For Roxanne Perez, the 2025 Royal Rumble wasn’t just a career milestone—it was a childhood dream realized. Nearly a decade before she became the longest-lasting competitor in the Women’s Rumble, a young Perez stood outside a wrestling event, waiting to meet her hero, Nikki Bella.
In a resurfaced video, a teenage Perez excitedly tells Bella, “In five years, you’re going to need a tag partner.” But when Bella playfully suggested the idea, Perez had a different vision. “I’d rather wrestle you,” she replied.
Fast forward to this year’s Royal Rumble, and that’s exactly what happened. In a surreal full-circle moment, Perez found herself face-to-face with Nikki Bella in the ring, even engaging in a push-up contest before tensions boiled over. During an appearance on the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast, Perez recalled:
“Ten years later, I’m in the ring with Nikki Bella… and I almost slapped her!”
The moment encapsulates just how fast Perez has risen in WWE. The former two-time NXT Women’s Champion has already broken records, headlined pay-per-views, and now gone toe-to-toe with one of the biggest female stars in WWE history.
While she may not have won the Royal Rumble, her performance—including being one of the final two competitors—cemented her as a future main event player. And if history is any indication, it won’t be long before Perez’s next dream turns into reality.
Nikki Garcia, formerly known as Nikki Bella, made a surprise appearance at this year’s WWE Royal Rumble match on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. Entering at #30, she mixed it up with several top stars in her first match since the 2022 Royal Rumble.
This return came after Nikki had previously teased a WWE comeback. She and her sister, Brie Bella, left WWE in 2023 to focus on their business ventures and have not been involved in wrestling since.
“Is this a one-off, or is she here to stay? Keep tuning in. You will see another ‘Fearless’ Nikki appearance sooner rather than later, that is for sure. I’m definitely doing more than what I just did on Saturday,” she said.
She also hinted at a possible return for sister Brie, who last appeared for WWE when the twins competed in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match.
“Hopefully, Brie Mode will be by my side soon. More on that to come.”
The Bella Twins gained mainstream popularity through their appearances on the reality TV shows “Total Divas” and “Total Bellas,” which offered a glimpse into their lives inside and outside the ring. Nikki emerged as a dominant force in the women’s division, capturing the WWE Divas Championship twice.
The Bella Twins were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021.
Nikki Bella already has future opponents in mind after her WWE return at the 2025 Royal Rumble event.
The WWE Hall of Famer was the final entrant of the Women’s Royal Rumble match, following other surprise entrants such as Jordynne Grace and Charlotte Flair. While she did not win the bout, Bella showed that she hadn’t lost a step since her last Rumble appearance in 2022.
The wrestling veteran was interviewed by Jackie Redmond backstage after the match. When asked how she felt about the crowd erupting for her return, Bella said that she had to be very careful not to get emotional:
“Oh my goodness. It’s crazy. The crowd just gets you right back into who you are out there. What I sometimes have to be careful is I always want to go into ultimate heel Nikki mode, it’s just like where I thrive. It gives me very Bambi vibes.
You almost try not to get emotional because it’s been so long. I love my WWE Universe family. I love my family back here. Then when you hear the crowd react like that, you’re just like, ‘Oh my Gosh.’ It gives you all the feels.”
Nikki Bella also named the people she would like to get in the ring with after her return including a number of veterans as well as the Women’s US Champion Chelsea Green:
“There’s a lot of people. I feel like there are parts me of that have unfinished business, long business, with Charlotte Flair, but also with Liv Morgan. That would probably be my most unfinished business with. It’s great to see some of my girls back here.
We still have Naomi and Nattie. I’ve never caused chaos to Bayley, that’s someone…and someone who I’ve really been loving and I kind of want to kick her off her high horse is Chelsea Green.”
Nikki Bella could be on the verge of making a return to the wrestling ring. TMZ Sports reported on Thursday that the former WWE Superstar is in talks with the company about a potential comeback. According to the report, discussions have recently begun, and Nikki has already started training in anticipation of a possible agreement.
This development is fairly new, as talks between Nikki and WWE reportedly began after her appearance at Raw in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. While there is no confirmed timeline for her return, the possibility of seeing Nikki back in the ring has sparked excitement among fans.
Nikki and her twin sister, Brie Bella, left WWE in 2023, rebranding themselves as the Garcia Twins. When asked about a potential WWE return on the red carpet of the Raw on Netflix premiere, Nikki teased the idea.
“Will we ever see the Bella Twins back? Good question,” she said. “I just may be here looking at my competition soon, so stay tuned.”
Nikki officially stepped away from in-ring competition in 2019, citing health concerns, including a career-threatening neck injury. She announced her retirement shortly thereafter and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside her sister in 2020. Their contributions to WWE, particularly in elevating women’s wrestling and bridging it with mainstream entertainment, remain influential.
