Nikki Bella Details Visit To WWE Performance Center To Get Cleared, Did Impromptu Match

Nikki Bella got through a workout to ensure her clearance.

Due to an ankle fracture, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella had to miss competing in the Women’s Tag Team Title match at WrestleMania 42. She was replaced by the returning Paige, and the duo of Paige and Brie Bella captured the Women’s Tag Team Titles.

Nikki provided an update on her post-surgery recovery during the latest recording of The Nikki & Brie Show. She expressed her excitement to return to WWE programming, adding that she’s been working hard and visited the Performance Center to get cleared. She did an impromptu match, and the trainers were putting her in situations where her ankle was being tested.

“I’m excited to come back. I’ve been working hard.” She continued, “It’s been three months since surgery. I was squatting at two. The bones were still broken and they were like, ‘You’re fine.’ I’m like, ‘Alright…’ That’s why I feel more confident this time. When I went to the P.C. to get cleared, they’re like, ‘You look like a Nike commercial…’ If they wanted me to sprint, it was like 110 percent sprinting and just doing all the things because I wanted to prove how good I was. It’s like jumping high, but then it was funny because they go, ‘Okay, now go to the top turnbuckle and just jump in the middle…’ That messed me up a little bit. I got up there and I’m like, ‘No. I’m gonna break my ankle again. If I re-break my ankle right now, I’m gonna be so –’ I was good, I was good, and then I did a match on the fly. (They were) like, ‘Oh yeah, we just wanna see…’ They were like, ‘Oh, and we want you to start from the back, run, jump over the barricade, get in, and then at some point in the match, we’re just gonna have them toss you over.’ Because they’re just putting my ankle in situations. I did it.”

Nikki has been back with WWE on a regular basis since 2025. Brie Bella came back to WWE as part of the 2026 women’s Royal Rumble.

Brie and Paige lost the Women’s Tag Team Titles to Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

If the quote in this article is used, please credit The Nikki & Brie Show with an H/T to Fightful for the transcription.