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The Latest on Nikki Bella's Chances of Competing at WrestleMania 42

Will Nikki Bella recover from her ankle injury in time to compete at WrestleMania 42 this Saturday night?
Rick Ucchino|
Nikki Bella
Nikki Bella | Netflix

It's sounding like Nikki Bella is going to be a game-time decision for WrestleMania 42 this weekend.

Nikki and her sister Brie are supposed to be taking part in a Fatal 4-Way Match this coming Saturday, April 18 inside Allegiant Stadium, where they could win the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship for the first time in their careers. However, it's not clear yet whether Nikki will be healthy enough to perform at the show.

The WWE Hall of Famer rolled her ankle a few weeks back during a match with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss on WWE SmackDown, and was seen sporting a walking boot immediately afterward. There was a sense of optimism that she'd be good to go in time for the 'Showcase of the Immortals', but Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that it's currently “too close to call.”

Nikki Bella being injured is bad news for IYO SKY

Nikki Bella
Nikki Bella | Netflix

The uncertain status of The Bella Twins is reportedly keeping another planned match for Las Vegas from being officially booked.

IYO SKY and Akusa have been 'penciled in' for WrestleMania 42 for the past few weeks, but if Nikki Bella is unable to get cleared for the show in time, Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer has heard that the working plan is to have Asuka and Kairi Sane replace The Bellas in the Women's Tag Team Title Match.

The Empress of Tomorrow issued a challenge to IYO this past Monday night on WWE Raw, and SKY later accepted on social media, but a date for the bout has yet to be announced. There's currently a WrestleMania spot open on Sunday, April 19, but there's been chatter that Asuka and SKY may have to wait until Backlash in Tampa, Florida next month.

This really unfortunate situation means that IYO SKY, who retained her Women's World Championship against Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair in a spectacular triple threat match at WrestleMania 41 last year, is in serious jeopardy of missing out on the biggest show of 2026.

There's no clear backup opponent for IYO SKY, as of this writing, and any appearance this weekend may be in a supporting role to Rhea Ripley as she challenges Jade Cargill for the WWE Women's Championship.

We'll continue to keep you updated on the WrestleMania status of both Nikki Bella and IYO SKY, just as soon as more information becomes available.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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