Nikki Bella has now shared how long she expects to be out of action after suffering a serious ankle injury that kept her out of WrestleMania 42.
Nikki was originally scheduled to compete at WrestleMania 42 but was pulled from the match after suffering an ankle injury on the March 27 episode of SmackDown. The injury turned out to be more serious than first believed, as Nikki later revealed that she tore, sprained, and fractured her ankle, requiring surgery two weeks before WrestleMania. Her absence forced WWE to make a last-minute change to the match. Paige returned to take Nikki’s place and teamed with Brie Bella, and the duo went on to capture the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.
After WrestleMania, Nikki took to social media where a fan asked how long she expects to be sidelined following surgery. Nikki responded with a clear timeframe for her recovery.
“6-8 weeks hopefully.”
That timeline gives fans a rough idea of when Nikki Bella could return to WWE action, assuming her recovery stays on track without setbacks. Considering the severity of her injury — involving multiple forms of damage to the same ankle — the estimated return window suggests WWE may be optimistic about her rehabilitation process.
For now, Nikki remains focused on recovery while Brie Bella continues holding the Women’s Tag Team Titles alongside Paige following their WrestleMania victory.
Do you think Nikki Bella will be able to return within the 6–8 week window, or should WWE take extra time to make sure she’s fully healed before stepping back in the ring? Let us know in the comments.