WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella has addressed the finish to her match on last night’s Monday Night Raw, which saw her score her first singles victory on the red brand in nearly seven years. She explained that “insane” muscle memory caused her to accidentally revert to the original version of her Rack Attack finisher.
Nikki Bella Explains ‘Awkward’ Match Finish
After defeating Chelsea Green, Nikki spoke on Raw Recap to explain the final moments of the bout. She noted that after seven years away, her body instinctively went for the move that she was forced to stop using after her career-altering neck surgery.
“What’s crazy is everyone kept telling me backstage ‘it’s going to be like riding an old bike.’ 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 explained in a recap video. “What was weird is I haven’t hit that since 2016. So it was weird that I naturally turned her and put her up. And the slight second I go, ‘this is what broke my neck.’… We have these moments where we’re not perfect. still got the victory, and that is what counts.”
Managing Expectations After Seven Years Away
Nikki also spoke about her mindset heading into her first singles match on Raw since 2018. She acknowledged the difficulty of returning after such a long layoff and becoming a mother, stating that she knew she wouldn’t be perfect.
“I knew I wasn’t gonna be an IYO SKY, I wasn’t gonna be a Rhea Ripley… But what I did know going in there is, was give it your best,” she said. “It’s been seven years. You’ve had a baby. You haven’t been in that ring. And, you know, people don’t understand how hard it is to be in there. Wrestling conditioning is different than anything… So I was very blown up, but I gave it my all.”
Despite any ring rust, Nikki Bella’s victory was a significant moment. Her celebration was cut short by a post-match attack from Chelsea Green’s associates, Alba Fyre and Piper Niven, which was stopped by the surprising arrival of Stephanie Vaquer. The angle ended with Vaquer and Bella forming an unexpected alliance.
