Former WWE champion to return after 3 years as Naomi’s replacement on SmackDown tonight? Possibility explored

At WWE Evolution, Naomi successfully cashed in the Money in the Bank contract during the main event match for the Women's World Championship between Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY. As a result, she has de facto become a RAW Superstar and is already set to defend her newly won title against Ripley and SKY at SummerSlam in a Triple Threat Match.

However, this may also pave the way for a major superstar to make a return to WWE. Naomi's absence does leave a void, and what better way to fill it than with the arrival of former WWE Divas Champion, Paige. Paige retired from in-ring competition in 2018 after years of health struggles, and after a run as SmackDown's GM and a role on WWE Backstage, she exited the company in 2022.

She then debuted in All Elite Wrestling as Saraya at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam 2022 and then, once cleared medically, made her in-ring comeback at Full Gear 2022. She even held the AEW Women’s World Championship for a short while in 2023. However, her run, initially as a babyface and then as a heel, was poorly received, leading to her quiet exit from AEW earlier this year.

However, one must consider that by the time she was done with her brief WWE run, she was already regarded as one of the modern greats in women's wrestling and a pioneer of the Women's Revolution. Paige is someone who, for better or for worse, seems to be most comfortable in the environment that the WWE machine provides, and could thrive under The Game's creative leadership. In fact, many suspected her to make a shocking return at Evolution this past weekend.

Her return would be a major boost for the SmackDown Women's Division, which, besides the highly entertaining Charlotte Flair-Alexa Bliss odd duo of late, has largely seemed flat and uninspired compared to the incredible Women's Division on RAW. Triple H and the creative team could use Paige to help revitalise and rejuvenate the division, and no, she won't be doing so as a nostalgic act or some old veteran.

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Former WWE NXT Women's Champion Paige is much younger than you might think

Paige, to the possible surprise of some fans, is still just 32 years old, which, for context, makes her five to six years younger than Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, and even Bianca Belair, who are all still at the top of their games. She is the same age or close to it as Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia, who are considered rising stars and the "future" of women's wrestling.

So, if fans are hesitant about a nostalgia act or a 'part-time broken-down' veteran returning to the Stamford-based promotion, their assessment couldn't be further from the truth. Coupled with her age, her brand value and recognition could be vital in rejuvenating the SmackDown Women's Division. The only prerequisite would be that she is completely medically cleared and at no risk physically, which is a precaution the global juggernaut would never fail to enforce anyway.

Given the lack of house shows and the fact that some of the top stars are wrestling significantly less on TV now than they used to, a lighter schedule would likely serve her better, ensuring that any potential risks to her body are mitigated through regulated in-ring action.