Paige's Latest Suspension Raises Serious Doubts About WWE Future

When Paige and Sasha Banks knocked off Charlotte and Dana Brooke on Raw in June, it didn't seem like a significant bout at the time.

In the wake of the former Divas champ's second suspension, though, it may prove to have been her final WWE match.

Paige's relationship with WWE is a whirlwind right now, and things are promising to end badly.

First came a pair of suspensions in August, one for Paige and one for her boyfriend, Alberto Del Rio. Each wrestler was forced out of action for 30 days due to violations of WWE's wellness policy.

Del Rio and WWE came to terms on an agreement the next month to free up the former WWE world champ to pursue his career elsewhere.

Speculation buzzed about Paige following his lead, but The Anti-Diva denied rumors that she was headed out the door:

The situation didn't remain settled for long, however. 

On Oct. 10, WWE announced on its official website that it had suspended Paige "for 60 days effective immediately, for her second violation of the company's talent wellness policy."

In an NSFW response on Twitter, she implied that the suspension had to do with prescription drugs:

WWE said that it didn't. In a statement to the New York Post, the company fired back: "Saraya-Jade Bevis [Paige's real name] tested positive for an illegal substance, not a prescription drug. In addition, WWE is providing world-class medical care for her in-ring injury."

That exchange alone points to a tense, tenuous relationship between wrestler and promotion. The public nature of this dispute won't leave WWE brass happy, either.

But the story doesn't end there.

Super heavyweight wrestler Mister Saint Laurent claimed on MSL & Sullivan (h/t Nick Paglino of Wrestle Zone) that WWE wanted Del Rio and Paige to stop dating: "Mark Carrano, who fans might know from Total Divas, kind of like the office liaison guy, approached Del Rio and Paige individually and harassed each of them about their relationship. It was indicated that the office wanted them to sever their romantic relationship."

Del Rio didn't outright deny those rumors in a recent interview with Brian Campbell of ESPN.com:

"

To be honest, I don't care what they say or what they try to do. We are together and we are happy. I know a lot of people are not happy but regardless of whatever people say, we can be happy. We can be together. And we are going to stay together because we are happy. If someone is not comfortable or happy about it, we just don't care.

"

Whether or not WWE actively tried to break up the couple, there is tension between the company and both Del Rio and Paige. It's the kind of tension that isn't likely to dissipate.

If Paige feels cheated by the system or feels that WWE has tried to meddle in her personal life, she won't want to stick around.

Credit: WWE.com

Besides, her boyfriend will be busy traveling to Mexico and working for various wrestling promotions in the U.S. He has a restaurant in the works in San Antonio. Paige is sure to be tempted to book her own schedule, one that allows her to work alongside Del Rio more often.

And WWE is in a position of power.

It doesn't need Paige as badly as it once did before the women's division blossomed in the past few years. With women like Bayley, Charlotte and Banks on the Raw roster, WWE won't be desperate to bring back Miss Hell in Boots.

It's not hard to put all the pieces together. All this adds up to a WWE-Paige divorce on the horizon.

The question is not when Paige will leave, but rather how messy things will get before she does.