The anticipated WWE return of The Bella Twins has faced a high degree of uncertainty over the last few weeks.
Nikki and Brie Bella were scheduled to compete in the Women’s Tag Team Title Match on WrestleMania Saturday, but Nikki’s health has been in question ever since she rolled her ankle on the March 27 edition of SmackDown.
There was some reported optimism in the day on Friday that Nikki would be cleared for action this weekend, and she was set to get her ankle examined ahead of tonight’s episode of the Blue Brand. However, a new report from PWInsider says that Nikki will not be wrestling this weekend, and an old rival is coming in to take her place.
AJ Lee and Paige at WrestleMania 41 | WWE.com
Paige is set to return to her house at WrestleMania 42, according to Mike Johnson.
“In a story that would seemed unthinkable when WWE ruled her medically disqualified from being an active competitor in 2018, PWInsider.com is told that Saraya Jade-Bevis, known as Paige during her original run for the company, has signed to return as a wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment and is expected to return to the ring this weekend as part of Wrestlemania 42.”
The insiders at BodySlam have also confirmed this report, and say that Paige has signed a multi-year deal with the company. Johnson says the belief is that Paige will redebut on Saturday night, taking Nikki’s spot alongside Brie in the Women’s Tag Team Championship Match.
The Bella Twins return to WrestleMania delayed
Nikki Bella | Netflix
The Bella Twins return to the ‘Showcase of the Immortals’ was a long time coming, and it’s unfortunate that it won’t be taking place. There may be no better replacement for Nikki, however, than Paige.
Nikki and Brie have only ever tagged together once at WrestleMania, as they squared off with AJ Lee and Paige at WrestleMania 31. This would be Lee’s last match in WWE for more than a decade, as she would retire from in-ring competition until she returned in the fall of last year.
Lee will also be making her return to WrestleMania this weekend when she defends her Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch.
Infamously, the Bellas were supposed to team with Cody Rhodes and Damian Sandow at WrestleMania 29 against Tons of Funk and the Funkadactyls, but the match was cut at the last minute in order to give the main event between John Cena and The Rock more time. Cena would defeat Rock to regain the WWE Championship.
Brie would retire from full-time wrestling in 2016 to dedicate more time to her family, but the twins would have sporadic reunions throughout the last decade.
The WrestleMania 42 four-way was also said to be having a trickledown effect on the rest of the card, as it was reported that WWE was holding off a potential match between IYO SKY and Asuka in order to see if the Kabuki Warriors would need to be added to the match on Sunday. There’s no word yet on whether Paige’s return will allow SKY and Asuka to work this weekend after all.
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