Paige has shared the details behind her unexpected return to WWE at WrestleMania 42, describing the chaos that ensued when plans for her appearance were leaked to the public.
Amid heavy speculation regarding Nikki Bella’s availability for the April 18-19 event, reports from PWInsider on April 17 suggested that Paige had signed a new contract and had been seen participating in rehearsals for the Women’s Tag Team Championship four-way match.
The speculation proved correct when Paige was officially revealed as Nikki Bella’s replacement on April 18, leading to a successful championship run alongside Brie Bella.
During an appearance on the Nikki & Brie Show, Paige recounted the moment Triple H reached out to pitch the return.
Reflecting on the frustration caused by the leaked information, Paige noted:
“It was crazy because it was Triple H calling me. We were already in talks about potentially doing something, but it was very last minute when they asked, ‘Can you come to Mania and take Nikki’s place?’ and I said, ‘Uh, sure.’”
“The timing was strange in the best way. It was the Monday before Mania, and I was going to be in Vegas anyway for my podcast and signings, so I didn’t think it would look too out of place if I were around.”
“Everyone was starting to guess. People were saying, ‘Oh, Nikki’s hurt. The only person who could replace her is Paige, right?’”
“The day of Mania, I was originally scheduled for a signing, but they pulled it at the last second so I could go to Mania. I realized that canceling the signing would give it away. It was so frustrating because the plans leaked the day before. It felt like we couldn’t have any surprises anymore.”
“We just decided to make the most of it, even though people were already suspecting I’d be there. But the reaction was incredible; I still get chills thinking about it.”
Paige and Brie Bella’s reign as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions eventually concluded when Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid of Fatal Influence captured the titles at Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 18.
