After months of speculation, Nikki Bella finally got her perfect, storybook moment at WrestleMania 33. Her longtime boyfriend John Cena finally proposed to Nikki in the middle of the ring after their mixed tag match against The Miz and Maryse, and put a big ol’ honkin’ ring on it.
So that was one half of the WrestleMania speculation surrounding John and Nikki. The other half of the speculation involved reports that Nikki has been having some serious problems with her surgically repaired neck — including a scare the week before Mania — and that she was weighing a possible retirement. The scuttlebutt was that she never intended to work a full-time schedule after returning from surgery at SummerSlam, but has been going nonstop on Smackdown Live ever since.
On Monday, Nikki posted a picture of her WrestleMania 33 gear on Twitter and didn’t mince words: she’s stepping away from wrestling, and from WWE for a while. But when she’s ready, she’ll be back.
This isn't goodbye, just need time to heal. When the day is right I will be back and hopefully then…. BRIE MODE will be ACTIVATED!… pic.twitter.com/3OB6QjUnvU
— Nikki & Brie (@NikkiAndBrie) April 4, 2017
Can't wait for the day I can lace up my kicks throw on my jersey put on my SnapBack & come back home. Until then..Stay Fearless Bella Army!
— Nikki & Brie (@NikkiAndBrie) April 4, 2017
So this isn’t quite the Undertaker retiring. It’s not a retirement at all, according to her. And we’ll still see her every week on Total Divas, which returns this Wednesday(!), but she and Cena will both be taking at least the bulk of the summer off. From the wording of her messages, she’ll be gone for longer than that … and possibly won’t be back until her sister Brie is ready to un-retire after having her first child.
So happy trails to Nikki Bella. Until we meet again, Fearless one.