Outside the ring, Nikki has built a thriving career. As the star of reality shows like Total Divas and Total Bellas, she helped bring mainstream attention to WWE’s women’s division.
If a deal is finalized, Nikki’s return would mark a significant moment for WWE fans and a potential new chapter in her legendary career.
Nikki Garcia, also known as Nikki Bella, was officially welcomed back into the WWE family on Monday night during the Raw on Netflix premiere in Los Angeles. Garcia appeared on the red carpet ahead of the show.
As of this writing, it’s unclear whether Garcia has signed a Legends Deal with WWE or is just visiting.
The last time Garcia was scheduled to attend a WWE event, plans fell through. The Bella Twins were originally slated to appear at the Raw 30th Anniversary show in January 2023. However, they were ultimately booked to promote the premiere of Nikki Bella’s Says I Do.
Nikki and her sister Brie commented on Instagram about the lack of women’s representation in clips shown during the Raw 30 broadcast. In March 2023, on their podcast, The Nikki & Brie Show, Nikki and Brie announced that they and WWE had mutually agreed to not renew their contracts
In November, Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev finalized their divorce. The filing followed several tumultuous events, including Chigvintsev’s arrest in late August on domestic violence charges at their Napa County home. However, the charges were dropped in September due to insufficient evidence, according to the district attorney.
Garcia was with WWE from 2007 to 2022. She is a two-time WWE Divas Champion, with her second reign of 301 days being the longest in the title’s history.
History was made in the Netflix Hot Dog special and Nikki Garcia, Rey Mysterio and Omos had a front row seat to witness the gluttony.
Famed competitive eaters Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut took part in a live Labor Day special on Netflix where the two went head-to-head in eating hot dogs and one man broke the record. Chestnut came out the victor eating an unprecedented 83 hot dogs in 10 minutes to defeat his longstanding rival who could only down 67 dogs, and there were two WWE Hall of Famers on hand in Bella and Mysterio to be apart of the prestigious face-stuffing.
Along with comedian Rob Riggle, Garcia was the host to the event while Rey Mysterio presented Chestnut with the championship title after out-eating Kobayashi. Chestnut got his own WWE gold courtesy of Mysterio, who was the presenter for Chestnut while Omos was “Team Kobayashi.”
The event had to have felt like a breath of fresh air for Garcia after the unfortunate week she had as her husband Artem Chigvintsev was arrested on a felony corporal injury charge Thursday. Chigvintsev was released on $25,000 bail and through her representative, Garcia requested privacy after the incident. Garcia was noted to not be wearing her wedding ring during the Netflix special as she was photographed boarding a private jet with her son Matteo over the weekend.
Nikki Garcia (fka Nikki Bella) is LIVE on Netflix for the Unfinished Beef Hot Dog challenge! She looks great, thank God! She is currently not wearing her wedding ring.
Chigvintsev called 911 following the domestic dispute along with claiming that Garcia threw shoes at him. Police noticed injuries to Garcia and then took Chigvintsev into custody.
Nikki Garcia understandably would like some privacy following her husband Artem Chigvintsev’s arrest on August 29.
Chigvintsev, a pro dancer who Nikki first met on Dancing With The Stars, was arrested and booked in Napa Valley for corporal injury Thursday, only two days after his second anniversary with Garcia.
A statement was issued on behalf of Garcia reading, “This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time.”
Chigvintsev was released not long after his arrest after posting a $25,000 bail. On the day of their anniversary, Garcia posted a celebration post on Instagram that featured lyrics from Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” She also included the following comments:
““This song is our love story. I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast. And then this song came on. And that’s when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be.”
Garcia and Chigvintsev met back in 2017 and at the time, Nikki was dating John Cena, but once their relationship ended, she began dating Artem. In the past Nikki did cite relationship troubles with Artem after having time away from him. Together they have a four-year old son named Matteo.
Along with her sister Brie, Nikki was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2021 along with JBL, The British Bulldog, Jushin Thunder Liger and the NWO.
If you are experiencing domestic violence you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org.
Prior to her recent hiatus, Baker had established herself as one of the top women in AEW. When Britt appeared on the Nikki & Brie Show, the conversation turned to a possible match between Baker and the former Nikki Bella.
Britt: It’s right here for you. Do you want it? Because I’m right here, if you need an opponent.
Nikki: I would come out of retirement for you.
Britt: I would love nothing more.
