Nikki Bella shared details about a surprising incident that nearly caused a neck injury during her recent WWE RAW match with Chelsea Green. Near the end of the contest, the WWE Hall of Famer instinctively attempted her original finishing move, the Rack Attack, which had previously caused her a broken neck. Fortunately, Bella managed to adjust mid-move, shifting into the Rack Attack 2.0 to safely complete the match.
After the match, Bella confirmed the close call on social media when responding to a fan’s question about the finish.
Exactly *three see-no-evil monkey emojis* muscle memory is insane! I haven’t done that since before neck surgery! Wild! I talk about [it] on the RAW recap tomorrow,
—Nikki Bella
Bella Details Her Reaction to Replaying the Risky Move Live
During a RAW Recap, Nikki Bella elaborated on the moment she instinctively went for the Rack Attack, a move she hadn’t performed since her 2016 neck injury. She explained how her muscle memory instantly triggered the maneuver, causing mixed emotions in the ring.
Well, yeah, it was like riding such an old bike that I went and put Chelsea up in my old Rack Attack that broke my neck,
—Nikki Bella
Bella continued, describing how immediately she realized what was happening and reconsidered continuing with the original move, noting this was the first time she’d done it since her injury. She expressed surprise and frustration at the instinctive action, but also relief that she was able to switch to the safer Rack Attack 2.0 technique to finish the match.
She reflected on the contrast between her performance at a recent battle royal, where she used the Rack Attack 2.0 successfully, and the nervousness this moment brought during the singles match:
“So tonight, it was very weird to me, how so quickly, naturally I spinned her, and she just was like, are you okay? But that was very wild to me, and also pissed me off. And it’s crazy, because at the battle royal, I hit Chelsea with the Rack Attack 2.0. But tonight it was weird being in that singles form, that feeling of like I’m going to win this. And it took me back to the Rack Attack, the OG. And when I had that slight thing of, this is what broke my neck. I can’t believe this for a second. I go, but you might be fine if you just hit it this way. I’m really happy that I didn’t.”
Perspective on Sports Entertainment and Moving Forward After the Incident
Bella emphasized the unpredictable nature of sports entertainment, comparing it to other athletic events where mistakes happen despite the professionalism of the performers. She remained positive about her victory and her ongoing path in WWE.
And the thing is, we are sports entertainment. Just like in football and soccer and whatever it may be, we have these moments where we’re not perfect. So I still got the victory, and that is what counts. And I’m very happy for that. Now I have a foundation of where I’m at right now, and the greatest thing is I’m just going to be building from there. I’m going to be here for a while, and now I have somewhere to go, and I’m gonna build.
—Nikki Bella
This mishap highlights both the physical risks wrestlers encounter and Nikki Bella’s resilience as she continues her WWE career stronger after earlier injuries. Fans following her journey can expect Bella to build on this foundation, maintaining an active presence in WWE while managing the challenges from her past neck surgery.
