Nikki Bella retires from WWE: Wrestling star says 'body can't handle it'
Nikki Bella bid goodbye to her very successful WWE career on the season finale of her reality show 'Total Bellas'. Nikki, who had bounced back from a career-threatening neck injury back in 2015 has confirmed that this is the end to her 12-year-old wrestling career. She said that the European tour at the end of last year was the breaking point for her.
"I just feel like I’m too old for that travel. That travel was really, really rough. So I realized, I was like, 'Why am I doing this anymore?' I don’t feel good and I can’t — I mean, the girls are doing amazing things over there. I really am ready to hang up the jersey."
From the time that Nikki and her twin Brie stepped into the limelight in 2007, Nikki has competed in FCW, Raw, Superstars, WWE Divas Championship, Royal Rumble, NXT, SmackDown, and Wrestlemania XXVIII. Nikki is also a two time WWE Divas champion and one of the most popular women in the history of the company.
"I really am ready to hang up the jersey, like I can say it fully," she explained on the show to her family. "Being on the European tour, I've had a lot of time to think. Just how my body feels, being away from my company, how time-consuming this is."
"It's making me realize I am ready to fold the jersey and put it away," she said. "I'm ready to put the kicks aside and I'm ready to take Nikki Bella into a different direction. Here's to closing one chapter and the next one opening," she added in a confessional.
Brie Bella, who also announced that she would be retiring from wrestling in an earlier episode of the show told her twin that she supported her completely. "you can hang it right next to mine," said the mother of one to her twin sister.
Brie has been struggling with mommy duties with Birdie, whom she had with her husband and former WWE star Daniel Bryan, and her full-fledged career throughout this season and it really did not come as a surprise when she decided to quit.
However, with Nikki's interest to make a smashing comeback with Evolution, WWE's first ever women's pay per view, this announcement of her retirement definitely comes as a surprise.
The news, of course, was well received by fans and followers, who wished the star well on the next leg of her journey.
