Why Nikki Garcia Returned as "Nikki Bella" at Netflix's WWE Raw
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Nikki Garcia Makes First Red Carpet Appearance Since Breakup From Artem Chigvintsev
While briefly coming out of retirement for an appearance on Netflix’s WWE Rawdebut Jan. 6, the former pro wrestler opted to appear under her ring name, Nikki Bella, after retiring the moniker in 2023.
“When I got the invite, I obviously was super excited,” Nikki explained to twin sister Brie Garcia on the Jan. 8 episode of The Nikki & Brie Show podcast. “I was just like, ‘Look, I want to be Nikki Bella. I don't want to come in and look like I'm trying super hard. I want to just be effortlessly me.’”
The 41-year-old, who shares son Matteo, 4, with estranged husband Artem Chigvintsev, also revealed how she decided on her wardrobe—and color scheme—for the occasion, declaring she wanted something “sporty, but sexy, but Nikki Bella, so it's gotta be red.’”
Nikki and Brie announced their retirement from wrestling—as well as their decision to use their legal names—in 2023, revealing the origin of their ring names in the process.
“Our listeners and everyone in the world is asking why,” Nikki explained during a March 2023 episode of their podcast. “You had this amazing name that you got from your grandfather, Pop Pop, who’d always call us ‘My Bellas, my Bellas.’ Why after 17 years is that gone?”
Nikki went on to say that despite the personal significance of the nickname, she and Brie wanted a fresh start as they entered their 40s.
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“We're mothers, we're entrepreneurs, we're executive producers, we're hosting shows,” the Total Bellas alum continued. “And when our contract came up with WWE, mutually we all knew we just needed to head into this new chapter.”
But despite the name change, the sisters insisted that the Bella name would always be part of their legacy.
“Something that's really cool is the past two decades the Bella Twins made history—they were game changers—and that will be a part of our soul forever,” Nikki told E! News in July 2023. “We’re in a different time in our lives. So, it's time to have this transformation and do it in another way. And we're blessed that we can do it with two names.”