Why Paige Should Go Into the Hall of Fame

It was announced Monday night that Paige has to retire from in-ring competition due to neck injuries. This is a real shame because her career in WWE had not been that long and she’s only 25 years old, although, due to coming from a family that ran its own promotion, she’s been wrestling since the age of 13.

Now that her in-ring career is officially over, the question of whether or not she goes in the Hall of Fame has been raised. Though Paige’s in-ring accomplishments have seemingly not been as numerous as those of  Hall of Famers Trish Stratus, Lita, or Beth Phoenix, she did accomplish a lot in her time in WWE that should make her a contender for a Hall of Fame nod.

1. First NXT Women’s Champion: This is one of her biggest claims to fame. Paige was the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion after defeating Emma in an amazing match that was the first volley of the Divas/Women’s Revolution
2. Held the Divas’ Championship 2x: She defeated AJ Lee both times.
3. 2nd Longest Reigning NXT Women’s Champion: The only other person who had a longer reign was Asuka, who surpassed Paige’s record.
4. Only Woman to Hold Divas’ and NXT Women’s Title At the Same Time: Paige would be stripped of the NXT Women’s Title due to being on the main roster, but it stands that she’s the only person to do it.
5. Ended AJ Lee’s Reign as Divas’ Champion: AJ had held the title for 295 days when Paige defeated her in a quick, but iconic, match the day after WrestleMania 30. The moment was so surprising that WWE included it in their ‘WrestleMania Monday’ Collection on the WWE Network and I’d highly recommend it.
6. The Youngest Woman to Hold the Divas’ Championship: Paige was 21 when she defeated AJ Lee.
7. Competed in the First Match of the Divas’ Revolution: It can be argued that the first match was in the summer of 2015 after the call ups of Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky, but Paige, AJ Lee, and the Bellas competed in a fantastic non-gimmick, non-title Tag Match at WrestleMania 31 that certainly deserves to be recognized on its own merits.

I’m not saying she’ll go in next year, that’ll depend on what she and WWE want to do, Paige can still contribute to the business as a trainer or a producer, but I’d say that that’s a pretty good resume for a Hall of Famer, wouldn’t you?