Just a year ago, Saraya, who was retired at the time due to a neck injury, found herself at a crossroads as a free agent after her WWE contract expired. Now, Saraya not only finds herself wrestling again, but she is also a prominent member of AEW's women's division, part of The Outcasts alongside Ruby Soho and AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm.
But in an interview with "Inside The Ropes," Saraya revealed that she could've taken a different path if WWE had taken a look at her neck to see if she had healed enough. But that was never something the promotion seriously considered.
"At WWE, I asked to see my neck a few times, and the medical said that 'the book was closed' on that, and they weren't gonna keep checking on it, which was really disappointing," Saraya said. "So if I wanted to check on my neck, it would have to come out of my own pocket. Her name was Stacy, by the way. So it wasn't anything to do with like Hunter or anything, it was just that medical department, which I thought was a little unfair, but it's okay."
Ultimately, things worked out well for Saraya following a phone call from AEW owner Tony Khan, who offered her a job and the freedom to do whatever she wanted, including pursuing an in-ring comeback. Still, Saraya admitted she's taken this comeback slow, in order to preserve herself as a competitor long-term.
"I was like 'I'm smarter this time,'" Saraya said. "I have to be smarter. I'm starting my thirties here and I just want to work smarter, not harder, you know what I mean?"