• Paige Reveals What Edge Told Her Before Her Retirement Speech
During a recent appearance on E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness podcast, SmackDown Live General Manager Paige talked about what Edge told her before her retirement speech, backstage reaction after her speech and when WWE told her about her new role as SmackDown Live General Manager.
Below are the highlights:
On what Edge told her before her retirement speech:
“I had to actually go home back to England for like 8 or 9 days to get my Visa fixed, so I literally didn’t do any work, I was just with my family. It was definitely the best for me. It gave me a minute to figure out what just happened and allow it to sink in, but I feel good about it surprisingly.
I remember you [Edge] telling me that after I were to finish with my promo I would have this huge weight lifted off of my shoulders, and that it would be great closure, and then to be announced as the [SmackDown Live] general manager the next day, it’s kind of like winning the lottery for me. It’s a different role and I love it. I absolutely love it. I get to be a boss. I’m a woman that gets to be a boss.”
On backstage reaction after her speech:
“Then I came back into the curtain and people were crying, and I was like, you guys are making this so much worse. I said to myself that I got this, and that I am good, but then I went to the back and Stephanie [McMahon] grabbed me and hugged me for the longest time, which was lovely, and then Vince [McMahon] and Hunter [Triple H]. I felt like I died or something, like, ‘Oh, she was such a good person.’ I was like, ‘Guys, I didn’t die! I’m still here!'”
On when WWE told her about her new role as SmackDown Live General Manager:
“It’s all secrecy. They didn’t want it to spoil it. They didn’t even tell me. They told me that I was going to SmackDown Live the next night. I had asked why, but they didn’t tell me. At that point, I had been touring a lot. Did a lot for WrestleMania week, so I was exhausted physically and mentally where I just wanted to go home so I was curious as to what was going on. I got to SmackDown the next day, Road Dogg, along with my writing team surround me and I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, am I about to be beat up. Do I owe you money?’ It was then they told me I was going to be the SmackDown general manager, but don’t tell anyone.
We don’t even have the script yet. I go through this thing where when I do something big I tend to lose my voice. When I re-debuted I lost my voice. When I did commentary at WrestleMania I lost my voice, it’s like, oh my God. What is wrong with me? Fix your voice! They told me that they had to check my voice because today was a very big day. By then I had already drank a bunch of tea and cough drops. Once I got out there the crowd was great, and received a bigger reception than my retirement speech the night previous. I was like, ‘Wow, this is super cool. You still want me around.'”
• Reason Behind Role Of Bobby Lashley’s Sisters Being Played By Men On RAW, Identity Of Lashley’s “Sisters” Revealed
As seen on this week’s RAW, Sami Zayn brought out Bobby Lashley’s sisters and the role of the sisters were played by men.
This began speculation that this segment had something to do with transgender people (and WWE is already trying to promote their product among LGBT audience with Finn Balor).
However, that’s not the case.
Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer noted that the segment had nothing to do with transgender people. WWE officials just wanted Lashley to beat up the “sisters” and they wouldn’t allow Lashley to beat up real women, so the role of his “sisters” were played by some male indy wrestlers.
You can watch the segment below:
Speaking of this segment, the role of Lashley’s “sister” named Francis was played by Max Caster (of Grims’ GTS Wrestling show). One of the other two sisters was played by Victor Andrews (who has worked in NXT before as Lars Sullivan’s tag team partner).
