Legend and Hall of Famer Thought WWE Return Might Never Happen Before Royal Rumble Comeback

Brie Bella recently returned to WWE during the women’s Royal Rumble match in Saudi Arabia, marking her first in ring appearance since the 2022 edition of the event. But according to Bella, there was a time when she truly believed that comeback might never happen.

Speaking on The Nikki & Brie Show podcast, Bella revealed that she spent years wondering whether WWE would ever call her back. While her sister Nikki Bella had already returned to WWE in 2025, Brie said she kept getting turned down when she expressed interest in coming back.

When asked in interviews about a possible WWE return, Bella often joked that she had not received the call yet. However, she admitted that the comment was not entirely a joke.

Bella explained that when Nikki returned to WWE, it reignited her own desire to step back into the ring, but she was repeatedly told that the timing was not right.

“I’ve had a lot of patience and I feel like it was just meant to be this way,” Bella said.

When the call finally did come, Bella was surprised to learn that her return would take place at the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia. At first, she even questioned whether the audience there would recognize her.

“The first thing I thought when I got the call, I was like, ‘I don’t think they know who I am. Could I just wait to debut in Philadelphia?’” she recalled. “They’re like, ‘The Saudi people know who you are.’ I’m like, ‘Do they?’”

Bella admitted she was extremely nervous leading up to her entrance and worried that the crowd might not react.

“I was stressed up until my music hit that I was going to have zero reaction,” she said. “But honestly, I was not expecting the reaction I got.”

Because she did not have much time to prepare, Bella said she immediately committed to training every day once she learned she would be part of the match.

Beyond the Royal Rumble appearance, Bella said her ultimate goal has always been to reunite with her sister as The Bella Twins for one final run. The sisters have long talked about wanting to chase the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship together.

For a while, however, Bella said she had started to accept that the opportunity might never happen.

“I hate what ifs,” she said. “For a while I thought that was going to be our final run, just a what if.”

Bella explained that she even began planning other projects for 2026 after believing WWE had firmly passed on bringing her back.

“I started to look at how I could redirect and find other opportunities,” she said. “Then all of a sudden something shifted and I got the call.”

Now that the opportunity has arrived, Bella says the goal is not just a one night return but a legitimate run with the company.

“The best part about it, it wasn’t just about Rumble,” she said. “It was about coming back and actually getting to wrestle… as long as I can hang.”

Do you think The Bella Twins deserve one final run with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships before they eventually retire?