Brie Bella's return to the WWE ring at the Royal Rumble 2026 was nothing short of thrilling for fans and marked a significant moment in her career. But the road to her comeback was not as straightforward as it might seem. In a recent episode of Notsam Wrestling Live!, she shared the intriguing story behind her return and highlighted the pivotal role played by WWE CEO Nick Khan.
Despite her eagerness to rejoin the wrestling world, Brie faced repeated rejections regarding her comeback attempts. "I’ve been wanting to come back. I would joke about it a lot, but yeah, I kept hearing no, and so when it came Thanksgiving time, I was like, ‘Alright, I’m not going back,’ and so I kind of just started to look at 2026 differently," she explained. This shift in perspective led her to explore other opportunities that had surfaced, creating a new path for herself.
To her surprise, Khan reached out unexpectedly, expressing his desire for her to return. "I was very shocked, and I was like, ‘Alright….’ And I’m grateful to Nick for bringing me back because I definitely thought the door was closed, and I’m happy that it reopened," Brie reflected on this unexpected turn of events.
Her twin sister, Nikki Bella, also chimed in with her own experience of receiving a call from Khan, remembering how life-changing and unexpected the moment was.
Now back in action, the Bella twins have set their sights on capturing the Women’s Tag Team titles held by Rhea Ripley and IYO Sky. Interestingly, before her return at the 2026 Royal Rumble, Brie’s last match took place during the 2022 Royal Rumble, making this comeback even more noteworthy. Additionally, both sisters earned their place in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020, solidifying their legacy in the wrestling world.
Shounak Chakrabarti, the author of this piece, is an established sports journalist who has a deep-rooted passion for athletics and storytelling. He possesses a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from the University of Leeds and became part of F4WOnline in 2025. Shounak follows soccer closely, particularly top teams like Real Madrid and Arsenal, and he enjoys various hobbies including fiction writing, photography, gaming, and cinema.
