WWE did attempt to bring back Saraya (Paige) before she became All Elite.
Saraya had been on the sidelines for the better part of the last five years while working for WWE. However, there was more to the situation between the former Divas Champion and the company.
Fightful Select reported today that some confusing messages were sent regarding her physical status, ability to wrestle, and the way things went down.
Per the report, Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis chose not to renew her deal when it expired. When Saraya went public with the news with her statement, it was when she was informed. Saraya’s WWE deal was “surprisingly low, and much of her outside projects were restricted to some degree.”
Fightful was told Saraya was offered the General Manager position by the new WWE regime a month before her deal not being renewed, which is a role she had years ago on SmackDown. The higher-ups also mentioned that they would make that happen if she ever wanted to return to the ring and wrestle.
As previously reported, Saraya stated last week that she never spoke with WWE about wrestling again.
The report stated, “there’s a lot of conjecture and rumors about WWE getting Saraya numerous doctors to get her cleared, but we’re told that’s not true — to the extent that WWE didn’t have her checked at all for a return to the ring.”
Saraya went through three extensive health checks to gain clearance for an in-ring return herself. Vince McMahon’s regime wasn’t interested in bringing her back prior to the change of creative and wouldn’t sign off on having X-Rays done to get her examined. It was described as a case that was closed by the regime.
However, Triple H’s new regime did try to get Saraya back. The two sides have a positive relationship, and Triple H was reportedly shocked that the previous regime didn’t renew her deal.
Fightful learned this was a situation where “the freedom to do outside projects without giving up a cut and other deal terms led her to signing with AEW.”