WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella has opened up about the whirlwind of preparations and the last-minute nerves she experienced leading up to her recent match with Asuka on Monday Night Raw. In a new interview, the former Divas Champion revealed that she found out about the match with less than 48 hours’ notice, a situation that was complicated by the fact that she was in the middle of a “carb week.”
Speaking on her SiriusXM podcast, The Nikki & Brie Show, Nikki explained that she received the call about the match on a Saturday evening, just before she was set to travel for that week’s Raw. The short notice, combined with her diet at the time, left her feeling a little “freaked out”
“I found about having that match against Asuka, I think it was like Saturday evening, so I just remember, I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I leave the next day. I don’t have time. I have Teo. I don’t have time to think about what gear am I gonna wear. I’m just gonna throw in my Paris gear.’ Not only that Brie, and you get this especially at our age, but anyone will understand this, especially athletes. So, because we just came back from Paris, I was like, ‘Okay. This is gonna be my carb week. I’m gonna have carbs. I’m also gonna still keep my all my proteins in and I’m not gonna shy away from dessert,’ because I was like, ‘I’m won’t even have a match Monday, so I’ll be fine.’ So, Saturday evening when I’m sitting there and I’m like, because at our age it’s not just quickly to lean out. I then was obviously so good Sunday, Monday, but I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ So, now I’ve realized during this comeback, I can’t do carb weeks anymore or have three cheat days in a row.”
Despite the last-minute nature of the booking, Nikki was incredibly excited for the opportunity to face a performer of Asuka’s caliber, someone she considers “one of the best wrestlers in the world for women.” She revealed that she spent her entire travel day studying her opponent’s matches to be as prepared as possible for their first-ever singles encounter.
“I was excited because Asuka’s obviously one of the best wrestlers in the world for women and the last time she and I, we’ve never had a match, but she and I were both the final two of the first ever women’s Royal Rumble, so that and think how long ago that was, so I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ You know, I called you immediately feeling the nerves, so my whole Sunday traveling to Milwaukee, I think I’ve watched every Asuka match in history… I wanted to know all the little things about her. Just absolutely everything. You know, I already know how she’s working right now, but I just wanted to see everything. So, I literally have caught every single Asuka match ever. That was my full Sunday of travel.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit The Nikki & Brie Show with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
