A Surprise Return at Allegiant Stadium
The kickoff of WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas delivered an immediate shocker as Paige made her long-awaited return to the WWE. When Nicki Bella was sidelined due to an injury, her sister, Brie Bella, reached out to the former WWE Diva’s Champion to fill the spot in the Fatal-4-Way Women's Tag Team Championship match. The high-stakes bout featured formidable competitors, including The Irresistible Forces, the team of Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and the duo of Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss.
Paige’s Journey Back to the Squared Circle
Known to global audiences as the subject of the 2019 biopic Fighting with My Family, Paige’s appearance marked her first time competing in a WWE ring in eight years. Following her departure from active WWE competition, she spent time in AEW, where she achieved success as their World Champion. Before her official return to the roster, her final WWE stint in 2022 was limited to a General Manager position, as ongoing neck complications had prevented her from wrestling.
Match Chaos and Championship Glory
The championship encounter lived up to the frenetic pace typical of multi-person WrestleMania matches. The story of the bout centered on Paige’s momentum. Upon entering the fray, the returning star quickly neutralized her opponents, executing a powerful Fisherman’s Suplex on Bayley and a crisp sequence against Valkyria that transitioned into her signature finisher, the Paige Turner. While Bayley halted that pin attempt, the action remained intense.
As the match neared its conclusion, Lash Legend attempted to secure a win with a Lash Extension on Valkyria, only to be interrupted by Paige and Charlotte Flair. After a brief, intense staredown between the two veterans, Flair managed to ground Paige with a Natural Selection.
In the final moments, as Alexa Bliss prepared to finish the match with her Twisted Bliss maneuver, a distraction from ringside by Nicki Bella left her vulnerable. Paige capitalized on the lapse, positioning herself to intercept with raised knees before delivering the Ram-Paige to secure the pinfall. This victory cemented a fairy-tale ending to her return, with Paige walking away as a new champion.