• Top WWE Star Was Internally Expected For Royal Rumble 2026, Plans Fell Apart
AJ Lee was expected internally to be involved in the Women’s Royal Rumble match, but plans ultimately fell apart for reasons that remain unclear.
The situation was discussed on WrestleVotes Live on Fightful Select, where it was noted that AJ Lee had been lined up for the event before her absence became apparent. While her name had been circulating internally ahead of the show, she did not end up appearing in the Women’s Royal Rumble match.
No specific explanation was provided regarding why the plans changed. The discussion did not point to injury, creative disputes, or contract-related issues, leaving the reason for the shift unresolved. The belief expressed was that something changed late enough in the process to remove her from the event entirely.
AJ Lee’s absence stood out given the level of anticipation surrounding the Royal Rumble and the number of returns and surprises expected. Her non-appearance was viewed as more than a simple omission, particularly since expectations had already been set behind the scenes.
Also Read: Released Star Returned To WWE TV Last Night
• Nikki Bella Reveals Why She Didn’t Attend John Cena’s Retirement Match
Nikki Bella reunited with her ex-fiancé, John Cena, backstage in WWE in 2025, during Cena’s retirement tour. During an appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Nikki was asked if it was awkward to meet Cena after their breakup. Here’s what the WWE Hall of Famer said:
“I mean, the first time, like, we hadn’t seen each other in so many years, so it was just like you didn’t know what to expect. So, yeah. And then it was fine. And then it was like normal. And then I got to meet his wife. Then I would talk to them both every time I saw them at TV and then it was normal, but of course the first time for sure.”
Logan’s podcast co-host then asked Nikki if she was happy when Cena was forced to tap out to Gunther in his retirement match. In her answer, Nikki explained why she didn’t attend Cena’s final match:
“No. I don’t… You know what? I guess I didn’t have an emotion to it. Meaning like I was sad at the fact that he was retiring, but I was having a lot of fun at the Flyers game that night, too. That I got a lot of sh*t for.
People acted as if I was invited to his last match and I denied the request. Wasn’t invited. So, I was at the Flyers game because the Eagles were playing the next day and so I was in Philly.
I was more sad about him retiring. I just wanted his run to be the way he wanted. So, as long as he’s happy, I’m happy.”
