WWE Diva Nikki Bella is currently out with an injury to her neck. She had to have surgery to repair a major problem, which seemed to be routine. She was even said to be making a lot of good progress. This is a good thing with neck surgeries, as they can really take a toll on a person, and fast recovery typically means the surgery was a good success and the body has managed to take well to everything. Bella was saying recently that she didn’t always have to wear her neck brace anymore, which is a great thing.

As for her return to the ring, things seem to be up in the air. Nikki Bella was backstage on WWE RAW Monday night. Many believe she was there because John Cena was backstage as well. Cena was in New York because he was working The Today Show and the two just went backstage for RAW due to it being in Brooklyn. There was a thought that Nikki might get involved in the WrestleMania 5-on-5 match with her sister, but they put Eva Marie in the spot instead.

According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, the reason for this is because Nikki has not been cleared to return yet. Nikki was told that any bump she took on the show Monday would set her recovery back, so working a match before she was fully ready would have been a step in the wrong direction. Doctors have also been telling Nikki that a full-time ring return may never happen due to the severity of her injury.

image via WWE

Keep in mind, she has a neck problem. These types of injuries have retired athletes in the past, Edge being one of them. She could always work part-time, which would allow her to do some bumps when she is fully recovered, though. She would join a select few WWE Divas to have a part-time deal in place as a wrestler.

Nikki Bella is set to meet with doctors in July to have a CAT scan. This should tell us whether or not a return is even remotely possible. If things are going well for Bella, her bone will have fused correctly in her neck. Nikki is hopeful that a ring return will be possible if the surgery proves to be a success. By the way things seem to be going right now, the surgery does look to have gone well. However, we cannot know for a fact as patients have felt fine during a recovery only to find out that another surgery is needed or that the surgery they just had was not enough to give them what they wanted.

This is why everything is still a waiting game for Nikki Bella. Neck injuries are no joke, and neck surgeries are something to joke even less about. WWE could use Nikki back, but if she’s at best a part-time performer now, that does hurt her career. She’s not a major name like a Trish Stratus or Lita in the eyes of the fans, but she might be this generation’s version of them. WWE put a lot into making her a top name for the Divas Division.

image via WWE

They made her the longest reigning WWE Diva’s Champion of all time, which beat AJ Lee’s record prior. The record Lee set did not last long either, which was sad to see. Bella was champ for nearly a year before losing it to Charlotte. Like Nikki or hate her, she put a lot of attention on the title, and Charlotte benefited a great deal from beating her. It made her a credible champion right off, and now whoever beats Charlotte will run off of that same momentum that Charlotte has had since September.

No one wants to see a career end over circumstances like this, even if you do not like a certain athlete. Far too many people have had to retire due to an injury in WWE history, especially the last number of years. It would be a shame if Nikki Bella had to end her career over one. Regardless, she’s at best a part-time performer from now on.

[Image via WWE]