AEW: Wembley show set to be crazy, says Saraya

5 May 2023

By Rob Butler

for BBC Newsbeat

Saraya has warned her fellow pro wrestlers they're "in for a shock" when they hit the UK this summer.

The star rose to fame as Paige in WWE and returned to the ring with rival company AEW - All-Elite Wrestling - last year.

They've announced a huge show at Wembley Stadium in August and Saraya, who grew up in Norfolk, will be there.

And she thinks her American colleagues will be surprised by the "crazy" British crowds.

"The UK fans, while they're crazy in a good way, if they're having a great time that energy is incredible," says Saraya.

"There's no way to describe the energy until you're actually there."

The last major US wrestling show at Wembley was 1992's Summerslam.

The WWF - now the WWE - brought huge stars like "Macho Man" Randy Savage and British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith to the UK.

Depending on who you believe, between 65,000 and 80,000 fans turned up.

AEW is, obviously, hoping to sell more tickets than its fiercest competitor.

It got off to a good start - 45,000 fans signed up for the pre-sale - and some reported problems with Ticketmaster when their codes went live.

Saraya told BBC Radio Norfolk the early surge of interest "is just absolutely bananas".

"I feel like we can definitely pull it off," she says.

AEW

Saraya - who's originally from the UK - is looking forward to bringing her family along to the Wembley event

The roster for the event has yet to be revealed - but Saraya's hoping she'll either be fighting for a world title or defending one.

And rumours are swirling that controversial CM Punk, who's been out with an injury, will be on the card.

Some fans aren't keen to see him back in the ring, but Saraya says she'd be happy to.

"I said this before with with Punk, he's always been an absolute sweetheart to me," she says.

"He's been very helpful, given a lot of advice over the years, since basically near the beginning of when I was in WWE.

"And then coming into AEW, he had reached out to me and it's just like, if you need anything, you know.

"He's just he's really awesome."

Family business

Fan anger towards CM Punk stems from a backstage fight with AEW stable The Elite, who have reportedly said they won't work with him.

"I feel like you know, if people don't like each other, like you have to find that common ground in a professional setting," Saraya says.

"I've never let my personal feelings get in the way of business at the end of the day."

Saraya - whose full name is Saraya Jade Bevis - famously grew up in a wrestling family from Norwich.

Her brother Zak and their parents run their own wrestling promotion and an academy where they train up new talent.

Saraya says she "wouldn't be in wrestling if it wasn't for my family" and she's "forever grateful for them for getting me into this business".

As for Wembley, she says: "My whole family is definitely going to be there".

"And hopefully they are part of the show in some capacity or capacity. I'm trying, trust me. I'm trying. I want them to be part of the show."

But there's another reason she's excited to be coming to the UK in August.

"It's 10 days after my birthday - a big birthday celebration," she says, before she jokily adds:

"And if you don't have my birthday, then you are dead to me."

Saraya's full BBC Radio Norfolk interview is available here

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