Nikki: You know what? This is my one thing: Doing a comeback, because I do wanna do a comeback in a few years…
Nikki’s most recent match was as part of the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble which was won by the returning Ronda Rousey. Whilst the WWE Hall of Famer hasn’t competed since then, she has shown interest in joining AEW in the past. Of course, it would be up to Tony Khan whether a deal is offered to Garcia, but if that is the case, Baker is waiting for the longest-reigning WWE Divas Champion.
In the meantime, Garcia will continue to grow her media profile outside of the squared circle. The WWE Hall of Famer was recently announced for season three of the hit series The Traitors U.S. in which celebrities will try and decide which members aren’t telling the truth. Garcia has also appeared on Dancing With The Stars (where she met her now husband) and it remains to be seen if one more match is in her future.
Toni Storm keeps her Timeless character going, even during press conferences. This led to her bringing up Nikki Garcia in a very unflattering manner, but now the WWE Hall of Famer is answering back.
During the AEW Dynasty press conference, Toni Storm fired off a line about the former Nikki Bella as she said, “Nicole Garcia thought about joining AEW when she saw Mercedes did. You know why she didn’t? Because then she saw me and realized, she can’t hold a p*ssy scented candle to what I do.”
“P*ssy scented candle, what does that even means?” Nikki Garcia asked during the Nikki and Brie Show. Brie then said that she received phone calls asking if it was a pro wrestling term — it is not. Niki went on to explain her confusion about Storm’s comment.
“Listen, I love Toni Storm, and she’s doing this character now and i’ts great. I loved her in NXT. No I wasn’t bothered by it. I laughed. I was like, ‘p*ssy scented candle?!’ Then I’m trying to figure it out. Like, was it a diss? Maybe we should bring her on the podcast and ask her.”
Tony Khan Almost Got A Call From Nikki Bella
Nikki Garcia previously stated that she thought about calling Tony Khan after seeing Mercedes Mone debut with the company. She explained that her son, Matteo, needs her at home more than she wants to be on the road with AEW.
“When I saw Mercedes [Mone] debut and cut her promo, that line stuck with me, ‘Here, we’re going to make the evolution worldwide.’ I was like, ‘They do.’ It goes into many leagues, is what she means, it doesn’t have to be at one place. It can be at all these places where all these women are wrestling at. I go, ‘Brie, I think I can do it for a year. I can do it here to here and go every week.'”
“Then, I thought of Matteo. I had a good week of like, ‘This is it. I’m going to call Tony Khan. I’m your girl. I will commit.’ Then, I was like, ‘I can’t do that to my son right now. He needs me,'”
Nikki Bella retired from the ring in 2018 due to neck and spine issues, but she returned to compete in the Royal Rumble in 2022. The Bella Twins officially exited WWE in 2023 when their contracts ended.
Choosing to explore independent ventures, they still have a weekly podcast and Nikki is co-host of the USA Network’s Barmageddon.
AEW has signed some big named over the past several months, including Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, and Mercedes Mone. After seeing Mercedes debut in AEW, Nikki Garcia almost joined that list. On the latest episode of the Nikki & Brie Show, the multi-time WWE Women’s Champion disclosed that she almost picked up her phone and called Tony Khan about doing business. After giving it serious consideration, she decided against it because she wants to devote her time to being a mother to her son, Matteo.
“Since we’ve been lifting so much, we always say, we always start to get that wrestling mindset, ‘We’re going to go back and do this story and cut this promo.’ You get it, but how serious I got where I was like, ‘Okay, I think I can do maybe a year at AEW and I can do it every week.'”
“When I saw Mercedes [Mone] debut and cut her promo, that line stuck with me, ‘Here, we’re going to make the evolution worldwide.’ I was like, ‘They do.’ It goes into many leagues, is what she means, it doesn’t have to be at one place. It can be at all these places where all these women are wrestling at. I go, ‘Brie, I think I can do it for a year. I can do it here to here and go every week.’
Then, I thought of Matteo. I had a good week of like, ‘This is it. I’m going to call Tony Khan. I’m your girl. I will commit.’ Then, I was like, ‘I can’t do that to my son right now. He needs me,'”
You can listen to the full episode embedded here, including Nikki’s comments about nearly calling AEW President Tony Khan:
Nikki Bella’s WWE Career and Exit
Nikki Garcia made a name for herself for years in WWE as Nikki Bella. Her contributions to the company helped spearhead the Women’s Revolution in the company, where she was placed on top of the card for years.
During that time in WWE, she achieved several notable accomplishments in the company. Nikki is a two-time WWE Divas Champion, and she was named Diva of the Year for three consecutive years in 2013, 2014, and 2015, with the 2013 award being shared with her sister, Brie Bella.
Additionally, Nikki was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020, alongside Brie as members of The Bella Twins.
