Nikki Bella gives injury update on ankle, possible June return to ring
Nikki Bella missed WrestleMania 42 due to an ankle injury and has been out for two months, but is eyeing a return to competition in the summer.
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella is eyeing a return to wrestling after an injury has sidelined her for two months and WrestleMania 42. Bella injured her ankle during the March 27 episode of SmackDown when she was in a tag team match with sister, Brie, against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. She hasn't competed since, but told USA TODAY Sports she could be coming back by the end of June.
"Injuries are so funny. I always try to ask that," Bella said regarding asking medical team about her status. "(They're like) 'not until I see what your ankle looks like in June,' and I'm like, 'But if you were to just guess,' and they're like, 'Don't know, not until June,' While she wants to return by the end of June, Bella wants to make sure the timing is right for when she's good to compete.
"I'm hoping, for me in my head, end of June would be incredible, but I also don't want to go back too early, because you know the big part about when people get reinjured is because their strength isn't matching, so I need to make sure the calves, the quads, glutes, I need to make sure they're all built up," she added. Bella's injury resulted in missing the fatal four-way tag team match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 42 in April, which was scheduled to be her first WrestleMania match since 2017. Bella reached the entrance ramp in a walking boot alongside her sister Brie and introduced the returning Paige as her replacement for the bout.
The former WWE Divas Champion competed in her first WWE match in nearly 10 years. Brie Bella and Paige won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship and remain champions with Bella on their side. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Bella injury update: WWE star gives timeline on possible return