Last Night's WWE Raw - Why A Zombie Themed Photoshoot Caused Paige Return Speculation
A big case of mistaken identity prior to last night's Raw.
Speculation that Paige was set to return make her WWE return on last night's episode of Raw ran wild yesterday. The rumours persisted for most of the afternoon, but the former Divas Champion's comeback didn't materialise, and the show finished without her first WWE appearance in over 13 months.
Talk of Paige's return began when WWE posted a Snapchat video with Charly Caruso earlier in the day. The footage featured a pale woman standing up and walking away in the background, with several fans pointing out her resemblance to Paige:-
A reasonable assumption to make, given the poor lighting conditions and the woman's pale complexion/dark hair combination. They'd be wrong, however: this wasn't Paige, but Sasha Banks clad in makeup for a zombie-themed photoshoot at Raw.
WWE later confirmed Sasha's participation in the shoot by posting a teaser later in the day:-
Paige hasn't appeared on WWE television since June 2016. A combination of injuries, two Wellness Policy violations, and controversies outside the ring have kept her away from the company, though she underwent successful neck surgery last October. There's currently no official timetable for her return to the company, if she even returns at all.