SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Paige’s in-ring career with WWE is over, as first reported by PWInsider this afternoon and since confirmed independently by PWTorch. Sources tell PWTorch that, due to her latest neck injury, she was told she will not be cleared to wrestle again for WWE.
Paige, real name Saraya-Jade Bevis, is just 25 years old. She had neck surgery in October 2016.
At a house show a couple weeks ago, she was kicked in the back by Sasha Banks and went down and didn’t get up. The match was stopped and she was helped from the ring.
Paige is currently the no. 4 Twitter trend in the United States.
Keller’s Analysis: This is sad news for Paige, but congratulations to WWE for being cautious here. At 25 years old, she has to make a decision other athletes have to make during their athletic primes to retire early and opt for quality of life afterward well past what would have been her active in-ring years. She could, perhaps, choose to wrestle outside of WWE if she disagrees with WWE’s medical team’s opinion. She is such a strong personality with a connection with fans that she could become a manager of a faction or even do color commentary full time. Corey Graves had to retire early due to concussions, and he has turned into WWE’s top color commentator.
Corey Graves is not a good commentator. The worse thing on raw at the moment. Keep reporting the news PW but your commentary is way out of touch.
So you despite that he is one of the top commentators on WWE programming? Regardless of if you see him as good enough, if you are commentating on Raw, Smackdown and PPVs then you’re one of the top guys. Wade said nothing about talent.
You don’t have to read Keller’s Take if you don’t want to, Bran.
I’m going to agree with Wade on this one- Corey Graves is an amazing color commentator. He’s easily the best to do it since the King sat next to JR. I’m trying to figure out how you manage to only mute Booker T out of the broadcast though, Bran, because he’s surely the worst to sit in that seat for a long while.
That’s a really tough break for Paige, though. She’s been a highlight of RAW lately, alongside Sonya and Mandy. If it’s safe for her to do so, and she has the desire, hopefully we’ll see her in a ring again somewhere when she’s healthy. If not, hopefully she’ll pop up in another capacity to do with wrestling.
One other thought- having seen the video where Paige was injured, it really seems as if Sasha needs to reign it in a bit in the ring. She looked to kick Paige in the back HARD. I’m not suggesting it was malicious, because she clearly seemed to be concerned afterward about Paige, but it still seemed unnecessary to go that hard when someone’s back is turned.
Dispute not despite….
I think some of Corey’s problem [and NO he isn’t a great commentator lately] is that WWE Creative is feeding him too much crap to say. The Kurt Angle mystery, the constant Byron bashing and Booker bashing [when you add in the old Coach bashing it sometimes seems Vince has a problem with black men]… anyways, Corey left to his own devices is great, I just wish creative would stop writing for him.