Paige revealed that her match for the NXT Women’s Championship against Kelani Jordan was arranged at the very last moment after Triple H approached her during WWE’s stay in Brooklyn. She wasn’t originally slated to compete, but Triple H asked if she could step in on short notice during the double taping for Raw, to which she agreed immediately.
Appearing as Jordan’s surprise opponent on Wednesday’s NXT, Paige ultimately fell short as Jordan successfully defended her title. During an interview with Tommy Dreamer on Busted Open After Dark on SiriusXM, Paige shared that she might have had a better chance if given more preparation time but acknowledged the opportunity to be ready for next time.
Reports from PWInsider indicated Paige was flown to Orlando shortly before the show. Prior to their encounter, Jordan had retained the championship against Wren Sinclair at the Halloween Havoc event on Saturday. Following that, NXT General Manager Robert Stone set up the mystery opponent match, which turned out to be Paige.
Paige, recognized as the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion in 2013, made a notable WWE return at WrestleMania 42 in April, where she captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Brie Bella. This week’s NXT episode aired on Wednesday instead of its usual Tuesday slot due to The CW’s election coverage and went head-to-head with AEW Dynamite: Blood and Guts.
Fan Take: Paige stepping in last minute highlights the unpredictability and excitement that keeps wrestling fans engaged, showcasing the depth of talent ready to rise at a moment’s notice. This could signal a renewed focus on strong, spontaneous matchups in NXT, potentially elevating the brand’s competition and drawing more eyes to women’s wrestling.
Source: wrestlingnews.co
