WWE fans were thrilled to see Nikki Bella make her return to in-ring action at the Royal Rumble earlier this year, but that wasn’t a one-and-done appearance. Instead, it led to Bella making another return on Monday Night Raw, where she would end up being confronted by Liv Morgan in what seemed like an Evolution dream match. That changed though when Morgan was hurt, and since that match is off the table now, fans were waiting to see how WWE’s plans for Bella adapted as a result. Tonight we got our answer, and truthfully, some aren’t going to be happy about it.
Bella delivered a pre-taped promo that addressed her previous return on Raw and her confrontation with Morgan. While Bella didn’t address Morgan’s injury, she said the confrontation lit a fire to prove herself once again, and that proving ground would be WWE’s Evolution, just not in the way many had probably hoped.
Change in Reported Plans
Instead of a one-on-one match or even a Tag Team match reuniting Nikki with her sister Brie, we are getting Nikki in the Battle Royal. WWE hasn’t revealed the number of competitors in the Battle Royal, but it’s likely going to feature at least 20 if not more superstars in the mix. Later in the night, WWE stated that the full lineup of superstars for the Battle Royal will be revealed on tomorrow’s NXT, so at least we don’t have to wait long to know the entire lineup.
The talent that will be involved in the Battle Royal will ensure it’s a thrilling match, especially with the mix of superstars from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. That said, it just feels a little underwhelming for Bella’s in-ring return when compared to what was either going to be a one-on-one battle with Morgan or a Tag Team battle with Brie against Liv and Raquel. It’s no one’s fault mind you, but some could be disappointed that Nikki isn’t getting a bigger solo spotlight.
Why This Could Be Great
While some will look at this as a glass-half-empty situation, others should consider it a glass-half-full. Having Nikki in the Battle Royal immediately gives it a boost in attention and star power, and it also means we get to see some unique match-ups that we might not get otherwise, especially if you pull more superstars from NXT to participate.
Seeing Nikki lock up with superstars like Fallon Henley, Jordynne Grace, Jaida Parker, Karmen Petrovic, Kelani Jordan, Lash Legend, Lola Vice, Nikkita Lyons, Thea Hail, Tatum Paxley, Wendy Choo, or Wren Sinclair would be mostly first time occurrences, and that’s especially true of seeing a possible clash with NXT’s newest signing Blake Monroe.
Other collisions we could end up seeing include B-Fab, Candice LeRae, Chelsea Green, Giulia, Michin, Nia Jax, Nikki Cross, Zelina Vega, Ivy Nile, Kairi Sane, Maxxine Dupri, and Natalya. One person we will absolutely see in the match is Stephanie Vaquer, who confirmed her participation in the match. As for Legends, there haven’t been that many rumors regarding returning superstars, though we do know that Trish Stratus is taking on Tiffany Stratton one-on-one in a match for the Women’s Championship. There’s also the chance that Brie Bella will still return for the Battle Royal, but we’ll just have to wait and see if that happens.
There is also a scenario where Bella wins the Battle Royal and then gets a shot at the Women’s Championship at Clash in Paris, which would be against whoever wins the match between Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus. It’s hard to see Stratton losing the Title just yet, but you really never know, and perhaps there is another Bella Championship reign in the works. In the meantime, you can find the current card for Evolution below.
WWE Evolution
- WWE Women’s World Championship Match: IYO SKY (C) vs. Rhea Ripley
- WWE Women’s Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton (C) vs. Trish Stratus
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships Fatal 4-Way Match: Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez vs. Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair vs. Sol Ruca & Zaria vs. The Kabuki Warriors
- WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (C) vs. Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria
- NXT Women’s Championship Match: Jacy Jayne (C) vs. Jordynne Grace
- No Holds Barred Match: Naomi vs. Jade Cargill
- Battle Royal For Women’s Title Match: Includes Stephanie Vaquer, Nikki Bella, and TBD
Evolution airs on Peacock and Netflix internationally on Sunday, July 13th at 7 PM EST.
Are you excited for Evolution, and who do you think should win the Battle Royal? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
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