Nikki Bella retired in 2018 because of neck and spine issues but made a comeback at the Royal Rumble in 2022. The Bella Twins left WWE in 2023 after their contracts ended to pursue independent ventures.
Since her WWE exit, Nikki has hosted Barmageddon, a show that aired after WWE RAW for a while. It was not lost on fans when Michael Cole internationally omitted her name while promoting the show during RAW.
Nikki Bella later commented on that snub from WWE to say, “I think more than anything, it’s disappointing. I worked there for 16 years and I helped paved the way for them. Not only that, they’ve always been family to me.”
The pro wrestling world was shaken up in a huge way when Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon was made public. This lawsuit, which alleges sexual abuse, extortion, and assault, could break the company wide open if private texts and emails are exposed for all to see. To prepare themselves for what’s to come, Nikki and Brie Bella are now speaking out.
The Garcia Twins Respond
The Bella Twins are no longer in WWE, as they allowed their contracts to expire. Now as the Garcia Twins, they are doing their thing in the public eye. After those damning allegations against Vince McMahon, Nikki and Brie had to speak up.
The official Twitter/X account for the Garcia Twins sent out a public announcement about the recent lawsuit and the mountain of allegations that it included. It was made very clear that the WWE Hall of Fame team do not condone anything that the earth-shattering lawsuit alleged, and they support women in every way that they can.
We are shocked and disheartened with the recent allegations against members of the WWE. It has been a lot to process since we found out this past week as you all did. This is something we don’t stand for or condone from anyone no matter who they are. We want all women to feel safe and supported in the workplace and in their everyday lives.
The Bella Twins’ Connection to Vince McMahon’s Big Lawsuit
That lawsuit from Janel Grant wasn’t just against WWE and Vince McMahon, because John Laurinaitis was also named as a defendant. Laurinaitis is also married to Nikki and Brie’s mother.
John and Kathy Laurinaitis were married in 2016, years before the allegations in that lawsuit allegedly took place. Their wedding was also used as a storyline device on Total Divas. As of this writing, Laurinaitis has not released any public statement on this matter, but Vince McMahon’s camp sent out a response of denial.
It was also made clear in McMahon’s statement after his resignation from WWE that he was still claiming total innocence from the allegations in Grant’s lawsuit. SE Scoops will have continued coverage of this story.
Allegations In Janel Grant’s Lawsuit
Former WWE employee Janel Grant has filed a lawsuit against McMahon, accusing him of sex trafficking. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday morning, alleges that McMahon, while serving as WWE’s Chief Executive, subjected Grant to sexual abuse and exploitation. The suit claims McMahon coerced her into sexual relations under the promise of career advancement and later trafficked her to other men within WWE.
Grant, who signed a nondisclosure agreement with WWE in 2022, asserts that she first encountered McMahon in 2019 in their shared apartment building. McMahon purportedly promised her work at WWE and showered her with gifts. The lawsuit further claims that McMahon pressured her into sexual activities to secure her a job. Grant was hired as an “administration coordinator” in June 2019, a position the suit alleges McMahon created for her under John Laurinaitis. However, she reportedly had little work, leading to complaints from other WWE employees and Grant feeling her job was undeserved.
Grant further alleges that McMahon sent explicit messages, increased demands for sex, and used “toys” forcefully during intimate encounters, causing injuries. She claims McMahon shared photos and videos of her with other WWE executives and wrestlers, recruiting others within WWE to have sex with her, including then WWE head of talent relations John Laurinaitis. The suit alleges Grant’s mental and physical health declined, leading to McMahon sending her to a “celebrity doctor” in November, with McMahon later paying $20,000 for surgery.
The lawsuit contends that Grant was transferred to the talent-relations division in May 2021, working directly under Laurinaitis. A month later, Grant alleges McMahon and Laurinaitis locked her in an office, sexually assaulting her in turns, followed by McMahon assaulting her again a week later.
The Bella Twins (Nikki & Brie Bella) were initially advertised weeks ago to appear at WWE Raw XXX on Monday night.
They weren’t advertised the week before the event and didn’t show up at the event. While speaking on Instagram Live, Nikki explained why they didn’t appear on the show. It all came down to them being booked from Monday through Thursday with Artem Chigvintsev on a busy media schedule to promote the premiere of “Nikki Bella Says I Do” on Thursday night. She stated that it’s a WWE-owned show, and that’s why there were so many trailers for it during Raw.
“We were hoping, I think it was weeks ago, we were talking about going to Raw. They said they had nothing for us. We were booked on media on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then there was maybe an idea. Our whole team, including WWE and everyone else, had booked us for Monday in New York. Whatever you see of stuff, all of a sudden, stories change; that’s to clean up and throw it on people, nope. We had all these commitments per the company we work for and everyone else. I know people like to throw it on people, but I’m not going to let that happen,” she said.
