Nikki Bella returns at August 28 SmackDown taping in Ottawa and attacks Paige

Nikki Bella, a WWE Hall of Famer and former Divas Champion, returned to television during the August 28 SmackDown taping in Ottawa, Canada, and attacked Paige after her match. Paige had faced Women’s United States Champion Jacy Jayne, with spoilers from the arena indicating that Jayne defeated Paige and retained the title.

The appearance followed a run of vignettes involving Nikki Bella and Paige that WWE had begun airing, though the two had not previously met on television. The rivalry traces back to SummerSlam when the Bella Twins attacked Paige after a six-woman tag team match, an incident WWE presented as a heel turn for the twins. Brie Bella subsequently suffered a legitimate injury that has kept her out of action, leaving Nikki as the active Bella in the developing program. Paige had previously signaled an interest in challenging for the Women’s United States Championship, which led to her match with Jacy Jayne.

Spoilers reported from the Ottawa taping confirmed Jacy Jayne defeated Paige in the scheduled bout for the Women’s United States title. The more significant development occurred after the match when Nikki Bella appeared and targeted Paige, attacking her in the ring. According to the account from the arena, Nikki did not speak during the confrontation; her music played shortly afterward as she left the ring.

WWE had already been building the angle through pre-taped segments, but the Ottawa encounter provided the first televised face-to-face escalation between Nikki Bella and The Anti Diva. The source material notes that Nikki made her intentions clear by physically attacking Paige following the contest. The return therefore connected the earlier vignette campaign to an on-screen act of aggression.

The storyline’s origins at SummerSlam were captured in WWE’s coverage and related social posts, including the phrase "THE BELLA TWINS TURN ON PAIGE 😱#SummerSlam LIVE on the ESPN App 🍿" used in promotional material. The earlier SummerSlam moment, the subsequent vignettes, and Nikki’s return in Ottawa form a continuous thread in WWE’s presentation of the feud.

With Brie Bella sidelined by injury, WWE appears prepared to continue the Nikki Bella–Paige program using Nikki as the active antagonist. The company’s use of vignettes and Nikki’s post-match attack at the Ottawa SmackDown taping extend the rivalry beyond Paige’s immediate title pursuit.

The immediate question is when WWE will formalize the rivalry into a billed match, as Nikki Bella’s return leaves Paige facing a new personal storyline in addition to her championship ambitions.