Triple H addressed the return of Paige to WWE at WrestleMania 42 with a “welcome home” message and photo alongside the star.
Night 1 of WrestleMania 42 not only saw Paige return to WWE, but also capture the Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Brie Bella, having replaced Nikki Bella who wasn’t cleared to compete.
Last seen in WWE back in June 2022, Paige’s return had been reported ahead of WrestleMania 42, with the former AEW star being seen during rehearsals at Allegiant Stadium.
Now back in the fold, Triple H tweeted a photo of the returning star, alongside The Bella Twins, with a simple message reading:
“Welcome home. #AndNew”
A former WWE Diva’s Champion, Paige would be forced to retire from in-ring action in December 2017, going on to become the SmackDown general manager, among other roles, before parting ways with the company in 2022 and heading to AEW later that year.
Able to make an in-ring return in AEW, she would go on to hold the Women’s World Championship before eventually going on hiatus after WrestleDream in October 2024, leaving the company in March the following year.
A New Future For Paige
Describing herself as “a WWE girl forever” in comments made after her return at WrestleMania 42, this is very much a new era for Paige, who joins the company with a plethora of new faces among the former rivals.
With fans no doubt eager to see Paige and AJ Lee cross paths once again, it looks like that may be off the cards for the foreseeable future, with the now former WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion suggesting she is taking a hiatus of her own.
Indeed, looking at the landscape of the WWE women’s roster right now, last night’s Fatal 4-Way tag team match also featured someone with a close relationship to Paige, in the form of Charlotte Flair, being two-thirds of Team PCB, alongside Becky Lynch, who would be the one to defeat the aforementioned AJ Lee.
While we’re unlikely to see a reunion between Paige, Charlotte and Becky Lynch in the near future, the possibility of Flair and Alexa Bliss going after the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions is highly likely.
Beyond restarting old rivalries, there’s plenty of opportunity for stars, of which Paige is unfamiliar, to step up to challenge the champions. Additions to the women’s roster are likely, particularly with AJ Lee’s comments and Nikki Bella sidelined through injury, specifically in a post-WrestleMania 42 environment and the potential of main roster call-ups.
