Original WrestleMania 42 Plans For The Bella Twins Revealed

The Bella Twins were always meant to walk out of WrestleMania 42 as champions — but Nikki Bella’s injury forced WWE to change course at the last minute.

New details about WWE’s original plans surfaced following the crowning of new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions at WrestleMania 42. Brie Bella had returned earlier this year at the Royal Rumble in January 2026, making it clear she was back on a full-time basis as WWE started building toward a major tag title moment.

According to comments from Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, the plan from the beginning was for Nikki and Brie Bella to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles together, with Paige kept ready as a backup option in case Nikki couldn’t compete. While discussing how late WWE held out hope that Nikki would be cleared, Meltzer explained that Paige was always part of the contingency plan.

“I was told even as late as Tuesday that it was possible she would make it, but Paige was a good backup.”

He went on to explain that WWE’s decision to bring Brie Bella back earlier this year was directly tied to long-term plans for a nostalgic title win featuring The Bella Twins — something the company viewed as a major WrestleMania moment.

“The Bellas were going to win the match, that was always the plan when they brought Brie back, because Nikki had done her singles run… They figured Nikki’s under contract and everything, let’s bring Brie back and have the nostalgia of the Bellas winning the tag titles, which didn’t exist before. So that was the whole story of why Brie got brought back.”

Those plans changed after Nikki Bella suffered a serious ankle injury during the March 27 episode of SmackDown. She later revealed that the injury included a sprain, fracture, and tear, and although WWE hoped she would be medically cleared in time, she ultimately could not compete at WrestleMania 42.

That opened the door for Paige to step in as Brie Bella’s partner, leading to Paige’s surprise return and a championship victory that still delivered a memorable WrestleMania moment — even if it wasn’t the exact version WWE originally planned.

With Nikki Bella now recovering from surgery and targeting a possible return in the coming weeks, the situation leaves open questions about whether WWE will revisit the original Bella Twins title victory once she’s healthy.

Do you think WWE should still give The Bella Twins their planned tag title win once Nikki Bella returns, or was Paige stepping in the better long-term move? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.