Nikki Bella recently revealed her thoughts and personal experiences following her return to WWE. On a new episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, she reflected on her return, discussed backstage moments, and considered how the women’s division has transformed over the years since her earlier tenure. In the course of the episode, Nikki detailed the special accommodations WWE prepared for her at the event—most notably, a private locker room—which she declined in favor of spending time with other women’s roster members. Nikki felt strongly about being present with her peers, reinforcing the unity and mutual respect within the division.
“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 Bella, WWE Superstar
IYO SKY Credits Nikki Bella, Sparking Online Debate
Prior to making her entrance, Nikki spent time backstage connecting with current Superstars, including IYO SKY, WWE Women’s World Champion. During their exchange, IYO SKY directly told Nikki that she had paved the way for current talents. IYO SKY’s comment, intended as praise, drew some backlash and discussion on social media platforms, prompting Nikki to address the criticism candidly. She took the opportunity to defend her legacy, expanding on the definition of breaking barriers for women in wrestling and why recognition should not be limited to just in-ring performance.
“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 Bella, WWE Superstar
Nikki Bella Explains What “Paving the Way” Truly Means
Nikki emphasized that impact within the women’s division is a multifaceted concept. She argued that true progress is about more than ring ability or championship wins—it’s also about activism, vocal advocacy, and fighting for opportunities. She noted that some online critics focus solely on the athletic aspect but miss the bigger picture of struggle beyond the ring, especially efforts made outside performing for television audiences. According to Nikki, those who haven’t lived through these challenges may not appreciate what it takes to spark meaningful change in the industry.
“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.” —Nikki Bella, WWE Superstar
Natalya’s Advice and the Importance of Authenticity
Nikki shared a behind-the-scenes story about her preparation for the live promo she delivered upon returning. She recounted how Natalya, another influential name in women’s wrestling, provided a helpful nudge by encouraging Nikki to ditch the script and trust herself to speak honestly and from the heart. This moment underscored the camaraderie and support among the WWE women’s roster.
“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.” —Nikki Bella, WWE Superstar
Praising Current Talent and Acknowledging Challenges
While reflecting on the division’s remarkable progress, Nikki took care to highlight the exceptional ability of many current competitors, mentioning Stephanie Vaquer specifically. Nikki admitted she struggled with correctly pronouncing Vaquer’s last name despite repeated practice and direct input from Vaquer herself, illustrating her desire for accuracy and respect for fellow performers.
“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 Bella
“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.”
—Nikki Bella
Addressing Liv Morgan’s Promo and Personal Boundaries
After her appearance on WWE Raw, Nikki engaged in further media, including a conversation with PEOPLE where she addressed the way her personal life was referenced by Liv Morgan during a promo. Nikki stated she respected the manner in which WWE and her colleagues approached the topic, as it was handled thoughtfully and with respect for her boundaries and her family.
“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.”
—Nikki Bella
What Lies Ahead for Nikki and the Women’s Division
Looking forward, Nikki Bella is slated to appear in the upcoming episode of WWE Raw in Green Bay, WI. There are also rumors that Brie Bella could make a return soon. Nikki’s willingness to share her stories and advocate for women’s wrestling highlights how former champions continue to pave the way for newer generations. The ongoing conversation about what it means to create change demonstrates that the path for women in WWE is not only about breaking records but also about breaking down boundaries, both in and out of the ring. The impact of Nikki’s advocacy—alongside praise from figures such as IYO SKY—reverberates through a division that values unity, resilience, and respect among peers.
