Paige’s return to WWE NXT has quickly created discussion both inside the women’s division and among fans online. The former NXT Women’s Champion wrestled on the brand for the first time in 12 years when she was revealed as Kelani Jordan’s mystery challenger, and the appearance has now led to a public exchange with Blake Monroe.
Jordan retained the NXT Women’s Championship against Paige, escaping with a roll-up in a closely contested match. While Paige came up short in her challenge, the return carried major significance given her history with the brand. Paige was the first woman to hold the NXT Women’s Championship, making her latest appearance a notable full-circle moment even without the title changing hands.
Not everyone was impressed by the moment, however. Monroe took to social media and dismissed Paige’s comeback as a “nostalgia tour.” Paige did not let the comment pass without a response, firing back at her fellow English wrestler and challenging Monroe to match the reaction Paige received from the NXT audience.
View the referenced post on X
“You could only hope to be a ‘nostalgia’ queen one day. Come back to me when you finally get pop walking out to the crowd bb because as of right now.. I’m not impressed and nor is the crowd.”
For more background on this topic, read Royce Keys Picks Mark Henry as His Dream 946 Addition.
The exchange adds a new wrinkle to Paige’s return to WWE programming. Paige and Monroe have not yet gone face-to-face in WWE, but there is already established history between the two from their time in AEW. That past rivalry gives the online comments more weight than a routine social-media disagreement between two wrestlers from the same division.
Paige Returns to the Brand Where Her WWE Legacy Began
Paige’s appearance against Jordan marked her first NXT match in more than a decade. As the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion, Paige occupies an important place in the brand’s history. Her original reign helped establish the championship during NXT’s formative years and positioned her as one of the defining names of that era.
That history made her reveal as Jordan’s mystery opponent especially meaningful. Jordan is in her first reign as NXT Women’s Champion, while Paige entered the match as a former champion whose connection to the title predates every other woman to have held it. The matchup presented a contrast between the current face of the division and one of the names most closely associated with its early identity.
Jordan ultimately retained by rolling Paige up for the victory. The finish allowed the champion to keep her first reign intact while also keeping Paige protected in defeat. Paige narrowly losing to a surprise pinfall leaves room for her to argue that the match did not provide a decisive answer as to who the better wrestler was.
After the match, Paige revealed that she had been added to the title bout at the last minute. Another wrestler was reportedly originally scheduled to challenge Jordan, though no name was identified. That detail makes the performance even more notable, as Paige stepped into a championship setting on short notice and immediately became part of a major conversation around the NXT women’s title picture.
There has been no indication that Paige has received another title opportunity or that a rematch with Jordan has been confirmed. Still, her presence in a championship match, combined with the close nature of the finish, ensures that her NXT return has not been treated as merely an isolated appearance.
Blake Monroe Questions the Reception
Monroe’s “nostalgia tour” remark struck directly at the central appeal of Paige’s return. For many viewers, the response to Paige was tied to her standing as a trailblazer and former champion returning to a brand where she made history. Monroe’s criticism framed that reaction differently, suggesting Paige was benefiting from her past rather than making an impact in the current NXT landscape.
Paige answered by turning the focus back toward crowd response. Her message was clear: the reaction from the audience remains a measure of her relevance, and she does not believe Monroe has earned the same level of connection with fans. The language also gave the disagreement a personal edge, with Paige rejecting the idea that she should be dismissed as a performer living on past accomplishments.
The exchange is particularly interesting because both wrestlers are English stars who have already shared a ring in another major promotion. It is not a case of two performers manufacturing a rivalry without any competitive background. Their AEW encounters provide a record that can easily be revisited if the issue develops further on WWE television.
For Monroe, the criticism also establishes a clear position. Rather than celebrating Paige’s NXT return as a landmark moment, Monroe has made it known that she sees herself as part of the present and future. Paige’s response, meanwhile, suggests she has no intention of allowing a newer rival to minimize what she has accomplished or the attention her return received.
AEW History Gives the Exchange Added Context
Before their paths crossed under the WWE banner, Paige and Monroe were rivals in AEW when Monroe was known as Mariah May. They competed against each other in several tag team matches and met twice in singles competition. Their singles series was evenly split, with each wrestler claiming one victory.
Monroe won the most recent singles encounter between them in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. That result gives Monroe a substantial point of reference should the rivalry continue. Paige can point to her lengthy history, her status as the first NXT Women’s Champion, and the audience response to her WWE return. Monroe can point to defeating Paige in their latest one-on-one match.
An even 1-1 singles record also creates a simple competitive hook if WWE decides to bring their past into the foreground. Neither wrestler holds a clean overall advantage in their one-on-one series. Monroe owns the latest victory, while Paige’s return to NXT has placed her back in a spotlight closely tied to her career accomplishments.
At present, there has been no announced WWE match between Paige and Monroe. Their social-media exchange nevertheless makes the possibility easy to understand. Both women already know each other, both have competed against each other under pressure, and both have reason to believe they have something to prove.
What Paige’s Loss to Kelani Jordan Means
Jordan’s victory remains the most immediate in-ring outcome of Paige’s return. The champion defeated a former holder of the title and did so during her first reign, a result that strengthens Jordan’s position at the top of the division. A mystery challenger is often designed to test a champion’s ability to adapt, and Jordan survived a challenge from one of the most recognizable former NXT champions.
At the same time, the roll-up finish did not erase Paige from the championship conversation. A narrow defeat can become a point of frustration for a challenger, especially one who was reportedly inserted into the match at the last minute. Paige may view the result as evidence that Jordan escaped rather than conclusively defeated her.
Jordan now has the benefit of a successful defense over Paige, but she could also find herself with more than one issue to monitor. Paige has an argument for unfinished business with the champion, while the brewing tension between Paige and Monroe could pull attention toward a separate rivalry. The NXT women’s division may soon have to account for both possibilities.
For Paige, the return delivered two important developments despite the loss: she was welcomed back into the NXT ring after 12 years, and she immediately found herself involved in a heated verbal exchange with a rival who knows her very well. Monroe’s comments may have begun as a critique of a nostalgic comeback, but Paige’s response has given the story a more confrontational direction.
Whether the two English stars meet in WWE remains to be seen. What is already established is that their history is real, their singles series is tied, and Paige is not willing to let Monroe define her return as a victory lap. After a close championship loss to Kelani Jordan, Paige has made clear that she still expects to be heard—and Monroe has made clear that she is prepared to challenge her.
In pictures
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.