Nikki Bella reunited with her ex-fiancé, John Cena, backstage in WWE in 2025, during Cena’s retirement tour. During an appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Nikki was asked if it was awkward to meet Cena after their breakup. Here’s what the WWE Hall of Famer said:
“I mean, the first time, like, we hadn’t seen each other in so many years, so it was just like you didn’t know what to expect. So, yeah. And then it was fine. And then it was like normal. And then I got to meet his wife. Then I would talk to them both every time I saw them at TV and then it was normal, but of course the first time for sure.”
Logan’s podcast co-host then asked Nikki if she was happy when Cena was forced to tap out to Gunther in his retirement match. In her answer, Nikki explained why she didn’t attend Cena’s final match:
“No. I don’t… You know what? I guess I didn’t have an emotion to it. Meaning like I was sad at the fact that he was retiring, but I was having a lot of fun at the Flyers game that night, too. That I got a lot of sh*t for.
People acted as if I was invited to his last match and I denied the request. Wasn’t invited. So, I was at the Flyers game because the Eagles were playing the next day and so I was in Philly.
I was more sad about him retiring. I just wanted his run to be the way he wanted. So, as long as he’s happy, I’m happy.”
Brie Bella Was Told “No” Repeatedly Before WWE Finally Called Her Back
Brie Bella’s return to WWE did not happen quickly or easily. In the months leading up to her Royal Rumble 2026 appearance, she made multiple attempts to explore a comeback, only to be met with consistent rejection. Each time the idea came up, the answer was the same: no.
On The Nikki & Brie Show, Brie explained that when Nikki Bella returned to WWE, a comeback wasn’t immediately on her mind. Over time, though, the desire to wrestle again grew stronger. She felt the itch to get back in the ring and began pushing for an opportunity. Despite that motivation, nothing materialized. WWE continued to pass, and eventually the repeated rejections began to take a toll.
As the year went on, Brie reached a point where she stopped expecting the call to ever come. Around the holidays, she began to accept that her in-ring career might truly be over. With no movement from WWE, she started redirecting her focus and planning her future elsewhere. Other opportunities were presented to her, including a television project that would have occupied her entire January. For the first time, she seriously considered moving on for good.
That shift came from losing hope, not from a lack of interest. Brie made it clear that she had held out as long as she reasonably could, turning down outside work because she still believed a WWE return might happen. When nothing changed, she finally started preparing for life beyond wrestling.
Then, unexpectedly, the call came.
Brie said the timing was abrupt and surprising, especially after months of silence. What made it different was that the offer wasn’t limited to a single appearance. Instead, it opened the door to a full return – a chance to wrestle again, be part of the roster, and truly come back home.
