Paige Ends 3,125-Day Singles Drought With SmackDown Victory in Front of Home Crowd in London

After more than eight years away from singles competition, Paige made her long-awaited return to that format on the June 26 edition of SmackDown — and she did it on home soil, competing in front of a London crowd that had waited just as long to see her back in that setting.

The victory didn’t come without a fight. Paige had to work past one of SmackDown’s rising talents before getting her hand raised, making the moment feel earned rather than ceremonial. The fact that it happened in England added an extra layer of emotion to a night that was already significant by any measure.

The number tells the story on its own: 3,125 days. That’s how long it had been since Paige last competed in a one-on-one match in WWE. For a performer who was once one of the most prominent figures in the company’s women’s division — a trailblazer who held championships and headlined major programming during a pivotal era — the return to singles action represents a milestone that few would have predicted possible given everything she has navigated over the years.

With the win now on the books and the crowd reaction that came with it in London, Paige’s comeback has real momentum behind it. Whether this marks the start of a sustained singles push on SmackDown remains to be seen, but as first steps go, it was a meaningful one.