WWE has officially confirmed Nikki Bella’s full-time return, moving the Hall of Famer to the active competitor section for Raw on its website. The update solidifies her status as a regular member of the Monday night brand.
Bella first made her in-ring return at the WWE Evolution event in July, competing in a 20-woman battle royal. Since then, she has been a recurring presence on Raw, but her latest outing was a decisive singles-match loss to Asuka.
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This official roster placement comes as Bella’s on-screen return has hit a rough patch, drawing criticism from former WWE head writer Vince Russo. Speaking on Sportskeeda’s Legion of RAW, Russo argued that the company’s focus on short-term crowd “pops” hurts returning talent. He pointed to Bella’s recent high-profile defeats, including an unsuccessful challenge for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch at Clash in Paris and, most recently, her clean tap-out loss to the Asuka Lock on the September 8 edition of Raw.
“Bro, they just brought Nikki Bella back,” Russo stated. “So, you bring Nikki Bella back, that was a pretty big deal… get Nikki over first.”
Despite the on-screen losses and the pointed criticism of her booking, Nikki Bella is now cemented as a cornerstone of the Raw women’s division. Her formal addition to the roster confirms she is set to be an active and regular competitor on the brand moving forward.