Nikki Bella may be closer to a WWE return than many fans expected, with new signs pointing toward her being en route to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ahead of this weekend’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.

Fans quickly noticed Bella appearing in the background of an Instagram Story shared on Wednesday by Jackie Redmond, who was traveling to the region for the show. While nothing has been officially confirmed, the sighting immediately sparked speculation about Bella being part of the event. She has not been seen on WWE television since the December 29 episode of Raw, where she challenged for the Women’s World Championship in a three way match against Stephanie Vaquer and Raquel Rodriguez.

The timing is notable given comments made earlier in the day by WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Triple H Levesque, who spoke about the scale of Saturday’s show during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up. According to Levesque, fans should expect a night packed with major names and unexpected moments.

“This one is going to be epic,” Triple H said. “There’s a lot of surprises in store, but also it’s one of the most star studded rumbles that I can recall.”

Levesque went on to highlight several major entrants already announced for the Men’s Royal Rumble, including Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Jey Uso, Bron Breakker, and Logan Paul. On the women’s side, he pointed to Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Rhea Ripley, and Liv Morgan as standouts heading into the match.

With WWE promising surprises and Bella now seemingly in the same city as the event, speculation will only continue to grow as the Royal Rumble draws closer.

It appears Nikki Bella was on the flight to Saudi Arabia for the Royal Rumble as she appears in the background of Jackie Redmond's Instagram story! pic.twitter.com/HdfmSb5CZk

, Cultaholic Wrestling (@Cultaholic) January 28, 2026