Breaking WWE news ahead of WrestleMania 42, Paige will replace Nikki Bella in the Women’s Tag Team Championship match.
WWE has made a late change to the WrestleMania 42 card, as Nikki Bella has reportedly not been medically cleared to compete in her scheduled match. After suffering an ankle injury during a post-match dust-up between the four teams vying for the Women’s Tag Team Championship, Bella had been rehabbing in an effort to return in time for WrestleMania.
During that stretch, the Bella Twins were absent from WWE programming while the other teams continued the build. As recently as this week, there was optimism that Bella would be cleared to compete in Las Vegas. However, she was ultimately unable to receive medical clearance on Friday.
The result is a significant last-minute adjustment to the card. Paige has been re-signed by WWE and will now enter the Women’s Tag Team Championship match alongside Brie Bella.
Nikki Bella Out, Paige In for WWE WrestleMania 42
Nikki Bella was originally set to compete as part of The Bella Twins, who returned with the apparent goal of capturing women’s tag team gold. With Nikki unable to go, WWE moved quickly to insert Paige into the match on the eve of WrestleMania.
The updated bout still features multiple teams vying for the titles, including Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, and the reigning champions, The Irresistible Forces.
With the change coming so close to the event, questions now surround how Paige will fit into the match and whether this alters the expected outcome. While she brings name value and two decades of experience, the lack of build could make it difficult for her to immediately factor into the finish. Regardless, it is a massive twist for a match already filled with star power.
This development may also impact other potential matches on the WrestleMania card. WWE had reportedly held off on finalizing a singles bout between Iyo Sky and Asuka, with Asuka and Kairi Sane previously viewed as possible replacements in the event The Bella Twins were unable to compete. With that scenario now resolved, it remains to be seen whether those plans are revisited heading into the weekend.
WWE Signs Paige to Multi-Year Deal
WWE re-signing Paige continues a recent trend of former stars from the Divas era returning to the company. She now joins the likes of The Bella Twins and AJ Lee in making her return.
While Paige clearly fills an immediate need on the WrestleMania 42 card, this move appears to have longer-term implications. Her new deal with WWE is reportedly a multi-year agreement, signaling a potential full-time role beyond WrestleMania.
Paige has not been under contract with WWE since the summer of 2022. She later signed with AEW after her deal was not renewed, with that contract expiring in March of last year.
In many ways, her return feels fitting given the current state of WWE’s women’s division. Paige was at the forefront of the shift that helped transition the division away from the “Divas” era and toward a more competitive, story-driven product.
After becoming the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion, she made an immediate impact on the main roster. In her Raw debut following WrestleMania 30, Paige defeated AJ Lee to capture the Divas Championship, becoming the first and only woman to hold both titles simultaneously.
WrestleMania 42 is set to take place this weekend in Las Vegas across both Saturday and Sunday night. Paige is now set to compete for the Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Brie Bella as part of the Night 1 action, marking a stunning return on one of WWE’s biggest stages.
