WWE fans speculate Bianca Belair won't be returning till 2027 after recent IG post

The EST of WWE has been absent from in-ring competition since WrestleMania 41.

‘The EST of WWE’ Bianca Belair has been significantly absent from WWE programming since WrestleMania 41. Except for a few sporadic appearances, Belair has mostly been absent from WWE programming and has yet to make her in-ring return. 

Belair competed in a triple-threat match against Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley, where the Women’s World title was on the line. Belair suffered a broken finger and has been absent from the in-ring competition.

Belair’s last appearance on WWE television came in July, when she served as the special guest referee in the no-holds-barred match between Jade Cargill and Naomi at Evolution 2.

A report from BodySlam+ had revealed that Belair has faced a challenging recovery process. However, there’s optimism within WWE that she’ll return in the early part of 2026, with hopes that she might even return sooner than currently projected.

On the other hand, many fans were predicting her return at the 2026 edition of the Royal Rumble, which is set to take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of Riyadh Season. 

This changed when Belair recently uploaded a video on her Instagram account, after which fans started speculating that she won’t be returning to programming until 2027.

Fans are hopeful for Bianca Belair’s return

In the video uploaded to her Instagram account, Belair revealed her upcoming appearance on the 106 & Sports stage. Fans can catch her live on tomorrow’s episode at 10/9c on BET. 

However, this video left many WWE fans speculating as they circled in on her injured finger, which still looks swollen. While many fans pointed out that the finger is much better than earlier, others still speculated that Belair likely won’t return until 2027.

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Some fans pointed to Belair’s earlier comments that she couldn’t even wear her wedding ring on her injured finger, noting that she is wearing a ring in the video, which they interpret as a sign that her finger may be healing faster than expected.

Others with similar injuries have noted that a broken finger can still function normally, even if it never looks completely the same again.

There is yet no solid update on when Belair will make her highly anticipated in-ring return. Fans have felt her absence, especially in the SmackDown’s women’s division and they are hoping for her return to the main event scene.

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