What Happened to Saraya-Jade Bevis?
Saraya-Jade Bevis, known professionally as Paige in WWE and Saraya in AEW, is an English professional wrestler and actress whose career has been marked by groundbreaking achievements, career-threatening injuries, and remarkable comebacks. After an initial retirement from in-ring competition in WWE in 2018 due to a neck injury, she transitioned to a non-wrestling role before departing in 2022. She then made a successful in-ring return in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) from 2022 to 2025, even winning the AEW Women's World Championship, before returning to WWE as an active competitor in April 2026, where she currently holds the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship.
Quick Answer
Saraya-Jade Bevis, known as Paige in WWE and Saraya in AEW, is an English professional wrestler who has experienced a career full of highs and lows. After being forced to retire from in-ring competition in WWE in 2018 due to a severe neck injury, she served in various non-wrestling roles before her contract expired in 2022. She then made a highly anticipated return to the ring in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in September 2022, where she became the AEW Women's World Champion. Following her departure from AEW in March 2025, Bevis made a surprising return to WWE as an active in-ring competitor at WrestleMania 42 in April 2026, where she is currently one-half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions with Brie Bella.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline16 events
Professional Wrestling Debut
Saraya-Jade Bevis makes her professional wrestling debut at age 13 under the ring name Britani Knight for her family's World Association of Wrestling (WAW) promotion in England.
Signs with WWE
After successful tryouts, Bevis signs a contract with WWE and is assigned to its developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), later rebranded as NXT.
Inaugural NXT Women's Champion
Competing as Paige, she wins a tournament to become the first-ever NXT Women's Champion.
WWE Divas Champion on Main Roster Debut
Paige makes her surprise main roster debut on Raw, defeating AJ Lee to become the youngest WWE Divas Champion at 21, holding both the NXT Women's and Divas titles concurrently.
Career-Ending Neck Injury
Paige suffers a severe neck injury during a WWE live event, which doctors later determine will prevent her from wrestling again.
Announces In-Ring Retirement
Paige officially announces her retirement from in-ring competition on Monday Night Raw due to her neck injury.
Appointed SmackDown General Manager
The day after her retirement, Shane McMahon announces Paige as the new General Manager of SmackDown.
Film 'Fighting with My Family' Released
The biographical sports comedy-drama film 'Fighting with My Family,' based on her life and family, is released to critical acclaim.
Departs WWE
Paige's contract with WWE expires, and the company does not renew it, ending her nearly 11-year tenure.
Debuts in AEW as Saraya
Saraya-Jade Bevis makes a surprise debut in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) at Dynamite: Grand Slam, using her real name, Saraya.
Wins AEW Women's World Championship
Saraya defeats Britt Baker, Toni Storm, and Hikaru Shida in a four-way match at AEW All In in London to win the AEW Women's World Championship.
Last AEW Match
Saraya's final match in AEW takes place on an episode of Dynamite in a four-way match against Jamie Hayter, Nyla Rose, and Willow Nightingale.
Departs AEW
Saraya announces her departure from AEW, following the expiration of her contract in September 2025.
Begins In-Ring Training for Potential Return
After taking a break from wrestling, Saraya expresses a renewed passion for the sport and begins training for a potential in-ring return.
Memoir 'Hell in Boots' Paperback Release
Saraya's memoir, 'Hell in Boots: Clawing My Way Through Nine Lives,' is released in paperback.
Returns to WWE as Paige, Wins Tag Team Championship
Saraya-Jade Bevis makes a surprising return to WWE as Paige at WrestleMania 42, replacing an injured Nikki Bella, and wins the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship with Brie Bella.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Saraya-Jade Bevis began her professional wrestling career at a young age, debuting in her family's World Association of Wrestling (WAW) promotion in England in 2005 under the name Britani Knight. Her unique 'Anti-Diva' persona and in-ring talent quickly garnered attention, leading to her signing with WWE in 2011. After a stint in developmental territories, she became the inaugural NXT Women's Champion in 2013.
Her main roster debut in April 2014 was historic, as she defeated AJ Lee to become the youngest WWE Divas Champion at 21 years old, simultaneously holding both the NXT Women's and Divas Championships. Paige continued to be a prominent figure in WWE's women's division, but her career was significantly impacted by neck injuries. After undergoing neck surgery in October 2016, she made a brief return in late 2017, forming the stable Absolution. However, another neck injury in December 2017 ultimately forced her to retire from in-ring competition on April 9, 2018.
Despite her retirement, WWE kept Bevis on in various non-wrestling capacities, including as the General Manager of SmackDown from April 2018 and later as a manager for The Kabuki Warriors. Her life story was also adapted into the critically acclaimed 2019 film 'Fighting with My Family,' produced by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Her contract with WWE was not renewed, and she officially departed the company in July 2022.
In September 2022, Bevis made a shocking debut in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under her real name, Saraya, at Dynamite: Grand Slam. After being medically cleared, she made her in-ring return at Full Gear 2022, her first match in five years. She went on to win the AEW Women's World Championship at All In in London in August 2023. Saraya's contract with AEW expired in September 2025, and she announced her departure from the company in March 2025, with her last match taking place in October 2024.
After taking a break to focus on other ventures, including her memoir 'Hell in Boots' (released in paperback in March 2026) and a podcast, Saraya expressed a renewed passion for wrestling and began training again in January 2026. This led to an unexpected return to WWE as Paige at WrestleMania 42 in April 2026, where she replaced an injured Nikki Bella and became one-half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions with Brie Bella. As of May 2026, she remains an active in-ring performer and a champion in WWE.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Saraya-Jade Bevis made different choices?