RAW but unfortunately during a match at a House Show, Paige got injured and it was bad enough to cut short her wrestling career. Paige still teamed with Absolution, as more of a cheerleader and after WrestleMania XXXIV, Paige announced her retirement. The following night on SmackDown, Shane McMahon announced that Paige would be the new General Manager. Absolution followed her to SmackDown, but Paige refused to give them special treatment telling them that Absolution was over. Paige is so far doing an excellent job as General Manager, and who knows maybe she’ll be back in the ring.
Here’s some extra pictures of Paige:
With Absolution
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