10 Things We Learned From WWE 24: Empowered

9. Absolute Truths

AJ Lee Kaitlyn
WWE

An altogether more gentle glimpse of personal triumphs and setbacks, Absolution's trio of talents were profiled as Paige's potential retirement fed into her aiding of longtime companions Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville on to the main roster just a month before the first ever Women's Royal Rumble (and eventually just two before the inaugural all-female Eliimination Chamber too).

Breaking into WWE via Tough Enough, their journey wasn't the easiest nor was it particularly challenging or relatable to countless fans or weekend warriors assuming only a lifetime of gritty graft will get you that gig.

That was certainly a more accurate reflection of Paige's time in the industry before making it to WWE. Her lifetime of experience was both a blessing and a curse for her as she attempted to navigate the main roster at such a young age, with a recent injury threatening to rule her out of action permanently before her 26th birthday.

She couldn't hold back tears for trying as she finally confronted not being able to enter the historic show-closing clash, but was admirably respectful of her protégés as they prepared to make their own giant leaps forward.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett