Nikki Bella shuts down claims that Nia Jax injured her on WWE SmackDown

As seen during the March 28th 2026 edition of WWE SmackDown, The Bella Twins (Nikki and Brie) faced Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. At some point during the match, Nikki suffered an injury.

Nikki ended up not being cleared to perform at WWE WrestleMania 42, and Paige took her place. While speaking on his podcast, Nikki shut down claims that Nia Jax injured her on WWE SmackDown…

“What I want to clear up—because at first, Nia had gotten a lot of heat online, and she actually helped me—is that when it came to the end of the match and the girls had to take us out, I knew at that point I couldn’t even put weight on my foot. I was in so much pain that I thought, ‘Oh gosh, this is really bad,’ and I knew what was about to happen.

So when she came to take me out, I looked at her and said, ‘Please no, my foot hurts so bad.’ She goes, ‘Wait, what?’ And I’m like, ‘I can’t get thrown out. I need to step out.’ So she helped me step out, but people made it seem like she injured me. I was like, ‘No, Nia actually really helped me in that moment,’ because I don’t know what would have happened—I would have belly flopped on the ground if I got thrown, because I knew I couldn’t put my feet down.’”

“The next morning, before Brie and I go do media and then fly out, I go get an MRI. Brie and I do our media, and then we’re sitting, we get an Aperol spritz, have a nice little lunch before we have to catch our flight, and then I get the call. Sometimes calls aren’t that quick after an MRI, so when I saw one of our doctors calling, I was like, ‘Oh gosh.’ I answer, and they’re like, ‘Don’t know how you managed to do all of it,’ and then they broke it down to me that I tore, sprained, and fractured my ankle. They told me, ‘You’re just going to have to go straight to Birmingham. You can’t go home, and we’re going to get you in surgery ASAP.’” (quotes courtesy of F4WOnline.com)