Former WWE Star to Return for WrestleMania Match: Report

WrestleMania 42 is full of surprises, as former WWE stars attend the event as spectators, make huge returns from an injury hiatus, or randomly return to get involved in matches.

One of the biggest surprises of the weekend could arrive during a match involving The Bella Twins due to recent reports about Nikki Bella’s ankle injury. Earlier today, unfortunate news arrived that Nikki did not receive medical clearance to participate in Mania alongside her sister, Brie Bella.

The Bella Twins were participating in a Fatal Four-Way match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship held by The Irresistible Forces: Lash Legend and Nia Jax. Also competing in the match were the teams of Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, as well as Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.

With Nikki’s injury, that match was in jeopardy of not occurring as planned and possibly becoming a Triple Threat, which would’ve been unfortunate for Brie Bella, who just recently returned this year to WWE.

More news:‘Avengers: Doomsday' Trailer Hits CinemaCon: Here's What it Shows

However, a new PW Insider report reveals that former AEW and WWE star Saraya Bevis, aka Paige, has signed with the company and will make her big return to replace Nikki as Brie’s tag team partner. That’s massive news and could also point to how this match will play out.

Adding to this, WWE told Paige years ago that she could no longer participate in wrestling matches due to her medical condition. She’d previously suffered a neck injury while working WWE matches, resulting in surgery. While she eventually returned to the ring, she suffered another neck injury at a house show and had to retire from in-ring competition in 2018.

She returned to WWE in various non-wrestling roles, including serving as the general manager of SmackDown and managing the Kabuki Warriors. In 2022, she announced her decision to leave WWE when her contract expired.

With that, Paige began using the name Saraya and debuted to a massive pop in Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling (AEW). She spent nearly three years there, winning the AEW Women’s World Championship once, and departed the company last year.

That seemingly opened the door for her to return to WWE, which has also seen the return of her former rival, AJ Lee. There are no confirmations of Paige’s return, but PWInsider indicated it is the belief she’ll return amongst those they’ve spoken with, and that she ran through the match spots earlier this week.

It’s a major get for WWE on their biggest weekend of the year, as Paige should generate a massive pop when her music hits and she returns in Nevada. It could also point to Paige and Brie capturing the championship, making Nikki’s return from injury even more intriguing.

The women’s Fatal Four-Way match takes place on Saturday, April 18, as part of a stacked card, which fans can watch on the subscription-based ESPN app.

More news:WWE Star Jey Uso's Fight With Cam'ron Goes Viral Ahead of WrestleMania

For more about WWE and professional wrestling, visit Newsweek Sports.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 3:56 PM.