IYO SKY vs. Asuka at WrestleMania 42 Hinges on Whether Nikki Bella Gets Medically Cleared

The reason IYO SKY vs. Asuka has not yet been officially announced for WrestleMania 42 has been revealed — and it comes down entirely to Nikki Bella’s medical status. According to Bryan Alvarez, WWE‘s plans hinge on whether Bella is cleared in time to compete in the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way. If she is not cleared, Asuka and Kairi Sane are expected to step in and take the Bella Twins’ spot in the tag match. If Nikki is cleared, the path opens for IYO SKY vs. Asuka to be officially added to the card.

Nikki, 42, was spotted wearing a walking boot following a late-March SmackDown episode and previously suggested she expected to return within a week. That timeline has passed without an official clearance, leaving the situation unresolved with WrestleMania 42 now less than two weeks away.

WWE’s WrestleMania 42 Booking Has Multiple Moving Parts Depending on Nikki Bella’s Recovery

The domino effect created by Nikki Bella’s ankle injury is one of the more complex backstage situations heading into Las Vegas. A single medical clearance decision now directly determines whether one of the more anticipated potential WrestleMania matches — a deeply personal singles bout between IYO SKY and Asuka rooted in their real-life history as former Damage CTRL members — takes place at all. What direction WWE would take with IYO if Asuka ends up in the tag match instead has not been addressed, leaving her WrestleMania 42 future equally uncertain if the Bella situation doesn’t resolve in time.