For two years, Simon Johnson acted as On-Screen General Manager of WWE NXT a brand usually focused on grooming future WWE stars. Interestingly, his favorite talent to work with was actually a wrestling veteran who burst onto the WWE scene after his runs in TNA and AEW.
“I felt like Ethan (Edge) came to NXT at a time when we needed someone like that,” Johnson, formerly known as Ava, said on the latest edition. “What do you want to talk about?” “We needed someone who was so unapologetic, incredibly confident and incredibly funny. A little unbelievable, but in the best way on TV. I always felt that when I worked with Ethan, I could bring out a different side of Ava. I loved going back and forth with Ethan. Off camera, I would say I was an incredible person. my darling.”
Ethan Page, a heel, often challenged the young GM’s decisions, leading him to develop a more commanding presence in NXT. Johnson served as the NXT General Manager from January 2024 until January 2026, the last time he left WWE.
During his respective “NXT” tenures, Ethan captured the NXT North American and NXT Championships, and even had a notable meeting with Johnson’s father, former WWE Champion The Rock in a memorable backstage appearance. In April 2026, Paige was promoted to the main roster of WWE, where she currently resides on the WWE Raw brand.
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