Simone Johnson, formerly known on WWE television as Ava, has named Ethan Page as her favorite person to work with during her time as the on-screen General Manager of WWE NXT.
Johnson held the NXT General Manager position from January 2024 through January 2026, occupying a central authority role within WWE’s developmental brand during a period that featured a mix of emerging prospects and established names. While the role frequently placed her in the middle of championship disputes, match announcements and confrontations between rival talent, Johnson said Page stood apart as the performer with whom she most enjoyed sharing the screen.
Speaking on What Do You Wanna Talk About, Johnson explained that Page arrived in NXT at a point when the brand benefited from having a performer with his particular style and presence. Page had already built substantial experience before coming to WWE, including runs in TNA and AEW, and he brought that veteran confidence with him to NXT.
“I felt like Ethan [Page] came to NXT at a time where we needed someone like that,” Johnson said. “We needed someone who was so unapologetic, incredibly sure of themselves and incredibly entertaining. A little bit of an a**hole, but in the best way possible on TV.”
For more background on this topic, read Xia Brookside Reveals WWE Did Not Approve ‘Where I Belong’ for NXT UK Use.
Page’s NXT presentation regularly leaned into those traits. As a heel, he often challenged authority, argued against decisions that did not benefit him and approached every situation with the conviction that he deserved more than he had been given. That made him a natural foil for Ava, whose General Manager character was responsible for maintaining order while making decisions that affected NXT’s most competitive personalities.
Johnson said their segments gave her an opportunity to show something different from the character she otherwise portrayed. The clashes were not simply about Page attempting to get his way; they also gave Ava a chance to be more forceful and more willing to push back against an established, outspoken wrestler.
“I always felt like when I worked with Ethan, I was able to bring out a different side of Ava,” Johnson said. “I loved going back and forth with Ethan.”
That distinction is notable given the nature of an authority role in NXT. General Managers can be required to serve as neutral administrators, delivering official announcements and responding to the increasingly unpredictable demands of the roster. Against Page, however, Ava had a recurring antagonist who could provoke a sharper response. His insistence on questioning her judgment created a television dynamic in which she could answer with more command and personality.
Johnson’s praise was not limited to their on-camera work. She also spoke warmly about Page as a colleague away from the cameras, drawing a clear line between his abrasive heel character and her experience working with him behind the scenes.
“Off camera, incredible person, sweetest, adored working with him,” Johnson said. “But yeah, I would say Ethan was my favorite.”
Page’s time in NXT included major championship success. During his run on the brand, he captured both the NXT North American Championship and the NXT Championship. Those accomplishments positioned him as one of the most prominent figures on the roster and gave his confrontations with the General Manager added stakes. A champion disputing an authority figure’s decisions has long been a familiar WWE formula, but Page’s confidence and willingness to press the issue helped make those exchanges particularly suited to his character.
His NXT tenure also produced a memorable backstage encounter involving Johnson’s father, former WWE Champion The Rock. The segment connected Page with one of wrestling’s most recognizable figures while reinforcing the bold, self-assured approach that defined his WWE persona. For Page, whose character was built around certainty in his own value and status, engaging with someone of The Rock’s stature fit naturally within the larger presentation.
How Ethan Page Fit Into NXT
Johnson’s comments underline the role Page played after arriving in NXT. The brand is generally associated with developing the next generation of WWE talent, but the roster has often included wrestlers with significant experience who can provide a different kind of presence. Page was not entering the environment as an unknown prospect. His previous work in TNA and AEW had helped establish him as a polished performer before he reached WWE.
That experience appeared to inform the way he was used in NXT. Page could credibly speak and act as though he belonged at the top of the brand immediately, while his character’s arrogance gave other personalities a reason to oppose him. In Johnson’s case, the conflict did not require Ava to abandon the responsibilities of her role. Instead, it allowed her to exercise those responsibilities in a more assertive way.
The chemistry between authority figures and heels is often dependent on contrast. A performer like Page benefits from someone willing to reject his self-serving arguments rather than simply accept them. At the same time, an authority character benefits from a rival who can make routine decisions feel personal. Johnson’s reflections suggest that Page provided that contrast consistently and helped make her portrayal of Ava more layered.
Her comments also speak to the value of performers who understand how to create a television exchange rather than simply deliver their own lines. Johnson described Page as entertaining, unapologetic and extremely confident, qualities that served his heel character while also giving her a strong counterpart in their scenes. The result was an opportunity for Ava to respond as a decisive General Manager rather than merely a figure delivering match-related news.
Johnson’s NXT Run and Page’s Move to Raw
Johnson’s run as NXT General Manager lasted two years, beginning in January 2024 and ending with her departure from WWE in January 2026. Across that period, Ava was a recurring fixture in the brand’s ongoing storylines, often appearing when rivalries escalated or when official rulings were needed. The position made her one of the key non-wrestling characters in NXT, and her interactions with Page became one of the pairings she remembers most fondly.
Page’s NXT chapter eventually led to a move to WWE’s main roster. In April 2026, he joined the WWE Raw brand, taking the momentum and accomplishments from his NXT run to a larger stage. His time in NXT had already included reigns with the brand’s top championship and its North American title, giving him a record of success to point to as he continued in WWE.
While Johnson is no longer with WWE and Page now competes on Raw, her recollection offers a positive assessment of their shared NXT work. She credited him with bringing out a different side of Ava, particularly in the confrontational exchanges that grew from Page’s heel persona and his tendency to challenge her authority.
For Johnson, Page was more than simply another member of the NXT roster during her tenure. He was the performer who best helped her explore the stronger, more commanding aspects of the Ava character. For Page, the partnership with NXT’s General Manager was part of a championship-filled period that helped establish his standing before his April 2026 transition to Raw.
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.