Sports

Ex-WWE star Saraya, formerly Paige, debuts in AEW


Saraya

Saraya
Screenshots: AEW

No…not that. While it’s a good movie, if the movie is a WWE propaganda move. We will return to this issue.

It’s a rare thing that after an AEW show, the women’s division makes the biggest splash. It’s even rarer after a major AEW show, which is certainly the most Grand Slam, as it’s probably their biggest non-PPV show on the calendar. In fact, you would hardly think it ever happened. The only opponent left is the first match between Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa, which took place during the pandemic and now the rearview mirror is getting a bit small. Perhaps you could argue the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding Rosa, but of course, that was overshadowed by the guys’ behind-the-scenes drama.

But that’s about it. Like all other failures in AEW’s handling of the women’s department, the lack of ability to generate any lightning or magnetism, or desire, may be the biggest one. Because all the other problems are a lot easier to solve when people really want to see what happens next. AEW rarely provides “happens” or “next” information.

That is not the case now.

The biggest story of last night’s Grand Slam was the return of Saraya (Paige in WWE). Saraya is an achievement that the AEW women’s team has never had. Ruby Soho was a favorite when she arrived, but in “New York unused talent” fashion. She was never a champion in NXT or WWE. Athena is also in the same mold, although she held the NXT title for a while. Toni Storm, similar case. Undoubtedly talented, all can build the women’s division in AEW around them with a little time, a little patience, and a little work. But those are three things that Tony Khan never proved he would be for women.

Saraya is as plug and play as it gets…at least we hope so. Because the big matzo ball hanging out there, and one of the big reasons her appearance last night was so surprising, it’s her neck. There was a time when it wasn’t supposed to be much more stable than jack cheese. And still no one is really sure, except we assume (hopefully?) Saraya herself, Khan, and any other doctor who ever looked at it. She will definitely return as a wrestler. In the past, she has repeatedly said that’s what she wants to do, and here we are. It may result in fans watching her first few games through their fingers, but that’s no different than fans have done with Bryan Danielson, Edge or Christian Cage. And she was significantly younger than any of them when they came back from injury.

Saraya has a pedigree second to none on AEW’s list of women, and honestly, there are few men who can be as demanding as she can be. Because they didn’t really turn the industry upside down, which Saraya (then Paige) did. Most fans will tell you the women’s revolution in WWE and NXT begins with Saraya of the match against Emma in NXT, showing everyone what women in the department can do. The Four Horsewomen came later. Those four might have opened the way, but the opening was created by Saraya.

She made that into the main roster, famously winning the women’s title the night after WrestleMania in New Orleans in her first WWE match. She is still considered the key point for WWE to value the female division as the male division. After all, she comes from a family of wrestlers. You may have heard about it. A year later, Sasha, Becky, and Charlotte have been promoted, and you know the rest.

Adding to the depth and feeling of Saraya back is that she never reaches the heights like Sasha or Charlotte or Becky have, and a lot of that depends on her. There is a redemption story where AEW doesn’t have to do anything and can happen. Before her retirement, Saraya’s story was a messy one, with drug and alcohol abuse, abusive boyfriends (possibly still something of a problem), leaked sex tapes and a shaky commitment to the business. It’s hard to believe she’s still only 30 with how much she’s contributed, both good and bad, to her career.

And AEW is certainly not afraid of the redemption arc. Look no further than current champ Jon Moxley, who had the best year of his career fresh out of rehab because of a drinking problem. Saraya’s return to the ring physically only is a story in itself. Pile everything else on top and it couldn’t have been easier to get fans on her side (this loud pop music when she showed up last night, they were already there).

Saraya has that connection with fans because unlike most female wrestlers at the time of her ascent, she didn’t feel built from anything else. She is a real wrestler, raised in it, loved it, not imported from elsewhere and made up. Everything has happened since then, and now she hopes to overcome it all, only to make her more human. It’s someone you can build a department around.

All AEW has to do is want. What the women’s division really needs is storylines that aren’t just a title match – and they very rarely get them. Since the first match between Rosa and Baker, any women’s feud not around the title is vital. While Saraya shouldn’t be used to rip off Storm, the current champion, she certainly provides a second line of storytelling as she restarts her career and can spend time with the others. like Storm or Athena or anyone else to really portray their personalities.

There are countless possibilities here, including Saraya’s hard-to-miss ability that ended up creating the permanent rift between Jamie Hayter and Baker that should have been. It would be a boon if Saraya was a purely on-mic ace, which she isn’t quite. But her star power will mask much if not all of what she lacks, which perhaps no other woman on the AEW roster can say. Fans will enjoy having Saraya on screen no matter what, she’s just magnetic.

This is hardly the first time fans have hoped that a new dawn would come to the female division. And it never happened. But they really haven’t had someone like Saraya to work with before. And the room may be being opened. For weeks there were rumors that AEW will have another show on television. It could be the long-awaited Ring of Honor show, which will free up full TV time on Dynamite and Rampage. It could be a program for women, as was whispered. However, it works, there is a loophole here.

It’s not very difficult. All it takes is to simply take Saraya out there regularly. If she is like before, she will do the rest.





Source link

news7f

News7F: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button