Nikki Bella injury update: WWE Hall of Famer could miss WrestleMania 42

LAS VEGAS — There's a chance there won't be a Bellas return to WrestleMania.

Nikki Bella's status WrestleMania 42 is currently up in the air as she is dealing with an injury, and a decision has not been made whether she will go as WWE's major show is about 24 hours away from kicking off.

One half of the legendary tag team with sister Brie, Nikki Bella is scheduled to team with her sister in the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship fatal four-way match on night one. It was set to be the grand return to the big stage for the WWE Hall of Famers, but it was put in jeopardy when she hurt her ankle during the March 27 edition of SmackDown in a tag team match against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss.

She hasn't wrestled since then, making her outlook for WrestleMania cloudy. There was optimism Bella could be cleared to go in time for WrestleMania, as she said on Nikki & Brie Show on Friday, April 17 she would be wearing a boot leading up to the show.

“I’m gonna have to keep wearing my boot to keep resting my foot so we’re all good for tomorrow," she said.

Ultimately, she was held out. It was set to be Nikki Bella’s first WrestleMania match since 2017, and the twins’ first one since 2015.

Who replaces Nikki Bella?

If Nikki Bella is unable to compete, it leaves WWE to either find Brie Bella a new partner or put a new team in the match.

But, now it looks like Brie Bella will still get to compete, and her new partner is reportedly a shocker.

PWInsider reports Paige will return to WWE for the first time since leaving in 2022, a stunning comeback after she was medically not cleared to compete for the company in 2018. The outlet reported she has signed a multi-year contract with WWE and will be Brie Bella's partner for the match.

Once a top star in WWE, Paige was the inaugural Women's NXT Champion before she had a major main roster debut in 2014, when she defeated AJ Lee to win the Divas Championship at the age of 21. She was part of the "women's revolution" that catapulted the division, but had to retire in 2017 due to a serious neck injury.

Paige appeared in All Elite Wrestling as Saraya in 2022 and was with the company until March 2025.