Summary

Paige made her WWE return on WrestleMania 42 Saturday and ended the night as one half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.

The title match was originally set to feature Nikki Bella teaming with Brie Bella against champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, and Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Before the match began, Nikki announced that she was not medically cleared to compete. Paige was then introduced as her replacement and came out to her old entrance music.

That late change added another surprise to a show that had already taken shape in WWE's Saturday card and streaming lineup going into the weekend.

Match recap

Under the match rules, only one wrestler from each team was legal at a time. Brie got an early run of offense with her Yes kicks, but Lash cut her off with a slap from the apron.

Paige eventually tagged in and worked against multiple opponents. She scored with the Paige Turner on Lyra Valkyria, but Bayley broke up the cover before the finish.

The closing sequence came after Paige and Charlotte Flair traded offense. Nikki then used her crutch against Charlotte, and Paige followed by hitting Alexa Bliss with the Paige Turner for the deciding pinfall.

Winner

Paige and Brie Bella won the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles when Paige pinned Alexa Bliss with the Paige Turner.

What Paige's return means for the title picture

Paige's return immediately reshapes WWE's women's tag division because the champions changed on one of the biggest nights of the year. Instead of a standard defense by Nia Jax and Lash Legend, WrestleMania 42 turned into a comeback moment that put Paige and Brie Bella at the center of the title scene.

It also leaves open questions around Nikki Bella's status after she was ruled out before the match. With Paige stepping in and helping deliver a title change, WWE now has a ready-made follow-up if the Bellas and Paige continue together or if the original plan around Nikki becomes part of the next chapter.

Sources

As reported by NoDQ.