Nikki Bella isn’t just getting closer to another WWE return after her ankle injury—she’s already been put through some of the toughest testing imaginable.
After reports revealed that WWE has resumed creative discussions about bringing Nikki back, the Hall of Famer has now shared exactly how far along her recovery has come, revealing the intense testing WWE put her through at the Performance Center following her broken ankle.
While speaking on The Nikki & Brie Show, Nikki Bella explained why she’s more confident than ever that she’ll be ready when WWE calls: “We’re excited to come back, yeah. We are working hard.” Paige couldn’t believe how quickly Nikki had recovered from surgery, pointing out that it had only been a matter of months.
“Well, you’re a superwoman because I feel like you’re healing really… really quickly.”
Nikki agreed, saying even her doctors were surprised by how much progress she had made despite how badly her ankle was damaged.
“I’m healing it. Yeah. It’s been only three months since surgery. I was squatting… the bones were so broken and they’re like, ‘You’re fine.’ I’m like, ‘All right,’ like just go up and down.”
That recovery eventually led Nikki back to the WWE Performance Center, where she underwent a series of medical tests designed to push her ankle to its limits. She said WWE wanted to see her sprint at full speed, jump, and perform explosive movements to make sure the injury could handle everything required inside the ring.
“That’s why I feel more confident this time. When I went to the PC to get cleared, they’re like, ‘You look like a Nike commercial,’ because everything—they wanted me to sprint. It was like 110% sprinting, just doing all the things because I wanted to prove how good I was, like jumping high.”
Ironically, the hardest part wasn’t the physical testing. It was climbing to the top turnbuckle and recreating the very type of landing that had shattered her ankle in the first place.
“But then it was funny because they go, ‘OK, now go to the top turnbuckle and just jump in the middle,’ because they wanted to see how much that messed me up a little bit. Like I got up there and I’m like, ‘No, I’m going to break my ankle again.’ Like I don’t come off the top. And if I re-break my ankle randomly…”
Despite the nerves, Nikki completed the drill. Then WWE surprised her with one final test. Instead of ending the evaluation, officials told her to wrestle an impromptu match so they could see how the ankle responded under live conditions.
“So I was good. I was good. Oh yeah. And then I did a match on the fly. They’re like, ‘We just want to see.’ And in my head I’m like, ‘Oh God.’ Doctor Tom just like, ‘Go.'”
The testing kept going from there. Nikki said WWE had her sprint from backstage, leap over the barricade, take bumps, and put the ankle through as many different situations as possible before deciding whether she was ready.
“They were like, ‘We want you to start from the back, run, jump over the barricade, get in, and then at some point they’re going to toss you over,’ because they were fitting my ankle in every situation.”
Between WWE once again discussing creative plans for Nikki’s return and the extensive testing she’s already completed at the Performance Center, all signs continue to point toward her comeback getting closer. The only question now is when WWE decides it’s time for Nikki Bella to step back into the ring.
Are you excited for Nikki Bella’s WWE return, and who should be her first opponent back? Let us know in the comments below.
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