Nikki Bella has revealed the full extent of the ankle injury that kept her out of WrestleMania 42 night one.
Bella shared the details on Instagram on Saturday, writing that she “fractured, tore and sprained my ankle. It’s been a painful two weeks,” adding that she would soon fill fans in on what has been going on, expected to be addressed on her podcast with Brie.
At the WrestleMania 42 post-show, Bella also revealed she had undergone surgery in Birmingham, Alabama, and noted she had crossed paths with Paige there at the same time, a detail that adds an interesting layer to how the replacement came together.
Bella had been seen in a walking boot following a late-March SmackDown match and had told fans she would be back in a week. Despite still wearing the boot on Saturday, she maintained publicly that she would compete in the match, keeping the situation unclear right up until the show. She was ultimately replaced by Paige, who went on to win the Women’s Tag Team Championship with Brie Bella.
It is currently unknown how long Bella will be sidelined following the surgery.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/Auo3Mm5I0s
— Nikki & Brie (@NikkiAndBrie) April 19, 2026
