Former WWE star Saraya, widely known as Paige during her WWE tenure, recently shared details about her awkward first encounter with Roman Reigns, highlighting an unusual and humorous experience. This revelation centers around her early days in WWE, bringing to light the formative moments both wrestlers shared as rookies navigating the company’s intense environment.
Saraya, who spent over a decade in WWE from 2011 to 2022, has transitioned through various roles ranging from in-ring competitor to General Manager after a serious neck injury halted her wrestling career temporarily. Following her WWE departure, she became a prominent figure in AEW, where she claimed the AEW Women’s World Championship. Meanwhile, Roman Reigns, now one of WWE’s biggest stars, was also beginning his journey in the company around the same time.
The Role Dusty Rhodes Played in Their First WWE Interaction
During a recent appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Saraya revealed that her very first interaction with Roman Reigns took place in a promo class led by the legendary Dusty Rhodes. The class was a challenging environment that required performers to improvise swiftly, a skill essential for those climbing the WWE ladder. Rhodes orchestrated a roleplay scenario by seating Reigns next to Saraya and casting them in a comedic and awkward dynamic.
In this exercise, Reigns was introduced as Saraya’s “ex-boyfriend” who had dumped her and stolen her toaster—an unusual prompt that put Saraya on the spot as they improvised their dialogue. The scenario was part of Rhodes’s method to prepare new talent for live promos and unexpected situations on WWE programming.
Saraya Describes the Challenge and Her Embarrassment
Reflecting on this early challenge, Saraya expressed how intimidating it was to perform such a skit opposite Roman Reigns, describing him as a figure of strength and presence, which heightened her embarrassment. She was barely two weeks into her WWE career when this improv session took place, making it even more daunting. Despite the awkwardness, she credits these promo classes with teaching her adaptability that proved invaluable later in her career.
“Oh, my God. Rest in peace, Dusty. I f*cking loved him so much. But the promo classes were difficult, and you had to learn to adjust on the fly, which I am grateful for. Because I had that experience once I got on the main roster. But we’d have promo classes where we’d have to cut these promos. But then he’d be like, ‘Yeah, it wasn’t good enough. So here’s something you talk about, go.’ And so he goes, ‘Leeake [Roman Reigns] baby, get up, go sit next to Paige.’ So he gets up and sits next to me. And then he was like, ‘Okay, Paige, baby, he’s your ex-boyfriend. He dumped you and stole your toaster.’ So I’m like, Oh, f*ck, what do I say to this guy? I just met him as well. I’ve already been with WWE within two weeks or something, I was already cut these promos. ‘Hello, stranger, I have to pretend you’re my ex-boyfriend who stole my toaster.’ So I just start talking to him, and I’m so embarrassed, because he’s a big, strong guy, he’s f*cking Roman Reigns, dude. He’s like, f*cking Hercules. And like, I’m so sorry. He made me do a bunch of stuff like that. He was like, ‘Okay, Paige, baby, you open a letter, and then he was like, you have to go through all your emotions while reading through this letter.’ Again, I’m getting dumped constantly, apparently, because he’s just like your boyfriend is dumping you. I’m like, f*ck all right. So he was like, ‘You have to go through happy, sad, emotional, angry and stuff.’ So I’m like, okay, but I’m not allowed to say a word either. So you have to do it all through facial expressions. So I’m just like, looking through it, and I think I’m doing a good job. I was so embarrassed.” —Saraya, Former WWE Star
Reflecting on WWE and Future Possibilities
Despite the challenging moments during her WWE training, Saraya expressed gratitude toward the company for her growth and development in the wrestling world. She emphasized the positive role WWE played in shaping her career, even amid difficult experiences.
I love WWE, and I don’t have any negative feelings towards them. I mean, they raised me —Saraya, Former WWE Star
Saraya has indicated the possibility of returning to WWE, with speculation around her appearance at the Evolution event scheduled for July 13. Meanwhile, Roman Reigns is expected to return from his hiatus later this summer at SummerSlam, an event poised to feature major storylines and wrestler returns.
The Broader Impact of Early Career Experiences
Saraya’s story offers an inside glimpse into the early days of two wrestlers who would both rise to prominence in WWE. The humorous yet awkward nature of that toaster-related promo exercise reveals the unpredictability of the training process for WWE talent. It also highlights the influence Dusty Rhodes had in preparing newcomers to think quickly and perform under pressure.
As Saraya considers possible future WWE plans, and Roman Reigns prepares for his comeback, this shared history signifies the beginnings of paths that would later lead to significant success in professional wrestling. Their first encounter, though embarrassing for Saraya, stands as a memorable moment that helped forge their skills as performers in the industry’s demanding environment.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Roman Reigns’ illness?
A. After he came back, WWE released a documentary about one of their top stars. It was disclosed that Reigns had been living with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a type of blood cancer that can be managed but not cured, for more than ten years.
