AEW's Saraya Shares Proof Backing Major Career Announcement
By Jason Hall
November 10, 2022
Recently signed All Elite Wrestling star Saraya provided evidence backing her announcement that she's been cleared for in-ring competition on Wednesday (November 9) night's episode of Dynamite.
Saraya, formerly known as 'Paige' in WWE, shared a document signed by Orthopedic Surgeon Robert Watkins Jr. of Watkins Spine in Marina del Rey, California confirming she was "cleared to wrestle with no restrictions."
The 30-year-old shared several tweets addressing her status after confirming that she was cleared to compete in an in-ring segment opposite former AEW Women's Champion Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., which resulted in her challenging Baker to a match at the upcoming Full Gear pay-per-view and using her finishing move, formerly known as 'RamPaige' in WWE, for the first time on AEW television.
Printed and framed this. pic.twitter.com/xFfsv6WVuN
— SARAYA (@Saraya) November 10, 2022
The news we've been waiting for #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/rod6mUcujF
— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) November 10, 2022
In case there was any doubt, @Saraya is ready 😤 #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/gfNeosLIED
— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) November 10, 2022
"Never thought I would see this day again. Thank you all. Im a wrestler," Saraya tweeted after her Dynamite segment.
Never thought I would see this day again. Thank you all. Im a wrestler 🥹
— SARAYA (@Saraya) November 10, 2022
Last month, Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reports Saraya, 30, who had previously performed under the ring name 'Paige' in WWE, was officially cleared by AEW physician Dr. Michael Sampson.
The former WWE Divas champion suffered multiple neck injuries during her in-ring career, including a December 2017 impact injury that led to her formal retirement in 2018.
Saraya made her surprise AEW debut after the four-way match for the AEW Women's World Championship at the special 'Grand Slam' edition of Dynamite at Arthur Ashe Stadium on September 21.
.@Saraya is HERE at #AEWDynamite Grand Slam and we are LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/bBqrfVUvS6
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 22, 2022
AEW CEO, President, General Manager and Head of Creative Tony Khan confirmed that Saraya had officially signed with the company full-time in a tweet shared shortly after her debut, however, gave no indication that she'd been cleared to wrestle.
Welcome to @AEW! @Saraya is ALL ELITE!
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) September 22, 2022
Thank you to everyone watching #AEWDynamite Grand Slam TONIGHT! pic.twitter.com/8DUePoOsar
Paige was the inaugural NXT Women's champion during her time in the WWE developmental program and among the first female callups to the company's main roster, having defeated then-Divas champion AJ Lee for the title during the night of her RAW debut in 2014.
Saraya is the daughter of English wrestlers Ricky Knight and Julia Hamer-Bevis, who wrestled under the name 'Sweet Saraya,' which included tagging with her daughter, who then wrestled under the name 'Brittani Knight.'
The Knight family was the focus of a British documentary The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family, which was later adapted into the 2019 feature film Fighting with My Family, with actress Florence Pugh portraying Saraya.