WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella explained that she’s determined to retire on her terms, even if “I got to break the rules.”
During Monday’s installment of SiriusXM’s “The Nikki & Brie Show,” Nikki — who returned from an ankle injury during “SmackDown” on Friday — revealed her retirement timeline and how she wants to finish her wrestling career.
“I’m coming close to the end, and I know I’ve talked about this, but I am,” Nikki, 42, said after admitting she’s “the queen” of being injured. “I’m very great with that year and a half, whatever it is, the end of 2027, and I really just want to finish this out exactly how I want.
“If I got to break rules, I’m going to break rules, but I want to end it how I see it, so I don’t look back and go, ‘What if?’ Creatively, if I feel a certain way, I want to do it. I don’t want to sit there and go, ‘Oh, but follow the rules and be a good girl.’
“I want to challenge myself. I want to fight for myself. I want to stick up for what I believe in, and then I also want to be super impressive. I want to produce great stuff as far as matches, but also creative, and I want to continue to be a part of great changes for women’s wrestling — and constantly making women’s wrestling feel important and special, and while I’m doing great things, bringing other people up with me to do great things.”
Nikki added that she wants to have fun and enjoy wrestling while she can because “I’m gonna get to a certain age and I won’t be able to throw on the snapback, the jersey and the kicks. I’m just getting there and that’s OK.”
Brie chimed in, “And that right there is what it’s all about.”
Nikki emphasized the importance of empowering women.
“I don’t just speak the talk of empowering women. I truly love to empower women. Whatever I can give while also being a bad bitch, I’m all game,” Nikki said. “I want it to be fun. Fun. Fun. All fun. Because that’s what life’s about.”
Brie defeated Lainey Reid on SmackDown on Friday. Nikki entered the ring after the match to help fight off the rest of Fatal Influence.
Nikki will team with Brie and Paige in a six-woman tag team match against Fatal Influence, made up of Reid, Jacy Jayne, and Fallon Henley, at SummerSlam this weekend in at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota
