Former WWE star Paige has opened up about how she overcame a brutal drug addiction, a career-ending injury and a sextape leak that drove her to the brink of suicide to make a triumphant return to the sport stage that she once thought was her had been cast out forever.
Saraya Bevis, 31, who is best known by her ring name Paige, began wrestling when she was just 13 and currently works with WWE’s competitor All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on a team called The Outcasts.
However, most wrestling fans know her best from her time with WWE, which she joined in 2011 before ending five years of dominating stardom – winning a number of competitions, breaking numerous records and becoming one of the most well-known Wrestling Stars around the world.
But in 2016, Paige, who is originally from the UK, took a dark turn and went into a downward spiral after she developed serious substance abuse issues – leading to her being suspended from the organization.
WWE star Paige has opened up about overcoming a brutal drug addiction, a career-ending injury and a leaked sex tape that drove her to the brink of suicide
Saraya Bevis, 31, who is best known by her ring name Paige, joined WWE in 2011 and completely dominated the sport for five years. She was seen in 2016
But in 2016, Paige (seen in 2016), who hails from the UK, took a dark turn and went into a downward spiral after she developed severe substance abuse problems
Things only got worse in early 2017 when her sex tape was leaked — a moment she later said sent her into a deep depression and developed a range of physical ailments, including anorexia and alopecia.
However, she returned to WWE in September 2017, but three months later she suffered a horrific neck injury that led many to believe she would never return to the ring.
But the determined star didn’t give up and after a five-year hiatus, Paige shocked the world when she announced that she had signed with All Elite Wrestling.
She officially returned to the ring in November 2022 and has been unstoppable ever since.
Paige is now five years sober and has been reflecting on her roller coaster ride exclusively on .
According to the athlete, it was her boyfriend, musician Ronnie Radke, who inspired her to finally change her life after they started dating in 2018.
She explained that while she had stopped using drugs by the time they met, she was still a heavy drinker.
“My friend, he has such great willpower, really really great willpower,” she gushed to .
Paige is now five years sober and has been reflecting on her roller coaster ride exclusively on . She was spotted wrestling back in 2016
According to the athlete, it was her boyfriend, musician Ronnie Radke, who inspired her to finally change her life after they started dating in 2018
She said she and Ronnie – who is also a recovering addict – would not put themselves in “situations” where they might be tempted to go back to their old ways
“He was addicted to drugs [but stopped] 10 years ago. He was [still] I was drinking when we first met, though.
“After my return to WWE, I stopped using drugs completely, but continued to drink alcohol [too] and it’s a problem for me to drink.
‘But [my boyfriend] came up with the idea, “we should just skip that altogether” because we would wake up at 12 or 2 p.m., kind of wasting our days and nights and feeling like shit all the time. Our health wasn’t the best.’
Paige – whose story inspired the 2019 film Fighting With My Family, which starred Florence Pugh and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – explained that she “completely quit alcohol” afterward. She also stopped vaping.
“He was like, ‘That’s the best way to do it.’ And so we did it. “One day we just stopped and then we never looked back,” she continued.
She said she and Ronnie don’t “put themselves in situations” where they might be tempted to go back to their old ways.
“I want people to know that once you stop doing it, there’s a point where you’re just like, ‘I don’t need this anymore,'” she added.
“You stop needing it, you start to feel more comfortable, and you start learning how to develop that confidence.”
Paige added that since getting sober, she’s become a “housewife,” and explained that when she’s not working, she loves to just “chill out with her animals.”
The sports star said it felt like “everyone” spoke out against her during her rock bottom, but she was “determined” to prove otherwise to those who doubted her.
“Everyone thought I was a mess and couldn’t get out of my addictions and all that stuff.” And I did,” she said.
She called those years of her life “the rock bottom” but said she wasn’t ashamed of what she went through.
Paige’s story inspired the 2019 film Fighting With My Family, which starred Florence Pugh. Florence can be seen in the film
She called those years of her life “the rock bottom” but said she wasn’t ashamed of what she went through. She was seen at the film’s premiere with Florence and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
“You don’t have to be perfect to be a role model.” “What makes you a role model is your imperfections,” she explained
“You don’t have to be perfect to be a role model.” “What makes you a role model is your imperfections,” she explained.
“The fact that I went through it all, I’m so thankful that I went through it and not someone else because I came out of it extremely strong and someone else might not have been able to get through it.”
“I don’t regret my decisions at all because now I can use them as a tool to help so many people and I hope that I will continue to do so in seven, eight years.”
Now she vowed she feels “100 percent” physically and mentally and that she is “her best self right now.”
She is currently preparing to compete in Sunday’s AEW All-In event at Wembley Stadium in London.
Paige previously spoke on Lilian Garcia’s Chasing Glory podcast about her sex tape being leaked and admitted she was considering ending her life after it was released to the world.
“When it came out, I barricaded myself in the house for a couple of months. “I was so sad that I contemplated suicide,” she said.
“It left scars on me. People invade my privacy to the point where sometimes I don’t want to go out.
She also said her health deteriorated so much after the leak that she once “collapsed” from “exhaustion” and had to be hospitalized.
“I haven’t eaten, I haven’t slept, I’ve lost all my hair.” “I literally have no hair because my hair fell out from being so stressed,” she revealed.
“It just broke my heart. I asked myself, “Why would anyone want to do that to anyone?”
A second video showing her having sex with three men appeared in 2018.