WWE stars Paige and AJ Lee recently reunited with Nikki and Brie Garcia on SiriusXM’s The Nikki and Brie Show live from Fanatics Fest.

During the interview, Paige & AJ get candid about their emotional comebacks, the Divas Era, finding confidence after time away and why this chapter feels completely different. Paige also discussed her impromptu match with Brie during WrestleMania and revealed her heart wasn’t in AEW.

Paige on her impromptu match with Brie during WrestleMania (13:48-15:58)

Brie Garcia: Paige, for you, when you got that phone call saying, “Can you get booted up in five days to be Brie’s tag partner.”

Nikki Garcia: I mean, that was nuts.

Paige: It was nuts.

Brie Garcia: Yeah. What was that phone call like for you?

Paige: It was crazy because it was Hunter, Triple H, calling me and we were already in talks about potentially doing something maybe, but it was very last second where they’re like, can you come to Mania and take Nikki’s place for a second? You know, and I’m like, “Uh, sure,” so I ended up seeing you in Alabama or wherever.

Brie Garcia: I know. We were like two ships passing in the night in Alabama, which was so random. Which backstory, if you guys don’t know, Paige literally was getting cleared. We were checking her to get cleared. She gets the phone call, and Nikki and I are coming in so Nikki can get surgery on her ankle. I mean, when you say stars align, it was the universe wanting something to happen.

Paige: Oh, yeah. It was definitely the timing and everything was strange in the best way, but yeah, they were like, “All right,” and it was the Monday before Mania, and then I was like, “Okay, well, I’m going to be in Vegas anyway, because I’m going to be doing my podcast and signings and all that kind of stuff,” so I don’t think it will look too strange if I’m around, but everyone was kind of guessing. Everyone was just like, “Oh, Nikki’s hurt. The only person I could potentially replace that would be Paige, right?” So, people were starting to guess, and then the day of Mania, I was supposed to go to a signing, and then the last second, they pulled the signing and got me to go to Mania, and I was like, “Well, that gives it away then,” because I had to cancel the signing, and also, we got so frustrated, you guys, because it leaked the day before.

Brie Garcia: Yeah. I’m so gonna find that stooge.

Paige: I know. I was like, “We can’t have surprises anymore?” It was the most frustrating thing ever and we were just like, “Okay, well, we’ll just make the most of it. People are kind of guessing that I’m gonna be there anyway, but the reaction was just bonkers, dude.

Paige says her heart wasn’t in AEW (20:14-21:32)

Paige: I did go to AEW and you guys, I did have a great time there, but my heart wasn’t in it. I feel like you could see that in my performance when I was in the ring, and my character, and it was just like, I’m a WWE girl, man. I love WWE, so yeah. I went there for a couple of years, and we went our separate ways, and it ended really, really great. I have nothing but love when it comes to AEW and Tony and stuff like that, but yeah. When it comes to WWE, that’s just where I’ve wanted to be forever. I had been there since I was 18 years old. I gave my neck for this company. I grew up here, you guys. I was a kid. I was a baby.

Nikki Garcia: You were such a baby.

Paige: Yeah, and then when it comes to getting the call, I was so excited, but I didn’t have any preparation time for the match at all. It was Monday, and then I had stuff like my managers, he was like, “Oh, we got stuff Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,” and then we have the main here on Saturday. I didn’t have any time to get in the ring, and then we did have rehearsals, but it was like, I was just coming in at the end of the match. I was like, “Well, thank gosh, I don’t have to do too much,” but then obviously we end up winning the Tag Team Championship.

The Nikki & Brie Show hosted by Nikki & Brie Garcia is available anytime on the SiriusXM app. New episodes every Monday and Thursday. Listen to the full episode here.