"At one point, we said, 'F that'" - 2-time WWE Divas Champion explains why she went off script alongside the Bella Twins
WWE's restriction on creative freedom has been criticized by pro wrestlers and even some fans online. According to Saraya (Paige), things once got so bad that she and The Bella Twins once stepped up to those in control.
Since the establishment of the "Internet Wrestling Community," many fans have become aware of creative control and now know when stars are responsible for their handling. Due to this, many wrestlers have come out to explain just how little power they had around their booking.
During her recent interview with Adrian Hernandez, Saraya explained that her early days in WWE were restricted, and women barely had time to tell a story:
"At one point, we said, ‘F that.’ Me, the [Bella] twins, and Emma took a stand at one point and were like, ‘We’re going to take control.’ They had us do a certain amount of time, and then they cut the time. You can’t tell a story. There’s no point. It’s a three-hour show; you can’t give us more than four minutes? It’s ridiculous." (H/T: Fightful).
Paige With Bella Twins ❤️❤️❤️
#NikkiBella #BrieBella #Paige #Saraya https://t.co/0HicWmXBZG
Saraya also noted that they were significant draws in the promotion and that they then decided to waste WWE's time with a brief match to take a stand. Today, the Anti-Diva is regarded as one of the Stamford-based promotion's most prominent former female stars. The Bellas are now Hall of Famers, so their efforts seemed to have paid off.
Have you missed out on last week's AEW Rampage? Catch up with the results right here.
Saraya also recalled how women in WWE had their WrestleMania matches cut
While Saraya has far more creative control in AEW than she ever did in WWE, she recently revealed that Tony Khan turned down her initial offer of debuting as a heel. Since then, it seems that Khan has come around, which has led to the creation of The Outcasts.
Continuing in the same interview, Saraya recalled how many times women lost their "WrestleMania moment" due to men being allowed to go over time.
"I’ve seen girls, they were crying because their WrestleMania moment got taken away and that show is even longer. That’s a whole day event. Now it’s two days, but one day was really long. The girls are the ones who get cut because a guy went over time or someone wanted extra time, and they’re devasted." (H/T: Fightful).
The last time the women’s Royal Rumble winner main evented Wrestlemania was 2021 with Bianca Belair. https://t.co/COsjUtG2aU
The Anti-Diva also noted that this no longer happens today and that she's happy to see women using their voices to stand up to those in control of WWE. AEW's Women's Division will likely undergo many changes, but they at least have Saraya, who prioritizes women in wrestling.