WWE Rumors 2016: No More Paige and Del Rio? Tested Couple Not Expected to Return From Suspension
Office romance is a tough act to pull off in the WWE. Back in 2005, the affair between Edge and Lita became a huge storyline when Matt Hardy, then Lita's boyfriend, made the betrayal public.
The Hardy vs Edge feud may have been rough, but Stephanie McMahon and Triple H's story was different. The real-life couple now runs the company in kayfabe as the Authority.
There are a lot more relationships between wrestlers off the ring: John Cena and Daniel Bryan's marriage to Nikki and Brie Bella, respectively, Rusev and Lana, etc. But perhaps the most complicated and controversial was that of decorated superstars Paige and Alberto Del Rio.
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Heart control
Del Rio and Paige made their relationship public last May and the WWE Universe gave all-out support to the new pairing. The company, however, had a much different reaction.
Rumors started to pop up. The locker room is allegedly against the relationship from the start and WWE reportedly even took drastic steps to address the issue.
MLW Radio revealed that Mark Carrano, a WWE official, took matters into his own hands, though he might have been working under orders. He met with Paige and Del Rio separately and proceeded to harass them about their relationship. Moreover, this issue may have also been the cause of the pair being split during the 2016 WWE Draft.
It was also alleged that the problem lies within Del Rio, who was rumored to be a troublesome figure backstage due to his attitude. People backstage might just be trying to protect the former Divas Champion as a talent with huge potential. This got even worse when both were suspended 30 days for violating the talent wellness policy just last month.
Departures
The company has yet to report the exact cause of the couple's suspension, but the wellness policy was instituted to prevent superstars from engaging in substance abuse. If this is true, then this leaves another bad mark on their tested relationship.
Furthermore, both of them are reportedly unlikely to come back after the enforced hiatus. It would be an easy option for Del Rio, whose contract will expire this fall. The former World Heavyweight Champion had started courting various promotions to begin his life outside the big league.
For Paige, it is a much tougher decision and might not even be hers to make. The architect of the longest NXT Women's Championship reign is still under contract with WWE until 2019, although the company may not want to keep her anyway. Dave Meltzer of AllWrestlingNews.com reported that the WWE are looking for alternatives wherein the superstar could be released.
Needless to say, whether the allegations against Del Rio and Paige hold truth or not, the two talents' careers are now in jeopardy—at least in the perspective of the biggest name in pro-wrestling.
