Summary

Nikki Bella has reportedly not been cleared to compete at WrestleMania 42 after the ankle injury she suffered on SmackDown several weeks ago. That has opened the door to a major late change in Saturday's WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Fatal Four Way.

According to the report, Saraya Jade-Bevis has signed to return to WWE under the Paige name and is expected to be slotted into the match in Bella's place. The same report stated that Paige was brought into Las Vegas quietly and was seen taking part in a run-through for the bout earlier this week.

That would make this one of the bigger last-minute WrestleMania changes of the weekend if it happens. WrestleMania week has already produced a packed news cycle, including Will Ospreay's call for AEW to stage a major U.S. week during WrestleMania's Saudi weekend.

What Paige replacing Nikki Bella would mean for WrestleMania 42

If Paige is revealed as Bella's replacement, WWE would be turning an injury setback into a major surprise return on one of the company's biggest stages. Paige remains a notable name from WWE's women's division history, so her involvement would immediately change the feel of the tag title match even before the bell rings.

It would also leave Nikki Bella's status as the more important longer-term question coming out of the weekend. The ankle issue is now significant enough to keep her off the show, and that could affect any further plans WWE had for her beyond WrestleMania 42.

Sources

As reported by PWInsider.