#WWEWomenDeserveBetter
After the show, Nikki and Brie spoke on Instagram, noting the lack of women’s clips on Raw 30. Becky Lynch and Bayley were scheduled to compete in a cage match on the show, but the match was cut short due to the opening segment going long. The hashtag “WWEWomenDeserveBetter” began trending after the show.
Nikki said she loves the fans for sticking up for the women and said it wasn’t about them for bringing this up. Instead, it’s about the women of the past to the ones in the company now.
“I understand why so many people are upset, especially our fans when it’s something like Raw 30.”
Nikki noted that people have their own memories and come from various eras.
“I love that you’re doing the hashtag, and you’re going to see a lot of narratives play because people have to protect themselves and you’re going to get a lot of women blamed and people calling them crybabies. No, we put in just as much effort and work. All those women do, all of them, from every era. Not just women, men too.”
Former WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella and partner Artem Chigvintsev recently got married on the aptly titled Nikki Bella Says I Do.
The four-part series focuses on the couple’s wedding from August 2022. This is the latest in a long line of reality TV ventures starring the Bella twin. Along with her sister Brie, Bella was a leading star in Total Divas before moving onto a spin-off show about just the two of them. Her relationship with John Cena during the 2010s was often a key focus of both shows.
Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella first met when she went on the 25th season of Dancing With The Stars. Chigvintsev, a dancer on the show, was partnered with the Total Bellas star. In the years since, they have also had a son together.
The new series touches on Bella’s own issues with commitment as she moves forward with getting legally hitched. Now, though, it appears the reality TV series may not be quite as real as viewers might have initially hoped.
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki @BellaTwins took to Instagram to announce that she and @artemchigvintse have officially tied the knot.
Fans of the series recently discovered that, according to public records, Artem Chigvintsev is not legally married. Given the nature of the show, this has certainly come as quite a shock to viewers.
Considering the entire show revolves around the pair marrying, it calls into question the realism of the reality TV series. With Total Bellas coming to an end in 2021, this new series was expected to mark Nikki Bella’s return to the reality TV medium.
Despite the new 4-part series coming to E! on Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsevs wedding, they’re not legally married. Fans found recent public records post-“wedding” listing him as legally unmarried and are upset they feel lied to. WWE Star framed this show as her finally overcoming commitment issues and getting legally married, but really, its just a cash grab in front of 10 guests claiming to say I Do.
– Deuxmoi
In more recent years, the former WWE Superstar has been focusing more on game shows. Last year, she was a judge on America’s Got Talent: Extreme and the host of Barmageddon. Bella’s WWE career saw many highlights including the longest WWE Divas Championship reign in history and headlining WWE’s first all-women’s PPV, Evolution.
(via WWE)
It remains to be seen what sort of blowback this recent reveal about her news series will receive.
Do you think Nikki Bella’s marriage was just for TV?
Former WWE Superstar Nikki Bella has a new series set to be released soon. Nikki captured the Divas Championship twice in her career and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020. She currently serves as an ambassador for the company.
The trailer for Nikki’s new limited series on the E! Network titled “Nikki Bella Says I Do” has been released. Nikki and Brie Bella’s “Total Bellas” reality series had a successful run from 2016 – 2021 on the E! Network. The “Total Divas” reality series ran form 2013-2019 on the network as well.
Nikki recently married Russian professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev. The four-part series will begin on E! on January 13, 2023 and you can check out the trailer below.
The Bella Twins on the Demise of Total Divas
Nikki and Brie Bella recently spoke to TV Insider and SEScoops’ correspondent Scott Fishman about Total Divas ending last year. Nikki stated that the show had a positive influence on girls showing up to WWE events.
“It doesn’t get enough credit. I believe it was also a reason why we had more girls showing up. Here were these reality fans that believed in us and our stories inside and outside the ring. They wanted to come to watch it live and grew into fans. It changed the game so much for us. It made people believe in women’s wrestling.”
She added that the show would have to have the right people behind it if it were ever to return. Nikki claimed they walked away from the show because of the drama surrounding it.
“It has to be the right people behind it. We started to go in a direction where it became more to do with bad girls’ club drama. It’s why we walked away.”
Nearly three years after getting engaged, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev got married in Paris, France.
The wedding took place on August 26 and is set to be chronicled in a four-part E! special. Bella confirmed the exciting news in a post on Instagram.
“We said I DO. Can’t wait to share the entire journey with you all when our four-part special event, ‘Nikki Bella Says I Do,’ premieres on E!”
