Nikki Bella made headlines Monday night when she appeared on WWE RAW for the first time since the 2025 Royal Rumble. Live from Phoenix, Arizona, the Hall of Famer had multiple segments throughout the show, with her final appearance ending in drama.
In the main event, Bella stood across from Liv Morgan, only to take an Oblivion in the middle of the ring. But it wasn’t the finisher or even her return that got the internet buzzing; it was what happened backstage with IYO SKY.
Nikki Bella Claps Back at Critics Over IYO SKY Segment
During a backstage interaction, the WWE Women’s World Champion told Bella she “paved the way” for many female wrestlers in WWE. It was meant as a moment of respect but sparked controversy on social media.
Critics quickly downplayed Bella’s contributions to the women’s division. Some fans accused the segment of rewriting history. Bella didn’t let the backlash slide. On the latest episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, she addressed the criticism head-on.
“They’ll hear about you paving a way because you know somebody will make comments when IYO SKY said that to me,” she said. “But, what they don’t realize is paving the road isn’t just about doing moves and what happened in the ring. It’s also what happened outside of the ring and what it’s done for women’s wrestling as a whole.”
Bella didn’t mince words, especially when calling out toxic fan behavior. “I get for some of the young people, or some of the ignorant men. Let’s just be honest. I don’t even give a sh*t. They don’t get it. Because they’re just thinking moveset and they’re thinking wins and championships.”
She went on to explain that real change came from fighting for time, recognition, and respect, long before main events and five-star matches became possible. “They’re not a woman. They’ve never had to fight for what we’ve had to fight for. Not only are they not a woman, they’re not a WWE superstar. So they don’t understand it, right?”
Bella emphasized that her generation of women had to battle behind the scenes to earn more TV time, longer matches, and actual storylines, all of which laid the groundwork for today’s stars. “It’s amazing to see women pick up your blood, sweat, and tears… and make something bigger with it.”
Bella may not have had 30-minute classics every week, but she was on the front line during a time when WWE barely gave women five minutes on TV. Her rise, along with sister Brie, helped push the “Give Divas a Chance” movement into mainstream conversation.
From Total Divas to WrestleMania matches, Bella brought eyes to the division when few others could and used her platform to push the women’s division.