Nikki Bella is optimistic about a return in six to eight weeks but says she is not rushing back to the ring to ensure she is properly healed.
The WWE talent spoke with sister Brie on the pair’s podcast about the circumstances behind her March 27 injury and the news that she would be unable to wrestle at WrestleMania.
For me, I’m going to make sure this heals up so well before I even step into that ring. Right now, we’re thinking it’s six to eight weeks, but if it’s three months, it’s three months. I have the rest of my life to chase Matteo on soccer fields and do all the things without being in pain. I’m not in my 30s anymore, I’m not in my 20s anymore, so I’m not going to try to come back quickly to gain a moment; the moment’s passed, there are going to be other moments.
Nikki detailed the injury in a March 27 tag match with Brie against Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair on SmackDown in Pittsburgh, and continuing throughout the match. She was checked on, and it was thought she had only sprained her ankle and did a run-in on the following Monday’s edition of Raw. She learned the next day that it was fractured, torn, and sprained and would require surgery on April 3.
Brie expressed her reservations about remaining in the match before it was decided that she would team with the returning Paige.
There was a big part of me where I had really long talks with Bryan (Danielson) where I was like, ‘I don’t know, I think I should pull out’. The moment is with us, and I kept saying that. Bryan said, ‘Go with your heart,’ but also, we talked, and in our business opportunity rarely comes, and especially at our ages. It is rare that you get a phone call, ‘Hey, we want you back, we want you to do something really incredible’. So, when you say, ‘No’ to it, you’re almost a fool.
Brie and Nikki agreed that Paige was the only replacement that made sense and felt it helped get her back to WWE.