– Nikki Bella
(Photo: Instagram @thenikkibella)
Total Bellas and Total Divas formerly aired on E! Chigvintsev was Bella’s partner on Dancing with the Stars in 2017, and they started dating shortly after the show.
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki @BellaTwins took to Instagram to announce that she and @artemchigvintse have officially tied the knot.
Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev got engaged in France in November 2019, but Bella waited until January 2020 to announce the news. The couple has a two-year-old son together.
Bella was previously engaged to fellow WWE star John Cena. The couple announced their separation in 2018 after dating since 2012 and being engaged for a year. Before their split, Cena and Nikki were scheduled to get married in May 2018.
Nikki and Brie were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020.
In 2013, WWE and E! launched ‘Total Divas’ a reality show focused on the lives of WWE’s female Superstars.
The two central figures of the show, Brie and Nikki Bella, would go on to have their own spin-off series, ‘Total Bellas’ focusing on their lives, injuries, and later the birth of their children.
Total Divas ran from July 2013 to December 2019 while Total Bellas lasted from October 2016 to January 2021.
A Possible Return?
Like many reality shows, Total Divas was criticized for what viewers believed were scripted scenes and not reflective of the day-to-day work of a WWE Superstar.
Speaking to TV Insider, Nikki Bella told SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman that the show did have a positive influence on WWE audiences.
“It doesn’t get enough credit. I believe it was also a reason why we had more girls showing up. Here were these reality fans that believed in us and our stories inside and outside the ring. They wanted to come to watch it live and grew into fans. It changed the game so much for us. It made people believe in women’s wrestling.”
“It was also a reason why we had more girls showing up [to WWE events.]”
Nikki Bella on the impact of Total Divas.
Nikki added that while she believes the show should come back, it should only do so under the right circumstances.
“it has to be the right people behind it. We started to go in a direction where it became more to do with bad girls’ club drama. It’s why we walked away.”
Nikki Bella on what a Total Divas return should be.
In that same interview, Brie Bella said that a new cast of Superstars would be perfect for a revived show.
“It would be awesome to see A bECKY lYNCH ON there. Does she cry after a match? Does she kiss her daughter before she comes out? I
Brie Bella on a possible new cast for Total Divas.
Brie also suggested that the show could “make stars” if it was brought back.
WWE has given no indication that they plan on reviving either Total Divas or Total Bellas.
Nikki Bella will be back on USA Network but it won’t be for WWE.
Deadline reports that musician Blake Shelton and Carson Daly will be teaming up to start a new game show titled, “Barmageddon.” The show will be airing on USA Network. On the show, celebrities will compete in a series of bar games.
Nikki Bella Hosting Barmageddon
Nikki Bella will serve as the host of the upcoming game show. Shelton will be on stage with his house band, while Daly will be behind the bar.
Here’s an official description of Barmageddon:
“In each episode, two celebrities will play a unique set of five games in the bar to win a much-needed prize for a viral Internet sensation each has chosen to support. Plucked from obscurity following their epic misadventures on the Internet, these now-infamous stars find themselves at Ole Red hoping to be redeemed.
The competition heats up when the losing rival of each round has a chance to even the score by spinning the Wheel of Redemption, a risky move with hilarious consequences. Shelton and Daly will offer words of encouragement – and heckling, of course – to their celebrity friends.
On occasion, they might even step in to show off their skills and play a game or two. Ultimately, the winning team takes home a prize while the losing celebrity must accept the shame of defeat. But this is Barmageddon – even if they did not win, at least they had a ton of fun trying.”
The show will be filmed in Blake Shelton’s own bar, Ole Red, in Nashville.
Bella made waves back in April when she said she’d be open to a WWE return during a Q&A session for America’s Got Talent: Extreme. She said that if the doctors give her clearance, then she won’t rule out the possibility.
WWE Hall Of Famer Nikki Bella isn’t opposed to returning to WWE for more in-ring work.
Aside from making a very brief appearance in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, Nikki Bella hasn’t wrestled in a match since 2018. Bella fell short against then-RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at a live event in Italy. Recently, Bella participated in a Q&A video for “America’s Got Talent: Extreme,” where she serves as a judge.
During the Q&A, Bella was asked about a potential in-ring return. She responded by saying that, as long as the doctors continue to clear her, she’s open to it. However, she’d much rather wait a few years until her son is a little older, so he can appreciate seeing her wrestle ringside. She also noted that it’d be a dream come true to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles with her sister, Brie Bella.
“As long as the doctors say yes,” Bella said (via Wrestling Inc.). “And especially with my sister. When we left is when they brought in the tag championships, tag titles. I kind of would like it more when my son is three or four, because it be a dream of mine, especially as a woman, is to have one of the best matches of my career with my son sitting at ringside and being like ‘that’s my mom!’
