Nikki Garcia’s hopes of competing at WrestleMania 42 were dashed after she suffered a “painful” ankle injury.
The WWE star — who wrestles under the moniker Nikki Bella — was forced to pull out of the Saturday, April 18, fatal four-way match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship after sustaining an injury in March.
While Garcia, 42, hoped to be in fighting form in time for Saturday’s event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, she later revealed the extent of her injury via social media. “I’ll fill you all in soon … fractured, tore and sprained my ankle,” she wrote over a video showing her bruised foot shared via X on Saturday. “It’s been a painful two weeks.”
In a subsequent X post, the former Divas Champion gave an update on when she hopes to be cleared for in-ring competition. “6-8 weeks hopefully. 🙏🏼🤞🏼,” she responded to a fan who asked how long she expected to be out of action.
Nikki was due to compete in Saturday’s Women’s Tag Team Championship match with her twin sister, Brie Garcia. However, after the duo made their entrance for the match, Nikki shared with the crowd that she wasn’t able to compete but had enlisted another wrestler to take her place in the match: returning WWE star Paige (real name Saraya-Jade Bevis). Brie, also 42, and Paige, 33, won the match, defeating the teams of Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss and Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.
During a post-show press conference on Saturday, Nikki said she had surgery on her injured ankle just two weeks prior to the event.
“So I actually got surgery two weeks ago yesterday. So I managed to break, sprain, and tear my ankle,” she said.
While undergoing surgery, Nikki said she ran into Paige — who left WWE in 2022 — and she and Brie instantly knew the British-born wrestler would be perfect to replace her on Saturday.
“So, listen, how crazy this is … when I’m heading to Birmingham [in Alabama] to get surgery, guess who is in Birmingham?” she said, referring to Paige, who was sitting next to her. “And Brie and I are literally on the phone, and I’m like, ‘Brie, there is no way I’m going to make WrestleMania, but like, you still have to have your moment,’ and both at the same time are like, ‘The only person that will still make it feel special is Saraya, Paige.’ There is no one else, and I truly mean this, no other WWE Superstar in the past or now that I would want to take my spot other than Paige.”
Nikki made her WWE return in February 2025 at the Royal Rumble after a several-year absence from the ring. Her sister, Brie, made her return at the 2026 Royal Rumble event in January.
