Just this last Friday, Paige announced that she is leaving WWE after her contract expires on Thursday, July 7, 2022.
She has not wrestled since December 2017 due to a neck injury. Following her neck injury, she was made the General Manager of SmackDown. After being removed from as the GM role in December 2018, and then being split from The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane), she was longer regularly appeared on WWE programming.
Her last appearance on WWE TV was during an episode of SmackDown back in March 2020 via Skype.
During a Twitch stream, Paige revealed that WWE has decided to to renew her contract.
“I knew it was coming eventually. Getting the, ‘Hey, can I call you? I’m at SmackDown though.’ I’m like, ‘That leaves no room for negotiation. They’re probably not going to renew it.’ I had a feeling for awhile. I’m appreciative of WWE. They helped me so much, more than just wrestling. They got me a therapist when I was having drinking and alcohol issues. They kept me, even after my neck surgery, just sitting on my ass. I really appreciate that. I feel like I had so much left to give there as someone who can cut a decent promo and do a managerial role. It is what it is,” she said. “I’m not leaving because I want to, they just don’t want to re-sign my contract. I completely understand. There is no hard feelings.”
Paige also said confirmed that she does not have a non-compete clause as her contract would have expired and it’s not a release.
“If you don’t renew the contract then, I don’t think there’s any non-compete clause. That’s not what I was told on the phone. We’re having a normal conversation and it’s like, ‘So, we’re not gonna renew your contract.’ I texted Vince (McMahon), he texted back. Everyone was respectful about it. It’s a bummer. They are keeping the door open, both Vince and Johnny [John Laurinaitis] said they’ll keep the door open, but that’s usually what companies say. I do feel if I ever went back, it would make it more special. If WWE ever asked me to do something, it would be that much more special,” she said. “There’s nothing I can do, I wish I could stay longer. WWE doesn’t want to re-sign me. It’s not my decision. I don’t want anyone to think it’s my decision to walk away.”
Paige did state multiple times that was appreciative of her time in WWE and everything they did for her. She did go on to say that she is not medically cleared. However, she did further note that her neck is healthy and she feels like this is the most health she has been in her whole career, and that she feels like she can complete again, 1000 percent.
She said she that wants to wrestling again, but not as much as she was wrestling before because she was wrestling a lot.
Paige said that she did not like her time being wasted and had thought there would be an opportunity to do something. She said that she was constantly contacting WWE about re-signing and was told re-negotiations would start in January. She did express several times that it was not her decision to leave WWE. She did say that she offered to a voice piece for Ronda Rousey.
Regarding AEW, she said she would go if the money is right [laughs]. She also joked Twitch is her full-time job right now. She did say that she has thought about opening up a wrestling school. She did conclude by saying that she will remain on Twitch as her main form of social communication.
Source: Fightful