“I really would like to go back with my sister one day, fight for the tag titles and win them once in front of our kids. That would be amazing.”
Bella is one of the most accomplished female WWE stars of all time. During her run with the company she racked up two Divas Championship runs, and also has the longest-ever reign as Divas Champion in history. She also had the opportunity to headline the first-ever all-female WWE pay-per-view (PPV), WWE Evolution back in 2018.
She challenged Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women’s Title in the main event, ultimately coming up short.
Nikki Bella and fiancé Artem Chigvintsev have set a date for their wedding.
The WWE Hall of Famer and former Divas champion recently spoke to US Weekly about her big plans. It should come as no surprise that her twin sister, Brie Bella, will serve as her maid of honor.
“Brie’s gonna have to start getting busy because she’s Maid of Honor. I’m going to have to put her to work!” she joked.
Nikki likes to live it up and party, but she knows she’ll have to keep herself in check for her big day. “I’m going to have to give a heartfelt speech, not be drunk and have my s—t together.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBLjMSvcydQ
Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev Wedding Plans
The happy couple have finally settled on a wedding date, so when can we expect Nikki Bella to walk down the aisle?
“We’ve set a wedding date. I’ll give a hint that it’s fall 2022, very soon.”
– Nikki Bella
Nikki Bella has lived her adult life in front of the cameras. In addition to her WWE career, she’s starred on reality television shows (Total Divas, Total Bellas) and competed on Dancing with the Stars, where she met her soon-to-be husband.
It should come as no surprise that Nikki Bella’s wedding to Artem Chigvintsev might be televised. “It might be on E!. So, the world may see it,” she said.
Nikki is excited to marry Artem, but admits there’s a little pressure to nail their ‘first dance’ together. She has been telling Artem he needs to start choreographing their dance so she can learn it all summer.
Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev became engaged in 2019. They welcomed their first child, Matteo, in July of 2020. Their wedding keeps getting pushed back, however. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Nikki revealed the promise she made that keeps delaying their nuptials.
“The one promise I made [Chigvintsev] before we can plan is that his parents can attend,” she told ET. “And with where the world’s at right now, and trying to get two Russian parents into the country, it’s almost impossible. So the day I can get two visas is the day we will set our date and say, ‘I do.’ “
Originally, Nikki had said they planned to get married around this Thanksgiving. She now feels that next year’s Thanksgiving is a more realistic target.
“I think last year I said Thanksgiving, right? And I want to say next Thanksgiving,” she added. “I can’t believe it’s been a year, but I really do want to get married. I mean, selfishly, I just want to have that, like, one big day about me. I can’t wait for that and to wear that dress, but I do want to marry Artem.”
Nikki was once engaged to John Cena, but the couple called off their engagement in 2018. She met Chigvintsev when they were partnered together on Dancing With The Stars in 2017. Nikki and Chigvintsev went public with their relationship in July of 2019 and became engaged later that year.
The SummerSlam PPV featuring the match between John Cena and Roman Reigns created a lot of buzz. However, Nikki Bella is one star who didn’t watch this main event match. The former Divas champion recently had an interview with Extra. She talked about things such as her son taking more interest in dancing than wrestling, her new haircut and more.
Nikki also reiterated her comments about a run with the women’s tag team championship tempting her for a wrestling return. She said that she truly hopes to make a comeback in the future so her son can watch her wrestle:
“I talk to Brie about this on the daily. I look at Tamina and I look at Natalya and I see them hold those tag team championships and there’s nothing more that I would love to come back for that,
I truly hope that in the future I can come back in that ring and compete. Compete in front of my son! He would sit front row. It would be a dream. It’s not over for the Bella Twins. We definitely will come back and make our mark.”
Nikki Bella On Why She Didn’t Watch John Cena’s Match
During the interview, Nikki Bella was also asked about John Cena’s match at the SummerSlam PPV. Replying to it, the former champion claimed that she missed the bout because she was too busy playing roulette:
“You know, I actually have to say when you’re in Vegas, the tables took me away, I was too busy playing roulette, and I was winning big. So I missed it.”
Nikki Bella hasn’t wrestled on WWE TV for more than three years. Her last televised match was when she challenged Ronda Rousey for the Raw women’s championship at Evolution in 2018. While she has been talking about her desire for an in-ring return for some time now, a timetable for her comeback is not known.
Nikki Bella is not a fan of how the SmackDown Women’s Championship reign of Bianca Belair came to an end.
Last night (Aug. 21), WWE SummerSlam took place inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Belair was expected to put her gold on the line against Sasha Banks. Wrestling Inc. reported that Banks was off the card and WWE ended up having Becky Lynch replace her as a surprise.
