5 WWE stars expected return in 2026
Several WWE Superstars are off television right now, some healing from injuries, others handling projects outside the ring.
With SummerSlam season closing in, the timing suddenly feels important. This is when WWE likes to pull the trigger on big moments, and a surprise return can instantly change the direction of an entire brand.
These absences are not random gaps on the roster. Each of these names left with unfinished stories. In WWE, momentum can flip in a single night. The right comeback, placed at the right event, can reset rivalries, shift championship paths, and give fans something fresh without starting from scratch.
Nikki Bella has been out since suffering a serious ankle injury in March on SmackDown. The injury kept her from WrestleMania 42, forcing Paige to step in as Brie Bella’s partner. That unexpected duo captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, creating a new dynamic in Nikki’s absence.
If Nikki returns now, she walks into a complicated situation. Brie has found success without her. That tension writes itself. A Bella Twins reunion followed by a sharp turn on Paige would instantly shake the tag division. The Twins have long leaned into fan-favorite roles. A more aggressive version of the duo would feel different and give the women’s tag scene real edge heading into the fall.
Stephanie Vaquer disappeared from television shortly after WrestleMania 42, where she dropped the Women’s World Championship to Liv Morgan. On RAW the next night, she made it clear she wanted her rematch. Then came a shoulder injury, and WWE wrote her out with a backstage attack by The Judgment Day.
The story never truly ended. Morgan is still champion. Vaquer never got the second chance she publicly demanded. That makes her return simple and effective. She does not need a long build. She just needs to show up and remind everyone that the title slipped away because of injury, not defeat alone. That kind of comeback adds immediate credi
