Why WWE Doesn’t Need Paige
By Josh.0
Paige isn’t the first WWE superstar to waste her opportunity and she won’t be the last. So why are fans still hoping for redemption?
If the rumors are to be believed, Paige may already be on her way out of the WWE. This may be hard for some of you to accept but the fact is that WWE doesn’t need Paige and is better off without her.
Paige was overwhelmingly accepted when she arrived on the main roster in 2014 but keep in mind this was before the so-called “Divas revolution” and her presence was more about a fresh face than anything else. Paige had all of the credentials to be great. She became the youngest Divas Champion at the age of 21 (the night after WrestleMania 30) and was ranked the best singles female wrestler by Pro Wrestling Illustrated the next year. Yes, she can wrestle, but these accolades came well over a year ago which might as well be an eternity in the world of pro wrestling. Not long after her arrival the women’s division was flooded with talent and she is now simply one amongst many. She is no longer a standout star, which makes her off-camera antics all the more questionable.
Much like Eva Marie, Paige’s in-ring persona has been overshadowed by her actions on the E! Network’s reality show, Total Divas. The series’ website describes Paige as “definitely a Diva who stands out because she maintains her own unique identity and is totally a rebel!” See guys, her hair is blue and she wears goth make up, so she’s totally a rebel. The WWE believes that the real-life controversies and drama displayed on that show somehow translate to ratings on Monday and Tuesday nights and they are wrong. The programs operate independently of each other.
Paige was last seen competing on the June 27th edition of RAW where she won her tag team match with Sasha Banks. Since that time she has taken time off to heal from injury as well as sit out a 30-day suspension for violation of the wellness policy. In just the two months since she’s been gone, we have seen the return of Nikki Bella as well as the debut of other talented women such as Bayley and Nia Jax.
In some ways, I feel bad for Paige. She is a young woman who allowed herself to be put into a compromising situation by her much older boyfriend, Albert del Rio. The difference here is that Del Rio is a well-established wrestler with a unique (albeit sometimes controversial) reputation in the wrestling world. While he may never set foot in a WWE ring again, he is beloved in Mexico and could easily find work elsewhere without missing a beat. Paige, on the other hand, has the chance to stay employed with a smaller promotion like TNA or ROH but they will bring her on more for the name recognition, not her ability.
Perhaps the most unfortunate aspect of the Paige saga is that other than her backstage shenanigans, she could have found solid footing on RAW. A stronger women’s division means a greater level of competition which would have meant she had to work that much harder to be recognized. Unfortunately for Paige, it appears the WWE is comfortable parting ways and hopefully wishes her the best in future endeavors.
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Now if we can just get them to feel the same way about Eva Marie.