Fans didn’t get much of a match, however. Lynch extended her hand to Belair but ended up taking a cheap shot followed by a pumphandle for the three-count. The match lasted about 27 seconds.
During a post-SummerSlam event, Nikki Bella made it clear that she wasn’t happy with the finish to Belair vs Lynch.
“I can tell you what wasn’t my favorite moment and it was when she lost [points over to Bianca Belair, who was also at the event]. That definitely was not my favorite moment. I don’t actually know if I had a favorite moment, because, you know, I’ve always backed the women and always for the women.
“You have someone like Bianca, who is such an incredible talent and you can’t help but get frustrated when you see moments like that of like, a championship that meant so much and was lost within seconds. So, I have to admit, for this SummerSlam, there truly wasn’t anything that was my favorite moment.”
Belair recently commented on the quick loss, saying she was glad to be a part of the moment. Belair vowed to get the SmackDown Women’s Championship back in the future.
On July 26th, 2013 the Bella Twins appeared on an edition of E! Network’s Fashion Police. During the appearance, Nikki Bella commented on now knowing if Chyna was a man or a woman.
A video clip from the show has been shared online recently, leading Nikki Bella to issue an apology for her comments in it. “We don’t know if it’s a man or a woman,” she says in the clip.
Joan Rivers, who would pass away the following year, also made fun of Chyna during the segment.
Nikki Bella has issued an apology for her comments today. She wrote on social media:
“I want to sincerely apologize for a comment I made over 8 years ago on Fashion Police. I am sorry and embarrassed by my 29-year-old self, who offended Chyna and in turn, hurt her family and others.”
Nikki continued to say she wishes she could take back her comments.
“I wish I could it back. Please learn from me, it’s not worth hurting someone’s feelings for a meaningless laugh. Chyna will always be remembered as an icon and pioneer who helped create the opportunities for women in wrestling that exist today. Thank you Chyna! – Nikki Bella”
Update: Chyna’s family has replied to Nikki Bella’s apology:
Nikki has apologised on her page and in private. It was sincere. Please stop attacking her. Her apology has been passed on to the family also. She has grown as a person. There is no hate or Ill will. Please build each other up not tear down. Chyna believed in forgiveness 🙏💜 https://t.co/TqKh2Vj3N6
Nikki Bella and Brie Bella are firm on their stand about wanting to make a WWE return and at least one of them has already started the preparation for it.
The Bella Twins recently had an interview with Entertainment Tonight where the sisters reiterated their comments about wanting to have a reign with the women’s tag team championships.
During the talk, Nikki said that she wants to change her ring style a bit to make a statement upon her comeback. She also revealed that she has already started the preparation for her return:
“For me, I’m definitely starting that preparation, I want to train hard for it. When we come back, I want to change my style in the ring a little bit. I want to make a statement.”
Brie did not provide a similar update to her sister. Though the Total Bellas star still claimed that the Bellas are definitely going to make a comeback:
“The Bellas are definitely going to make a comeback. We don’t know exactly when, but we said that we have one more run in us.”
Apart from this, the Bella Twins talked about giving birth, potential future careers for their children and more. You can check out their interview below:
Former WWE Superstar and Hall of Famer Nikki Bella recently took to Instagram to write messages to some recently released WWE Superstars. Bella specifically mentioned Ruby Riott, Mickie James, The IIconics, Lana and Chelsea Green.
“I have been shocked to say the least about some of the releases lately at WWE” Bella began on Instagram. “Wanted to write a thank you post to the women that have given their everything to the wrestling industry. Mind, body, soul and time”.
“I was so honored to share the ring with some of you and the ones I hadn’t I was so looking forward to one day sharing it” Nikki Bella continued. “Ruby Riott you were one of my favorite matches, you are such a selfless, kind, and incredibly talented woman.”
Nikki Bella on Released Superstars
“Mickie James you are an icon” Bella added. “I always hoped to have had a badass storyline with you. I know we could have created magic. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce, goodness our future wrote itself, Brie and I were dreaming of fighting for the tag titles against the both of you. You two were a magic duo!”
Nikki Bella then finished by praising Lana and Chelsea Green. “Lana you shined in and out of that ring, loved our Total Divas days and traveling the world together. So many amazing laughs and memories!”
“And Chelsea Green, was super excited to see what you were going to bring! Thank you all for the entertainment and the memories! I know the future is so bright for you all! Can’t wait to follow you all wherever you may go.???? #womenswrestling”
It’s not confirmed at this time when Nikki and Brie intend on returning to the ring themselves. The twins recently gave birth, with Nikki becoming a mother for the first time. Both were present at the WWE Hall of Fame and WrestleMania this year, but are likely still some way off of being ready for a return to the squared circle.
