WrestleMania 42 delivered one of the most shocking moments in recent memory as Paige made a surprise return, stepping in as Nikki Bella’s replacement in the Women’s Tag Team Championship four-way match. The unexpected twist instantly turned heads and added a dramatic edge to the bout.
In a recent appearance on the What’s Your Story? podcast alongside Stephanie McMahon, Paige opened up about how the comeback came together behind the scenes. She revealed that both Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jelly Roll played significant roles in facilitating her return, offering insight into the unexpected forces that helped bring the moment to life.
The Real Story Of Paige’s WWE Return
Paige offered a behind-the-scenes look at her stunning WWE return, revealing how Bunnie XO and Jelly Roll played a key role in setting the wheels in motion.
She shared, “Let me tell you the story of how it came to be, because it involves Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO. One of my best friends is Bunnie—I love that woman so much, we are very, very close. She was doing her book tour, she was doing her live podcast, she was in LA, so she texted me and was like, ‘Can you come on?’ I was like, Absolutely.”
According to Paige, the meeting brought together an unexpected group, including Brad Slater, agent to Dwayne Johnson. It was during that conversation that Jelly Roll encouraged her to step back into the ring, prompting Slater to take action.
Paige revealed, “And I go down there, and it’s Brad Slater, so that’s Dwayne’s agent… Jelly was like, ‘What? When are you gonna bring it back? Give a call to your guy.’ And Brad was like, ‘Do you want to come back?’”
Paige says her path back to WWE at WrestleMania 42 began with an appearance on Bunnie Xo's podcast, which then led to a conversation with Jelly Roll and The Rock's agent Brad Slater, with Slater then calling WWE President Nick Khan:
— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) April 23, 2026
"Let me tell you the story of how it came to… pic.twitter.com/qAJrbn95am
Related: WrestleMania 42 Shocker: Paige Makes Emotional WWE Return After 8-Year Absence
She continued, “And I was like, ‘Yeah, I would love to come back.’ And then he was like, ‘Alright, let me make a call.’ So he calls Nick Khan, and within 30 minutes Nick had said, ‘Sure, let’s get a meeting with her.’”
With that call to Nick Khan, the process moved quickly, and Paige’s return was effectively set in motion, thanks to an unlikely chain of events involving Jelly Roll and The Rock’s agent, Brad Slater.
Paige Breaks Down The Stipulations She Wants For Her Next WWE Chapter
During the podcast, Paige made it clear that she’s eager to dive back into high-stakes rivalries and test herself in some of WWE’s toughest matchups. Now that she’s returned, the former champion is particularly focused on experiencing marquee stipulation bouts she previously missed during her career.
She said, “I do want to finally be able to be in the Royal Rumble… and do the Elimination Chambers and all these stipulation matches”.
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Paige also expressed her excitement about the evolution of WWE’s women’s division in recent years, noting how much the roster has grown in both depth and opportunity. With a renewed sense of purpose, she’s determined to make the most of this second chapter and capitalize on every opportunity that comes her way.
