WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Garcia has given a raw, behind-the-scenes account of her recent return to the ring, discussing the surprise of being booked for a singles match on Monday Night RAW, her new approach to handling nerves, and a specific in-ring moment that drew criticism from fans online. Speaking on her SiriusXM podcast, The Nikki and Brie Show, Garcia detailed the whirlwind weekend that saw her return to singles competition for the first time in years.
Her sister, Brie Garcia, admitted she was shocked to learn about the match. “Usually when people who have been out for six years, or legends come back, there’s usually a build up to a singles match,” Brie said. “So when you texted me you’re having a match on RAW, I’ll admit, I was so nervous for you.” Nikki shared that she had the same reaction when she was told the news.
“No Prep” For A Surprise Return
Nikki explained that unlike many returning legends who spend weeks at the WWE Performance Center preparing, she had no time to prepare for the singles match. “When I got hit with that, I was like, ‘Wait, what?’ and I was like, ‘Wait, are you sure? How long?'” Nikki recalled. “Yeah, no prep. I wanted to try and get in the ring Sunday morning and then it was all taken, all full, so then I asked about like Monday early, it didn’t [work out].”
Despite the lack of preparation and the expected nerves, Nikki felt a new sense of composure, which she credited to years of personal development work. “I feel like it’s so different now and I actually couldn’t believe how composed I was,” she said. “All the really hardcore work you and I have done, especially in the past few years… life coach, breath work, meditation, giving yourself grace, all the things. It’s weird that I… [had] nerves, but not like how I have felt in the past where it just felt uncontrollable, it overtakes. I just was able to get myself in a place like, ‘You’re gonna have fun. You’re nervous, but just be confident.'”
Clapping Back At The Critics
The conversation then turned to a moment in the match that didn’t go perfectly according to plan. Brie noted, “Was it clean? No, it wasn’t clean. Was it a little sloppy? Yes.” Nikki admitted the pressure of performing live and wanting to “set a certain standard” made the moment difficult for her. “Instantly when that happened, it’s sad, but that’s immediately what I felt was like, ‘I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass,'” she said.
Her fears were realized when a critic on Twitter used the moment to attack her. After Nikki posted a response to a tweet from her opponent, Chelsea Green, a user wrote, “No, you looked, you botched, and then won.” Nikki then read her lengthy response to the critic live on the podcast.
“All from the IWC of haters, let me educate,” Nikki’s tweet read. “Botched, of a task carried out badly or carelessly, but what you meant to say is, ‘you looked, you snatched on your OG finisher that broke your neck, you protected yourself, you won.’ Yay, we learned something new today. Hashtag haters gonna hate, Bellas gonna ball.”
“It’s Not A Botch. It’s Actually Being Smart.”
Nikki concluded by explaining her definition of the term and why she felt it was used incorrectly in her situation. “We throw around that word a lot in our industry, botched, and these are people who write that, are non-athletic people who’ve never played a sport,” she stated. “Botched is when someone does something and they’re careless… In my situation, I went up for something that broke my neck, so I either could have in that moment hit it and re-injured myself or worse, or I could have been like… ‘I’m gonna set her down’… It’s not a botch. It’s actually being smart.”
Nikki Garcia’s return to WWE took place at the Evolution II pay-per-view, where she competed in the Women’s Casino Gauntlet match. Her singles match on the following Monday Night RAW was against Chelsea Green, a match which Nikki won. The appearances marked her first significant in-ring action in several years.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Nikki & Brie Show with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
