8 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Dec 18)

2. Paige Not Here

Paige Sad
wwe.com

In that opening segment, it was revealed by Shane McMahon that Paige is no longer the General Manager of SmackDown, despite, in kayfabe, promoting an acclaimed television show and doing what Stephanie McMahon claims to have done without screeching unadulterated horsesh*t in our ears: Paige, in spearheading the SmackDown Women’s division, has in storylines managed a scene all the way to the WrestleMania 35 main event.

Maybe that’s what did her in.

Paige, who remains on the books in an as-yet-undetermined role, will be much-missed. If we must endure the authority figure trope—and we must—she was virtually the perfect choice for it. Benevolent and passionate, Paige existed on the periphery to make matches based on Superstar rank and fan sentiment. Proving a great, no-bullsh*t counterpart to the likes of The Miz, just one of several acts with whom she shared a winning chemistry, Paige enthusiastically oversaw the show without being overbearing about it—and without making the babyfaces look like dweebs under the broadest, most damaging means of squeezing out a sh*tty narrative.

And now she’s gone.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!