Former WWE superstar claims AEW star Saraya (fka Paige) once fired him

AEW star Saraya (formerly known as Paige in WWE) once fired James Ellsworth, according to the latter himself.

James Ellsworth got over with the WWE fans during his first main roster match itself. He cut an enthusiastic promo, and despite being squashed by Braun Strowman, he developed a cult following. The company offered him a contract shortly after that.

Ellsworth became entangled in the feud between Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles. The diminutive star managed to secure a couple of wins over the Phenomenal One thanks to assistance from the former Shield member. On top of that, Shane McMahon named Ellsworth the SmackDown mascot for the 2016 Survivor Series.

Ellsworth turned heel as he aligned himself with Carmella, helping her retain the SmackDown Women's Championship on multiple occasions. He insulted the then SmackDown GM Paige and subsequently got fired.

Now working as an independent wrestler, James Ellsworth took to Instagram to jokingly claim Saraya/Paige once fired him, referring to the firing that took place on SmackDown in 2018.

"This chick fired me once..," James Ellsworth posted.

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Saraya (fka Paige) recently made her AEW in-ring debut

Saraya had been absent from in-ring action since an unfortunate neck injury permanently sidelined her from competing in a ring again. However, she spent many months after her retirement serving as the general manager for WWE SmackDown.

After not renewing her contract with WWE, she debuted for AEW at the Grand Slam edition of Dynamite, where she came to Toni Storm's rescue. In the weeks that followed, the former Divas Champion had a physical altercation, making it the first in nearly half a decade.

On an episode of Dynamite, the first-ever NXT Women's Champion announced that she was medically cleared to compete and challenged Britt Baker for a match at AEW Full Gear. The Good Doctor accepted but came up short at the pay-per-view, handing Saraya a monumental win on her comeback.