Amongst a roster full of talented WWE Divas, there is one that stands out amongst the rest — Paige.
The spunky English 22-year-old set the WWE Universe on fire the past year with some pretty iconic accomplishments. Winning the NXT Women’s championship and becoming the youngest WWE Divas champion in WWE history, appearing on the hit reality show Total Divas, and her feud with AJ Lee have helped cement her position as one of the top stars.
Paige is seeking her third reign as Divas Champion this Sunday at WWE Fast Lane when she takes on Nikki Bella.
With her eyes on the prize, the charismatic diva chatted with me about her crazy year and even her crazy fans.
The fans
CraveOnline: You’re very fan friendly and have some rather interesting fans. What is the craziest fan interaction you have experienced thus far?
Paige: I get the weirdest comments on Instagram. They wonder why I don’t write back. It’s either very, very sexual, like, I’ll post a picture and they will post anything sexual about me and I don’t get it [laughs]. People will come up to me and ask me about my shoes and if they can see my feet [laughs]. You know, that kind of thing. We’re kind of used to, all of us Divas, and we’re just like “Aw another day”. I think someone asked if they could shave my legs for me [laughs].
CraveOnline: You have an interesting real name, how was the name ‘Paige’ chosen and were there any other candidates?
Paige: Yeah, there actually was. So when you first get to, it was FCW back then, you give them a list of names of what you want and they bring it down to maybe they will choose it or they will give you like three. They only choose one of my names and that was Paige and they gave me two others. It was Echo and [laughing] I said “No”. Then there was Mara, from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [Rooney Mara]. So that was the one that stood out to me.
Youngest champion ever
CraveOnline: You have an opportunity at WWE Fast Lane to tie AJ Lee and Eve Torres for most title reigns as Divas champion. You’re already the youngest champion ever. Are there any other records you’re after?
Paige: Of course! I want to be the one that holds it the longest. I want to be the one with multiple title reigns. I want to try and have the championship going into WrestleMania. That would absolutely be a dream come true. That would be an end to a great year.
Vs. Nikki Bella
CraveOnline: What can the WWE Universe expect from your match with Nikki Bella this Sunday?
Paige: She is an awesome competitor. I’m very excited to face up against her. I know, hopefully, we’re going to get to tear the house down. It is going to be a good competitive match. You’re going to see some surprises and crazy stuff. I can’t really tell you much about it but tune in and watch cause its going to be great, I promise.
CraveOnline: Any chance you wear that crazy looking dress that you wore this past week on RAW?
Paige: [Laughs] If the fans want me to wear a dress, I’ll wear a dress.
Total Divas
CraveOnline: You’re the new blood on Total Divas, how has your experience been so far? Is it fun or exhausting?
Paige: It’s fun. I’m tired but I can’t really complain. I didn’t want to do it at first because I’m not one to really put my personal life out there. I like to keep my personal life my personal life so at first it was kind of strange to do it but then it is kind of like therapy [laughs]. All of the girls have been great but I feel like I corrupted a lot of them [laughs].
CraveOnline: Being from the UK, did the other Divas have any misconceptions about you?
Paige: It was more like, no misconception because I’m a British girl but more because I come from the independent scene of wrestling. They were kind of thinking that I would come in like my crap doesn’t stink [laughs], basically. I come in like “Ugh. Divas. These girls will be like Barbie’s and so snobby.” But it was actually easy. We definitely misjudged each other. We got along pretty fine.
CraveOnline: You won the Divas Championship in your debut on the main roster. How surreal was that for you and how pissed off was everyone else?
Paige: I get asked that question a lot. It was surreal because my dream was to become a Divas champion one day, right? So to debut and do it on my first day, Is this real? I couldn’t believe it. I’ve been up there for nearly a year and it was absolutely incredible. Honestly, the girls just because they have been working their butts off all year round and working their butts off for years, they’re going to be like “Who’s this new chick? What the hell? We do all this and she comes in on her first day and wins?” Most of the girls were great.
On the road
CraveOnline: You’re on the road non-stop, driving from town to town, what is in the Paige ‘survival kit?’
Paige: First of all I will need money because you don’t want to be stranded with no money but I have to have my eyeliner. It is really weird [laughs]. My eyeliner and my concealer and that’s it. I need that stuff. I don’t go anywhere without it….and obviously, my wrestling gear.
Bring on Ronda
CraveOnline: If you could wrestle any celebrity, who would it be?
Paige: Oh my gosh! I’d probably end up getting my butt kicked but probably Ronda Rousey because she’s cool…and Kim Kardashian [laughs].
CraveOnline: We’ve heard of ‘Paul Heyman Guys.’ Is there any chance you could be a ‘Paul Heyman Girl’?
Paige: I would love that! I’m always going up to Paul and being like “C’mon, Paul. Make me one of your girls. I’ll be the first ‘Paul Heyman Girl’ but hopefully, one day. I would absolutely love it!
CraveOnline: Recently the Bella twins expressed their desire to get longer matches like the NXT women’s division. Do you have any comments on that?
Paige: I wish that too. The girls do get longer time so they can really showcase what they can do. I’m so appreciative that we get the time that we do anyway on TV. Me and Nikki [Bella] did a Main Event match and it was literally 13-14 minutes and it was one of my best matches I’ve had. We got to showcase everything and it got such great feedback. I was thinking “Wow!” and we were trending worldwide for hours. People loved it and thought it was the best match of Main Event so it kind of shows that girls can do it.
What’s next?
CraveOnline: What can the WWE Universe expect from Paige this WrestleMania season?
Paige: I’m going to try and continue to make some history. I’m going to try and get my Divas championship back and become the longest reigning diva champ. Hopefully, one day I want to make this big goal and be in the WWE Hall of Fame one day.
CraveOnline: Will you say the most ‘British thing’ ever to us?
Paige: [Laughs] I would say “Do you want some tea and some crumpets?” That’s what all Americans say to me, by the way [laughs]. Not everyone likes tea and crumpets or fish and chips, okay? That’s not all we live on over there. I need to set that record straight.
Joshua Caudill is a writer for CraveOnline Sports, a surfing enthusiast, an unhealthy sports fanatic, and an expert on all things Patrick Swayze. You can follow him on Twitter @JoshuaCaudill85 or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
