Major return 'planned' for 2025 WWE Royal Rumble as huge update emerges

The Royal Rumble event is typically full of surprises and there's word on a huge WWE return planned for Saturday night's show in Indianapolis.

The 38th annual Royal Rumble is the first event in the Netflix era and will see 65,000 fans pile into the Lucas Oil Stadium, home of NFL side Indianapolis Colts.

There are two 30-person Royal Rumble matches, one for the men and one for the women - with both winners entitled to a title shot of their choosing at WrestleMania 41.

A plethora of huge names have already been confirmed for both bouts but the matches are renowned for surprise entrants.

A whole host of names have been rumoured to appear but fresh information appears to indicate that Nikki Bella could be in line for a stunning return.

Bella, real name Nicole Garcia, is a WWE Hall of Famer along with twin sister Brie and signed with the company in 2007.

The longest-reigning Divas champion has appeared in two Royal Rumble matches and now looks set to make it a third showing, with Fightful Select, via Ringside News, reporting that she is in Indianapolis and her "name was discussed among talent as a possible Royal Rumble entrant".

Her last WWE appearance was in the 2022 Royal Rumble and it was announced that both Bella twins had mutually agreed to not renew their WWE deals in March 2023.

Nikki Bella looks set for a stunning WWE return. Image: Getty

However, the 41-year-old was ringside for WWE's first ever episode of Raw on Netflix at the start of January and received a huge reaction when she was introduced at the Intuit Dome.

Bella, who initially retired in 2019 due to a cyst being found on her brain, recently dropped a huge hint about making a comeback in the ring, - revealing how much she has missed being in WWE in an interview with US Weekly.

Bella drops WWE return hint

"I’ve missed it for quite a few years," she said.

"I miss being Nikki Bella. I miss being around that family. I definitely miss being in that ring. When they put me in the crowd that night and to feel the energy and see the Bella Army, whether they were in the crowd or online, it starts to give you these feels.

"Going home to WWE, I don’t think people understand, I started at 22. That’s all I ever knew up until a little bit ago. So, that’s been the biggest home for me and to go back and be home and the environment there is so incredible. The women were just, what a great locker room. They were just so awesome and together and one and unity and everyone back there was just so happy. You could tell the energy there right now is just incredible."

Bella also said that, "I feel like I’ve still got it" in regards to a return and is hopeful of convincing her twin sister to join her in one final run.