New WWE Rumors on The Bella Twins, Rey Mysterio and Gunther Ahead of WrestleMania 42

WWE returns to Las Vegas and Allegiant Stadium for WrestleMania 42, and one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the event is whether The Bella Twins will compete, as scheduled, in the Fatal 4-Way Match for the Women's Tag Team Championship after Nikki Bella suffered an ankle injury on the road to the extravaganza.

New insider reports have the latest updates on the availability of the WWE Hall of Famer and what backup plan the company has if Bella is unable to compete.

Dive deeper into that topic and more with this collection of rumors ahead of the annual Showcase of the Immortals.

Update on Nikki Bella's Injury

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As it currently stands, the Bella Twins are slated to be one of three teams challenging for the Women's Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 42.

Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com reported the Hall of Famers' spot in the bout is anything but guaranteed at this point, writing, "Regarding Nikki Bella and participating in the match at WrestleMania, I was just told a few minutes ago, 'it's too close to call.'"

The former WWE Divas champion suffered an ankle injury during the March 27 episode of SmackDown and has not competed since, making just one appearance on TV in the weeks after.

Considering the excitement surrounding her sister Brie's return to the company at the Royal Rumble, just in time for one major push toward the titles that have eluded them, it would be a significant disappointment if the sisters are unable to compete on the grand stage.

What If The Bella Twins Do Not Compete?

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Should Nikki and Brie Bella not compete at WrestleMania, WrestleVotes reported for Fightful Select that another tag team will replace them.

WWE has options, an indication of just how jam-packed the roster is with talent that have not made the final WrestleMania card.

One such option is the Kabuki Warriors. Asuka and Kairi have been all over WWE TV for the last year, feuding with every major tag team and singles star on the roster along the way.

Currently engaged in a program with Iyo Sky, their involvement and Sky's potential interference preventing them from winning the tag team title would give them a spot on the card and propel that featured storyline forward.

Another team that could conceivably replace the Bellas, should that need to happen, is The Judgment Day's Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez.

The duo has been a focal point of the Raw women's division at points over the last year, and their absence from the card is somewhat surprising. They have more than earned a spot on the show and, based on their work, would benefit the quality of the contest.

Original Plans for Seth Rollins, Rey Mysterio and Gunther

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Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp revealed during a Select Answers Q&A the original plans for Rey Mysterio and Gunther at WrestleMania 42:

"The working plan was Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker, and Gunther vs. Rey Mysterio. Mysterio was injured in or right after the Rumble it appears. They didn't really have an idea of what to do with Gunther after the Dragon Lee unmasking and had him off television for a while. There were some claiming that the plan for Gunther and Seth Rollins extended back to Elimination Chamber, which tracks."

Injuries upended the WrestleMania card as far back as October, when Rollins suffered a torn rotator cuff during his match with Cody Rhodes for the Crown Jewel Championship and plans involving Roman Reigns were scrapped, so it is both disappointing and apropos that they affected The Visionary's role at the big event.

How WWE officials did not have a backup in mind for Gunther, though, given how strongly he has been booked over the last year, is astonishing. At least Rollins was available or we could very well be looking at a scenario where The Ring General inexplicably misses out on a WrestleMania match-up.