5 Possible storylines WWE can use after the recent Paige leaked photo controversy
Paige’s controversial situation could become the basis of a WWE storyline in the future...
If you haven’t been on the internet over the past 48 hours, news has broken out that Paige had personal photos leaked onto the internet. These photos, as well as an accompanying video, showed her in an intimate situation with one of her co-workers. Ever since they have been leaked, the IWC has, unsurprisingly, erupted.
It’s a dreadful situation to find oneself in. You think that something you keep on your phone or computer is locked away securely, only for someone you either don’t know or might’ve trusted previously to access them and threaten to release as much as possible to the public.
Right now, this issue is being dealt with privately by Paige and her family, but one mustn’t forget for whom Paige works. WWE has long been more than willing to pounce on any high-profile happenings outside their sphere of influence in order to use them for their own gain.
From creating the Warrior Award in memory of the Ultimate Warrior to the ‘Eddiesploitation’ that lasted months and months after Eddie Guerrero passed away, WWE has often sought to weave reality, no matter how controversial, into its storylines.
While Paige’s current situation with WWE remains complex, there is a chance that they might to the same things they did in the past with her. Vince McMahon hasn’t shied away from using controversy to generate interest in his product, and actually, might do the same thing in this case. Sure, it might look bad for him to be using real-life controversy to improve his ratings, but he has done the same before and has gotten away with it.
Even if today’s WWE is far more risk-averse, there’s a chance they could find a way to use these recent developments to create more interesting programming. If that’s what they decide to do, these are the five best suggestions for how they should go about it.
#5 As Punishment For Xavier Woods
New Day member Xavier Woods is believed to have taken part in at least one of the videos involving Paige, which definitely wouldn’t look good on him. The New Day are supposed to be all about positivity, and when they do engage in ‘bad’ activity, its under the guise of hijinks or mischief. Being involved in a private video with one of his co-workers would damage that image and could harm the New Day’s future.
But instead of doing some harm to the group, this could actually be used to revitalize the otherwise directionless New Day. They haven’t really done anything since losing their tag team titles, so a storyline showcasing one of them as doing something contradictory to the group’s mantra could make for a compelling story.
Would Kingston and Big E turn on Woods for his behaviour? Would Kingston, who has spoken publicly about being a father, lambast his ally for his actions? Would it damage the positive role model ideal WWE has been trying to cultivate for Woods for years, ever since the ‘WWE 24’ video showing him wrestling while trying to complete his Ph.D.?
Even if Woods ends up being an innocent party in all of this, it would make for an interesting turn of events for Woods, especially since these events are so contradictory with his on-screen character.