Bianca Belair’s WWE return does not appear to be imminent as the former three-time world champion announces she is undergoing surgery.
“Finger surgery tomorrow,” Belair wrote with a praying hands emoji on her Instagram story.
The 36-year-old has not competed since WrestleMania 41 back in April 2025 thanks to a broken knuckle.
The EST got injured in her triple-threat with IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley and Belair has previously described feeling as though she had “broken all of her fingers” after it got stuck underneath Mami.
A recent report in November by BodySlam+ indicated that those within WWE expected Belair to be back in “early 2026.”
Sources told Wrestling Intel that Belair was originally planned to win the Women’s Royal Rumble if she managed to get healthy in time. However, with complications during her recovery, it became clear that was not going to be possible.
Bron Breakker was also slated to win the men’s around the same time Belair was pencilled in, but both of those plans ultimately changed.
Belair has been a pillar of the women’s division since arriving in the main roster in 2020 and has been missed during her absence.
It was thought she was the obvious opponent for Jade Cargill if she could make WrestleMania.
The show is nine weeks away. Some surgeries take six to eight weeks to heal, but we have no idea how intricate this operation is.
