Paige Considering MMA After WWE Career Ends, Has Trained with Alberto Del Rio

Still only 24, Paige is already weighing up a transition to mixed martial arts when her time in WWE winds down.

In an interview with TMZ Sports, the former Divas champion said she has been enjoying her MMA training with fiance Alberto Del Rio and left the door open for a career change at some point in the future.

The fact that Paige is training with Del Rio is a promising sign in her recovery from neck surgery last October. She tweeted Jan. 23 that she had begun physical therapy:

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported Paige isn't close to a return to the ring, though, and may be out until the buildup to SummerSlam in August.

If she's seriously considering making the jump to MMA, then she'd better do it sooner rather than later. Becoming a proficient MMA fighter would take years, and the longer Paige waits the more she risks ending up like CM Punk. Punk should be applauded for making his UFC debut in September at 37 years old, but he looked out of his depth in his submission defeat to Mickey Gall at UFC 203.

After her health problems and multiple suspensions, it would be a shame to see Paige leave WWE before she reaped the benefits of the company's increased emphasis on the women's division. She'd be a welcome addition to Raw, and given her age, there's still plenty of time for her to reach her full potential and become one of WWE's top female stars again.