Details of Saraya's role in AEW signing a 32-year-old star, it might be why she rejected WWE

AEW shocked the wrestling world in September 2022 when they signed Saraya as an in-ring talent. The former Paige of WWE left the company months earlier after being forced to retire due to a 2017 neck injury. New details are being revealed on another reason why she left the biggest wrestling company in the world.

Zak Knight debuted for Tony Khan at the ROH TV tapings in December 2023. The older brother to Saraya is currently a member of AEW's Outcasts with his sister and Harley Cameron. Zak's signing was announced back in February by his sister, and it's no secret that Khan had previously promised to give him a chance as the former Divas Champion thanked him publicly.

The Zodiac appeared on the Grue Rume Show and detailed his All Elite journey. A year before his sister signed, Zak had been talking for over five months with a middle-man and All Elite Wrestling's Head of Talent Relations, Christopher Daniels. Talks were paused due to visa issues, but he later learned that Saraya was having her own talks with Khan and that she had to choose - WWE or AEW.

"She’s [Saraya] having to make this big decision. I’m speaking to her and I’m like, 'If you need to go back, go back [to WWE] but I’ve been talking to these guys [AEW]. If you go there, then that might help [get] my foot in the door.' So, she ends up going to AEW and for everyone that needs to know, yeah, she did say, 'Give my brother that shot. I know you’ve been talking to him. He’s got his visa now,'" Zak Knight said. [H/T POST Wrestling]

The former WWE champion told All Elite officials from the start that she wanted her brother to get a dark match, not a contract.

Zak came to the United States in October 2023 and began preparing for the next stage of his career, telling Khan he wanted to start at the bottom and work his way up because he knew people would claim he got signed because of Saraya. Knight felt relieved when Khan said he'd start in ROH.

Saraya's last AEW match was months ago

Saraya suffered a career-ending neck injury while working for World Wrestling Entertainment in December 2017. The former Paige returned from retirement in November 2022 at All Elite Wrestling's Full Gear, defeating Britt Baker.

The Norfolk Doll has wrestled a total of 18 matches with her current employer and held the Women's World Championship for 44 days in 2023. However, she has not wrestled a match in 98 days as of today and previously commented on the matter.

Saraya's last match came at the Rampage tapings on February 7, where she and Ruby Soho were defeated by Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale.

Saraya has not wrestled a singles bout since December 20, 2023, at the Holiday Bash edition of Dynamite. She was defeated by Riho in just under eight minutes.