Former WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella recently spoke with The Mirror about a plethora of topics. Bella touched on her fiance’ John Cena’s unfair criticism, the promo that he cut on Roman Reigns last Monday on RAW and more. Bella also touched on working with Carmella and Natalya in some very physical matches after coming back from neck surgery.
Here are a few of the highlights:
Bella On Knowing Her Body’s Limits:
“It was crazy. I think so much of it is the heart, passion and strength that you have inside and what you truly want to overcome. I wasn’t okay with them saying my career was over. I was like ‘no, I am going to get back in that ring’. I think that drive is really what helped me heal and that heart because you just start to do things that you never thought you would, because you want to be better. It was a whole new world for me coming back, because there were certain things I used to be able to do well that I couldn’t do and it was difficult looking backwards. I was like ‘oh my gosh I can’t do this anymore’.
So I definitely changed a little bit of my powerhouse style, but it was a new fun adventure. I was like ‘okay, if you can’t do these things, what can you learn and do differently and how can you turn into this new character, a new version of you’. Since I looked into that as being a fun new challenge, I think it made my comeback even better. Of course you have those times when it’s frustrating, but overall it makes me think what I have accomplished.”
Working Some Stiff Matches With Carmella And Natalya:
“Right, my poor surgeon was texting me every week like ‘What are you doing? You promised me you wouldn’t do this.’ I was like ‘Oh I’m fine’. But honestly, how could I come back when the women are doing absolutely amazing at WWE and just be mediocre. I didn’t want to come back and be mediocre, I wanted to hang in with the girls and I wanted to prove myself every week. So I definitely pushed my limits but I knew I was safe and the thing is, the girls in the ring, all my colleagues, they really took care of me as well. I couldn’t have done it without the girls I share the ring with every week.”
Working With The Miz & Maryse:
“Oh my gosh yes. I have to say it was a lot of fun. I felt so blessed that I got to be in that position, to have such an amazing mixed tag match at WrestleMania and especially to have the love of my life as my tag partner. Those videos I felt they were so comical. It really made me realize I am a character that you could easily make fun of. I do talk pretty valley, I totally have this look and I’m so in love with my man he makes me talk in a weird voice and you can just make fun of me easy. John was like ‘you’ve made it, you’re a character’ and I was like ‘I guess so’. It was really funny. I think having a twin sister who makes fun of me constantly in a good way, I’m used to it. It was great, I loved it, oh totally. I’ve known Miz and Maryse for 10 years and John as well. We had real life stories, so knowing each other for a long time but bringing that reality into our stories, it made it real but it also made it fun. Don’t get me wrong, it made it hard at times as well, but that’s why you got such natural reactions, because there was a lot of stuff to talk about.”
Nikki Speaks On How She Aggravated Her Neck:
“Yeah I aggravated it two weeks before WrestleMania. You are going to see all this on Total Bellas. I almost wasn’t able to participate in WrestleMania. You see all of this go down. I slightly herniated a disc above where I had surgery when I took out Breezy Bella. You see all of this happen on Total Bellas; you see all this behind the scenes and when I had to go to my surgeon literally the day before to see if they would let me compete or not. The deal with my surgeon was ‘I will let you compete, you can’t do a lot of stuff and you have to promise me that after WrestleMania you will heal and we need to make sure this neck is healed before you get back into that ring’, so I promised. That’s the thing with Total Bellas, the cameras were always rolling and we got this crazy raw footage.”
John Cena’s Promo On Roman Reigns:
“It was, I absolutely loved it. I even have chills right now thinking about it. One, I think John is absolutely the best talent there has ever been on the mic. I don’t think anyone comes close to him. He just brings this reality to it every time he is on the mic and you are just like ‘how am I going to hang in here with him?’ He is so quick. I think that is what has made him an amazing actor, especially with comedy, his improv is unreal. He knows how to interact with a live crowd and however a live crowd is feeling, he knows how to turn a crowd. To me, I just watch him and I am in awe. I think it’s time for him and Roman to be in that ring and to say what they have said, I loved it.
Sometimes it’s hard for me because as his fiancé, it’s hard for me not to get upset when I hear stuff about John. I see John all the time behind the scenes and I know his love for wrestling, I know his love for the fans and his love for the talent. After every match someone has, they all go up to John. He is one of the most respected men in WWE and all he ever wants to do is make new talent, talent that isn’t or hasn’t been given the opportunity, he wants to give them the opportunity, he wants to help make everyone. So when I hear certain things about him, whether it’s online or it’s someone in an interview, it’s hard not to get upset because it couldn’t be further from the truth.
I don’t think I’ve met one person yet in the 10 years I’ve been here who loves WWE as much as John. He says ‘yes’ to everything, even if it’s missing Thanksgiving. If he needs to be somewhere for Make-A-Wish or for WWE, he’s there. The thing is, all the talent know this, they all know it. They may say certain things, but they know how much John helps everyone. He made me very proud on Monday night. You can say what you want about him, but there is a reason why he is still here, because he means so much.”
