JCW's Paige Collett Is Providing Hope By Overcoming Battle With CRPS

Paige Collett wants to continue to inspire others as she navigates through the pro wrestling world.

Collett, also known as Black Dahlia, was trained by former WWE stars Funaki and Rikishi. She currently works for Juggalo Championship Wrestling, and shared how JCW owner Violent J recruiting her stood out as such an iconic moment in her life.

“JCW, it is pure lunacy in the best ways possible. Everyone is a big family and I’m really blessed to be here,” Collett said. “Last year I was doing a signing down in Memphis, Tennessee, for Memphis Wrestling. Violent J was one of the other artists there doing a signing. I will always forever put in my book as the iconic moment in my life when Violent J scouted me and was like, ‘Who’s the girl?’ That will forever be a moment in my life.”

Collett says Violent J pitched her on portraying the ‘Ring Rat’ gimmick, which saw her become a manager due to her active symptoms from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Despite her not being able to wrestle, Collett saw JCW and knew she wanted to be part of it.

“When J brought me on, it was as a role as a manager and the character is The Ring Rat. I am having a ball playing her. She’s so fun,” she shared. “I saw what J and them were doing, and I wanted to be a part of this. It’s not an exaggeration when I say I prayed for it, worked for it. I worked so hard to make myself available and be a part of it. And when J brought me on, it was such a blessing.”

Paige Collett was diagnosed with CRPS years after an in-ring injury

Collett was injured during a match early in her career while competing for Rikishi’s Knox Pro, noting that torn ligaments activated the disease. She ultimately found herself confined to a wheelchair, and her Complex Regional Pain Syndrome went undiagnosed for seven years. CRPS is a debilitating chronic pain condition that affects someone’s limbs. Symptoms typically appear after a surgery or injury, and early detection can help improve the outcome.

Collett says she put in nine years of hard work to get back to where she is today. She had to teach herself how to walk again, but still deals with regular symptoms like fibromyalgia and leaky gut. Collett says she doesn’t want to be seen as a victim, but wants to be an advocate for others and spread awareness about CRPS and the benefits of early detection.

“For the past two years since my diagnosis, I got back involved with the wrestling world and I’m focusing on my career. [But] I also am an advocate and that is a job for me. This is very serious for me, because how could I have something that’s labeled the suicide disease? How could I have something that’s the most painful pain known to man?” she asked. “How could I be forced and condemned to raw dog this for seven years and not get diagnosed? 15 doctors, seven years. My advocacy work is very important.”

Collett says she’s not “just a wrestler” anymore

Collett says others have approached her and thanked her for saving their lives due to sharing her story. She shared that people in the wrestling community have been diagnosed with CRPS thanks to hearing her story, but her reach extends beyond that disease, too.

“I’ve had people with cancer say I helped them through their cancer battle. I have sick people finding me and saying, ‘Hey, you’re giving me hope.’ Numerous people in wheelchairs say, ‘Hey, I think I can get out of this chair because of you.’ It started because I just wanted to wrestle, but now look at this magic,” Collett said. “Look how cool my life story can be now, as opposed to just being a wrestler.”

Paige Collett will continue to fight

Paige Collett knows she’ll continue chasing her dreams, but she also knows that she’s going to be in pain once the camera turns off. She’ll feel an excruciating amount of pain and she’ll vomit. CRPS isn’t contagious, but she’s not allowed to donate blood or organs anymore. She’s also been told she’s fortunate to be alive. Collett isn’t letting CRPS stop her, and she chooses to continue fighting by staying in the wrestling business, educating and bringing awareness.

“Now I’m like, no, I’m gonna fight this. I’m gonna survive, and I’m gonna make sure others survive. Because where I was lucky to have battled this holistically for seven years and survived, others aren’t. It’s nicknamed the suicide disease for a reason. My advocacy work is so important, because even though I don’t blame them, how dare those 15 doctors not know about this. How dare you guys not know about this rare disease. Let’s help people. Let’s educate our doctors, let’s educate the medical community, and let’s just spread awareness so we can save people and bring awareness, and this not be a death sentence anymore.”

Collett says everyone has their own wrestling story, hers just happens to be “bizarrely spectacular.” Now, she’s taking her power back and turning a negative into a positive.

“I am making a beautiful career out of something that was taken from me. I’m going to save people,” she said. “I’m literally going to make a difference on the way because wrestling, as much as I have such a love and passion for it, it is just a part of my story now. Wrestling gave me this disease and now I’m going to go off and make my purpose.”