Saraya has spoken publicly about the intense speculation surrounding a possible appearance in the 2026 Royal Rumble, making it clear that any return to the ring is ultimately a decision for WWE to make, not her.

The former AEW Women’s World Champion and ex WWE Divas Champion, previously known as Paige, reignited fan discussion earlier this year after sharing short clips of herself training inside a wrestling ring. The footage spread rapidly online and immediately fueled belief that she could be lined up as a surprise Royal Rumble entrant.

Appearing on Wrestling With Freddie with Freddie Prinze Jr., Saraya admitted she was taken aback by just how strong the fan reaction became once the event passed without her involvement.

“A lot of people were mad that I wasn’t in the (Royal) Rumble, and a lot of people thought I was gonna be number 30 too… I’ve had that much support before but I thought I had lost all that support, because of all my controversy,” Saraya said. “But it was just absolutely bonkers. There was thousands of videos across all platforms on just a couple of training videos. It was at 13 million a couple of days ago and now it’s like 18 million. It is just absolutely insane. I cried one day because of it, because I’m just like, ‘I can’t believe people still love me. This is crazy.’”

The response appeared to hit Saraya on a deeply emotional level, especially given her complicated history with the company and the circumstances surrounding her original retirement.

The Royal Rumble in particular remains a meaningful event for her, tied closely to one of the most difficult periods of her career. Saraya reflected on footage from the first ever women’s Royal Rumble match, which took place the same year she was medically forced to step away from in ring competition due to a serious neck injury.

“I wish I could be in the Rumble and there was a viral video circulating of the first ever women’s Royal Rumble, and it was the same year I got told I couldn’t wrestle again and no one knew it at the time… They have images of me backstage just crying, just being like, ‘This is what I’ve always dreamed of. This is what I wanna be a part of. I hope one day I can be a part of it again…’” Saraya recalled.

While fan support surged and online discussion grew louder as the event approached, Saraya stressed that she does not control whether she appears in a WWE ring. Despite reports indicating she was not contacted about a Royal Rumble appearance, she made it clear that she would have welcomed the opportunity if it had been offered.

“It was viral as well, and everyone’s just like hoping that I was gonna be in this Rumble, that I finally get to be a part of that, that I’ve always dreamed of being a part of. So yeah, it was incredible. I wish I was part of it, but it’s more to it. WWE has to make that decision. Not me… Everyone obviously wants me to go back.”