Nikki Bella opened up about her recent WWE return on the latest episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, sharing behind-the-scenes moments and her perspective on the evolution of the women’s division.
Bella revealed that WWE had a private locker room prepared for her at the event, but she chose instead to join the rest of the women’s roster.
“And that locker room is just so incredible. It’s just really nice to be in a great female talent — they had my own locker room for me and I was like, ‘No way. I’m going to female talent. I wanna be with them,’” Nikki said.
Before making her entrance, Bella spent time backstage with several current Superstars, including WWE Women’s World Champion IYO SKY. Their exchange, where SKY credited Nikki for paving the way, sparked some criticism online. Nikki addressed that pushback in the episode, defending her legacy and elaborating on what it truly means to create change in the business.
“But Brie, it was just amazing, and you know, I have to say, I meant what I said last night about just being so proud of this women’s division,” Nikki began.
“I did some media right before this and I was kind of saying the same to them but you know, on here, we could elaborate a little bit more. Impact means so many different things, right? And breaking barriers. It’s not just about a moveset in the ring. It’s about using your voice, it’s about fighting for what’s right, it’s about breaking barriers and it’s hard I think for a certain crowd on the internet to understand that.
“They’ll hear about you paving a way because you know somebody will make comments when IYO SKY said that to me… But, what they don’t realize is paving the road isn’t just about doing moves and what happened in the ring. It’s also what happened outside of the ring and what it’s done for women’s wrestling as a whole and I get for some of the young people — or some of the ignorant men. Let’s just be honest. I don’t even give a sh*t. They don’t get it. Because they’re just thinking moveset and they’re thinking wins and championships. They don’t think of the overall picture and majority of the time it’s because they’re not a woman.
“They’ve never had to fight for what we’ve had to fight for. Not only are they not a woman, they’re not a WWE superstar. So they don’t understand it, right? But, so a road paved is women that did so much more than that because they were fighting to do more of that moveset, more of what happens in the ring so there had to be a huge fight outside of it.
“That’s why, you know, when I said last night — and you’ll get this and a lot of people will — it’s amazing to see women pick up your blood, sweat and tears, hold on to that — and I’m talking not just me, not just you, every woman from the past, right? That fought for women — take that and make something bigger with it because that’s what you want and that is what these women right now are doing. From their athletic ability and what they are doing in that ring and beyond it. They have a lot of impact outside of it and so, I meant every word I said last night and being so proud and so grateful because there is an insane amount of talent in that locker room.”
She also revealed that Natalya offered her some key advice before her promo — encouraging her to toss the script and speak authentically.
“She told me a lot but Nattie was the one who — because she saw me looking at my script and she goes, ‘No, just speak from the heart,’ and she went in on this whole thing about speaking from the heart.
“She’s like, ‘You know what you’re here to say. You don’t need that. You know what you’re here to say and you get to that…’ Nattie’s always the best in that way. She knows us so well. So, she’s our day one girl.”
While reflecting on the current women’s division, Nikki praised several standout talents. But she admitted to stumbling over the pronunciation of Stephanie Vaquer’s name, despite practicing it several times and even consulting Vaquer herself.
“Oh my gosh, and then, even though it’s only a few people that have said stuff but, I can’t tell you how many times I went over Stephanie Vaquer’s — I feel like I’m still saying it wrong — her last name. I even was asking her but she says that of course in a beautiful Latina accent,” Nikki explained.
(Brie reminded listeners that Nikki is half-Mexican.)
“Well, when I would repeat it after her, she’s like, ‘Perfect.’ I was saying it amazing but then you get in your head and then I’m like, wait, I can’t let myself be hooked on just one last name or I’m gonna mess everything up.
“I wanted to say a bunch of people’s names and so, I didn’t want to get too hooked on hers. But then, I was asking people… They’re like, ‘No, you just say it like Vaquer. Think ‘care’ at the end,’ and then I’m like, okay, but then I wanted to say it with some spice so, I gotta work on that. I’m so bad — pronouncing — you (Brie Bella) and I with our pronunciation at times.”
Following her WWE appearance, Nikki also spoke with PEOPLE, where she opened up about Liv Morgan’s promo referencing her split from Artem Chigvintsev. Bella appreciated how WWE and her peers handled the situation with care.
“The beauty of how us women are and how empowering we are with each other is it’s done in a certain way, and that’s what I appreciate. And WWE has said that to me from the beginning. They’ve been so incredible of respecting my boundaries and my son, which is amazing.”
As noted, Nikki Bella is set for next week’s WWE Raw in Green Bay, WI., and Brie Bella is also rumored for a potential WWE return soon.
(H/T to Andrew Thompson and Fightful.com for transcribing the above quotes.)
