It happened in 2017. A Tuesday, maybe? Honestly, the day doesn't matter as much as the chaos that followed. The internet essentially imploded when private videos involving Brad Maddox, Paige, and Xavier Woods were leaked online. It wasn't a "scandal" in the way people usually use the word—it was a massive, non-consensual invasion of privacy.
Hackers. That’s who started it. They broke into the iCloud account of Saraya-Jade Bevis (who the world knew as Paige) and dumped years of personal history onto the web.
The fallout was weirdly lopsided. You've got three people in the footage, but the world reacted to each of them in totally different ways. Some people were cruel. Others were just confused. But nearly a decade later, the way this situation handled—or mishandled—by the public says a lot more about us than it does about them.
The Reality of the "Triple" Leak
When the footage hit, the most shocking part for fans wasn't just the intimacy. It was the specific combination of people. You had Paige, the former Divas Champion and a pioneer of the "Women's Revolution." You had Xavier Woods, one-third of the ultra-popular, family-friendly New Day. And you had Brad Maddox, the former Raw General Manager who had already been released from the company a few years prior.
Here is the thing people forget: these videos weren't from 2017. They were old. Some were from the NXT era, years before the leak happened.
Basically, it was a glimpse into a private past that was never meant to be a public present. Paige and Maddox had been in a committed relationship for quite some time during their early WWE years. Woods was a close friend. The "scandal" was really just a group of young adults living their lives behind closed doors.
Why the Reaction Was So Different
If you look at how the three were treated, the disparity is wild.
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- Paige (Saraya): She took the brunt of it. The vitriol was disgusting. People were slut-shaming her on every social media platform. She later admitted in interviews that the humiliation made her feel suicidal. She was the face of the leak, and as a woman in a male-dominated industry, she was judged the hardest.
- Xavier Woods: He was mostly... fine? Fans were worried he'd get fired because The New Day was a massive merchandise machine for kids. But the "scandal" barely touched him. In fact, some fans even made jokes about it, treating him like a "legend" while Paige was being torn down.
- Brad Maddox: By 2017, he was already out of the WWE. He had been fired in 2015 for calling a crowd "pricks" during a dark match. Because he was already a "ghost" in the wrestling world, he sort of faded into the background of the controversy, though his involvement definitely ended any slim hope of a WWE return.
What Actually Happened to Brad Maddox?
People always ask: where is Brad Maddox now?
He’s basically a ghost. After the leak, he stayed low. He had already been trying to reinvent himself with some weird, avant-garde YouTube videos (the "Brad Maddox Experience"), but the leak effectively nuked his public persona. There were rumors he was working in data entry or acting in small indie projects under his real name, Tyler Kluttz, but he’s stayed far away from the squared circle.
He didn't have the "cushion" that the other two had. He wasn't on TV. He didn't have a massive contract. He just... disappeared.
The WWE’s Surprising Response
You’d think a PG company like WWE would have gone on a firing spree. They didn't.
They actually handled it with a surprising amount of nuance for a corporation. They recognized that Paige and Woods were victims of a crime. This wasn't a "sex tape" they sold to a distributor; it was stolen property.
Xavier Woods stayed on TV. The New Day kept rolling. Paige, who was already dealing with a career-threatening neck injury and Wellness Policy suspensions at the time, eventually returned to a massive ovation. The company even helped produce a movie about her life, Fighting with My Family, which came out a few years later.
It felt like the industry finally realized that punishing someone for having their privacy violated is a bad look.
The NXT Belt Controversy
One detail that still gets brought up is the "belt incident." In some of the footage, a title belt (the NXT Women's Championship) was involved in a way that corporate sponsors definitely wouldn't like.
People thought this would be the nail in the coffin. "You can't disrespect the hardware," they said. But even then, the WWE stood by Paige. It was a private moment from years prior.
Where Are They Now? (The 2026 Perspective)
It’s 2026. A lot has changed.
Saraya is a veteran in the industry. She moved to AEW, proved she could still go in the ring despite the neck issues, and has been open about her mental health struggles. She’s built a life entirely separate from that 2017 nightmare.
Xavier Woods is still a pillar of the wrestling community. His YouTube channel, UpUpDownDown, is legendary. He’s proven that you can survive a massive PR hit if you’re authentic and good at what you do.
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Brad Maddox remains the outlier. His story is a reminder that not everyone gets a "comeback" arc. Sometimes a scandal just ends things.
Insights for the Digital Age
Looking back at the Brad Maddox, Paige, and Xavier Woods situation, there are some pretty heavy lessons for anyone living their life online:
- Privacy is an Illusion: If it’s on a cloud, it’s potentially public. This isn't victim-blaming; it’s just the reality of 2026.
- The Double Standard is Real: We still treat men and women differently when it comes to sexuality. Woods was a "hero" to some; Paige was a "target." Recognizing that bias is the first step to fixing it.
- Support Matters: Paige survived that period because her family and certain peers stood by her. Without that, the "viral humiliation" might have won.
If you’re ever caught in a digital storm, the best move is often the one Paige and Woods made: acknowledge the violation, refuse to be ashamed of a private life, and keep moving forward. The internet has a short memory for those who refuse to let it break them.
Next Steps for Protecting Your Digital Footprint:
Check your cloud sync settings and enable advanced data protection on your mobile devices. If you are a victim of non-consensual image sharing, contact organizations like the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative immediately to begin the takedown process and explore legal options against the leakers.