Why WWE's Paige is Best for Business

 Diva is destined to continue creating history for World Wrestling Entertainment

By Stephan Reed

The Anti-Diva, the Scream Queen, the Raven-Haired, Ivory-Skinned Scrapper – however you know her, Saraya-Jade Bevis is set to climb the ranks and reclaim fame as the WWE Diva's champion. Best known by her in-ring alias Paige, the Norwich, England native has the skills and marketability to thrive as a part of World Wrestling Entertainment for a good time to come. If history tells us anything, her peacock-like personality and addicting on-screen presence will be one fans and producers will long to keep around.

Her Background

Paige started fighting at the age of 13 and was born into a family experienced in wrestling. Her mother, Julia, and father, Ricky, saw the future for their daughter and believed condoning her entering the ring would amount to something great. While most 13-year old girls worry about which boy they want to take to the school dance, she was busy training to beat up girls twice her age.

Her in-ring experience, which will be highlighted in-depth later, speaks volumes to her accomplishments. One thing she has done is capture the interest of the entire wrestling community. She has developed a reputation of being an actual fighter. During her time in NXT, she could be seen grappling, kicking and elbowing. She's scrappy. She's exciting. When watching her compete, it's not like you're watching a separate entity that is the Diva's Division – you're just watching a talented superstar.

While some signature move sets can get boring and cliché (see John Cena's Five Moves of Doom),

others can capture the adrenal glands of a nation. For example, The Rock's People's Elbow build up, the Spinaroonie and the Undertaker's finger across the throat/eyes rolled back number. With the exception of Trish Stratus' finger point, AJ Lee's skip and Lita's Hardy Boyz salute, no diva has created something traditional and beloved like this, but Paige is on that track. Her entrance scream, “This is my house,” the out-of-the-ring knees to the chest, shocking boots to the face and that seductive crawl that leads to multiple headbutts (symbolizing her aesthetic appeal and competitive tenacity) are all moves that are distinctly "Paige."

Fans can call out the Ram-Paige, or the PTO or the Paige Turner. She has three finishers with flair, one of them is an intricate submission hold that displays a tremendous amount of strength and balance. She's not just another pretty face. She's a pretty face on one Hell of a fighter. While she hasn't fallen into the right gimmick yet, her in-ring skill has not diminished – it's only getting better. My hope is that the WWE gives her full reign to tear through the Diva's Division – like she did in NXT.

Investment and Commitment

Paige's career on the main WWE roster kicked off in the best possible way – she defeated the seemingly unstoppable force that is AJ Lee after a 295-day title run. While fans were growing bored with Lee's stale tenure as champ, Paige arrived with a pop and a bang as she hit her slightly unrefined finisher and made history as the youngest WWE Diva champion at the age of 21. She lost the title, gained it back and lost it again since, as she continues her pursuit to don the pink-winged belt once again.

But before this, she spent a great deal of time in WWE development leagues. Superstars don't get to up and enter the ring. No. They work their way up, climbing from the bottom up. Failing at her first tryout, Paige fought forward and landed a FCW contract in 2011. Wading through some mis-hitting gimmicks and sticking it out, she eventually built herself up, as the FCW became the now-popular NXT.

Quickly becoming a fan favourite, the Anti-Diva continued to kick the crap out of this Diva's Division. When her signature raven cry played over the stadium speakers, crowds erupted. This was their Diva's champion. Only one problem – there was no NXT Diva's championship. That is until after a hard fought tournament which eventually pit Paige and real-life friend Emma against each other. Paige defeated her opposition, becoming the first ever NXT Diva's champion – kind of a big deal, especially since Triple H was on hand to congratulate the winner.

Paige successfully held the title against any and all competition for more than 300 days until the higher ups at the WWE forced her to vacate the title because she couldn't carry two titles at once. It wasn't fair. She was too good. She had both titles. That's saying a little bit of something.

The WWE gave Paige a chance and she excelled. But it was more than a chance – a shot at temporary fame. They gave her an opportunity to make her mark on wrestling history. And she did just that. She has built herself up – and the WWE has done their part – so much that seeing her fall, now, seems completely impossible.

She's Different

If there's one thing World Wrestling Entertainment likes more than a talented fighter, it's a superstar with super marketability. If they can create buzz, their success can easily follow. Paige is not only a great grappler, but also a character that sells itself. She's not like the rest. She yells. She screams. She's brutal. People Love that she has shaken up the Diva's Division – they just get tired when they see talented athletes get sent through some bad story lines and their skill gets shadowed. When Paige won the Diva's Championship for the first time … that moment still gives me chills. The crowd was so into it. The WWE struck gold.

One great thing they, the company, have done is let Paige be her 22-year old self on social media. Her

personality spills over from TV into the Internet. It's social media marketing genius. If your favourite celebrity is retweeting pics of you wearing their branded clothing and accessories, you're much more inclined to buy something. It's an invaluable added value. If Paige were to “like” my Instagram post, I would likely cry and fanboy all over the place. That's marketing. She can do things that are free – from her phone – that make people spend money. Her Twitter and Instagram (and sometimes Snapchat) presence is done flawlessly.

Another historically proven characteristic that works in the WWE Diva's Division is “craziness.” Look no further than AJ Lee, Mickie James and Victoria (among others) for proof. Paige has this natural menacing charm that fans – and myself – cannot get enough of. It's like the manic pixie dream girl, but unhinged. It's a perfect combination for a crowd of people liking a flashy and violent sport. The young diva has also improved tenfold on the mic. Whereas she used to only prove herself in the ring, she can now perform with her voice. Her accent is lovely and, once again, sets her apart from any other. It's a signature of hers. And the tone in her content – witty, annoyed, boastful remarks – adds to her likeliness. She plays with announcers and interviewers. She's fun and fierce. What more could the WWE ask for?

And finally, it comes down to how much Paige wants this stardom. She took the gamble, at an early age, and sacrificed teen years to get where she is now. However, she's enjoying it. She's embracing it. Her social posts boasts her having a great time with the other divas. And that's just it – she Loves it and she's willing to do whatever it takes, including joining the cast of Total Divas to ensure more face time with the world.

Paige displays raw emotion in and out of the ring. When she won the championship, those were real

tears. When she lost it, that was true rage. When she won the first ever NXT Diva's Championship, she celebrated with same girls she just beat the crap out of. When she defended the title against Natalya and knew she was headed to the WWE, she thanked the veteran diva for the opportunity. She hugged her and showed deep appreciation for someone who has already been through it all.

That's heart. It's more than just prestige – it's passion. It's Love for the business, the lights, the fans, the dream, the crowds' pop when her theme hits, the stage, the sport – the everything.

Paige wants it, so she will get it.