The Bellas Detail Paige WrestleMania 42 Return

The return of Paige at WrestleMania 42 came together through a series of unexpected events, according to Brie Bella.

Speaking on The Nikki and Brie Show, Brie explained that the idea was never part of WWE’s initial plans and only developed after a coincidence involving multiple people being in the same place at the same time.

“If you were at the live podcast in New York, Becky asked me, ‘Who would you pick as a partner, who would you pick?’ I said Saraya. Then I was like, ‘Wait, we’re going to start rumors and headlines.’ It hadn’t even been talked about. We talk to Paige all the time, but it was a joke. We had to cut it from the show because I thought people were going to think we were serious.”

The situation changed when Brie realized she might not be able to compete alongside Nikki Bella, who was dealing with an injury and undergoing surgery in Birmingham.

“Literally, Nikki is in Birmingham getting her surgery, and I text Saraya, ‘I think I might be out of Mania.’ I told her I was in Birmingham with Nikki and she goes, ‘Shut up, I’m in Birmingham.’ ‘What. Nikki is getting surgery?’ They were in Birmingham at the same time,” Brie said.

Brie noted she had already informed WWE creative she was willing to sit out WrestleMania if Nikki was not cleared. Finding out Paige was in the same city created an unexpected option.

“It was interesting because she’s like, ‘I don’t know if they’ll have me. There haven’t been talks.’ It was a lot on her because she’s like, ‘Girl, I’m not even with them yet, but whatever, I’m there.’ Paige always rallies with us. I didn’t even know it was going to work. To me, it was the stars starting to align that you guys were there at the same time,” Brie added.

Nikki shared how close they came to actually crossing paths without realizing it.

“I think when she was flying out, I was just getting to the doctor’s office. We just missed each other,” Nikki said.

The situation ultimately led to Paige stepping in at WrestleMania 42, where she teamed with Brie Bella to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.