Nikki Garcia, known for her WWE persona Nikki Bella, recently opened up about her return to the ring after a three-year hiatus.
During the Feb. 6 episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, Garcia shared her thoughts on re-entering the WWE universe at the 2025 Royal Rumble, which took place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on February 1. Garcia admitted that getting back into her Nikki Bella character wasn’t as smooth as she had hoped.
“Let’s just, let’s talk about being Nikki Bella again,” she began, explaining that although she’s been part of the Royal Rumble before, the event always moves quickly, leaving little time to re-establish her presence. “The Royal Rumbles go so fast, and you only have a moment to get back into character.”
Having retired from wrestling in 2019, along with her sister Brie, to focus on motherhood and their podcast, Garcia described how difficult it was to return to the ring after such a long break.
“Sometimes you haven’t been who you are in that WWE ring for years and years,” she said. “It’s always hard to get into that character, to be the character that you want to deliver to the fans something special.”
Despite the initial challenges, Garcia called the past three weeks of training and returning to the ring “amazing,” noting how quickly her body adapted and how much she enjoyed it. “I couldn’t believe how much my body remembered,” she said, “and I was loving it.”
Fans of the WWE Hall of Famer can look forward to more appearances, as Garcia teased, “You will see another Fearless Nikki appearance.
Sooner than later, that is for sure.” She also shared that her Royal Rumble return made her feel “empowered and alive” and that the most important thing she regained was her confidence.
