Saraya Addresses Not Being In 2026 WWE Women’s Royal Rumble: “I Wish I Was Part Of It”

Saraya says the decision was not up to her.

Former WWE and AEW Women’s World Champion Saraya a.k.a. Paige began posting videos of herself training in a wrestling ring. She previously stated that she planned to train for a potential in-ring return in the new year.

While guest appearing on Freddie Prinze Jr.’s Wrestling with Freddie podcast, Saraya addressed not being in the 2026 women’s Royal Rumble match. She spoke about the excitement from the public who thought she would be in the match.

“A lot of people were mad that I wasn’t in the (Royal) Rumble, and a lot of people thought I was gonna be number 30 too… I’ve had that much support before but, I thought I had lost all that support, because of all my controversy. But it was just absolutely bonkers. There was thousands of videos across all platforms on just a couple of training videos. It was at 13 million a couple of days ago and now it’s like 18 million. It is just absolutely insane. I cried one day because of it, because I’m just like, ‘I can’t believe people still love me. This is crazy.’ I wish I could be in the Rumble and there was a viral video circulating of the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble, and it was the same year I got told I couldn’t wrestle again and no one knew it at the time, and then fast-forward, I do my retirement speech day after WrestleMania but, no one knew at the time so I wasn’t part of it and I was backstage in Gorilla and I’m really emotional. They have images of me backstage just crying, just being like, ‘This is what I’ve always dreamed of. This is what I wanna be a part of. I hope one day I can be a part of it again…’ It was viral as well, and everyone’s just like hoping that I was gonna be in this Rumble, that I finally get to be a part of that, that I’ve always dreamed of being a part of. So yeah, it was incredible. I wish I was part of it but it’s more to it. WWE has to make that decision. Not me… Everyone obviously wants me to go back.”

Fightful Select reported that Saraya was not approached for a Royal Rumble appearance.

Current NXT commentator Booker T spoke about the idea of Saraya being the new General Manager of NXT. His comments can be read here.

If the quote in this article is used, please credit Wrestling with Freddie with an H/T to Fightful for the transcription.