According to a report in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Nikki Bella was scheduled to appear this week on RAW in Brooklyn. However, Bella’s doctor told her to stay away from the ring entirely (and thus, not appear in front of the live crowd).
Bella was booked to do anything physical, simply be ringside for a segment, though her doctor still advised her that if any kind of accident happened while she was out at ringside, her progress would take a massive hit. In the end, the risk wasn’t worth taking.
Bella had neck fusion surgery a few months ago, a procedure that has been known to end careers. Nikki’s next big milestone in her recovery will occur in July when doctors will examine how well the fused bone has come together in her neck. At that point, a definitive ruling on her future will be made.
According to Meltzer, Bella’s doctor has already told her that even if she heals perfectly, she still shouldn’t return to full-time wrestling. The possibility of a part-time schedule remains. It will come down to how much Nikki still wants to be involved in the ring and what kind of future she envisions for herself outside of wrestling.
With her sister Brie reportedly retiring from the ring soon, that decision could also play a role in Nikki’s assessment of her own future.
