The Bella twins, Nikki and Brie, disclosed on their podcast that they will be departing from WWE and will no longer be using their wrestling pseudonym. As a result, they will be using their birth names, Nikki and Brie Garcia, or The Garcia Twins as a collective name.
During the podcast, which will be renamed as The Nikki & Brie Show, the sisters spoke about their decision to change their names and depart from WWE.
Nikki said: “Today, we are officially the Garcia Twins, Brie and Nikki Garcia.”
She continued: “We’re going to be 40 in November, we’re mothers, we’re entrepreneurs, we’re executive producers, we’re starring now, we’re hosting shows, and when our contract came up with WWE, mutually we all knew that we just needed to head into this new chapter.”
In 2007, Nikki and Brie Bella signed with WWE and made their first appearance on the main roster in August 2008, with only Brie being introduced to the audience. Brie would often roll out of the ring during her matches and be replaced by Nikki, a tactic known as ‘Twin Magic’.
The Bellas left WWE in 2012 but returned a year later and became part of the cast of Total Divas. During their tenure on the show, Nikki broke the record for the longest reign as WWE Divas Champion.
As they looked back on their experiences as the Bellas, Brie expressed: “I just want to thank Brie Bella. The character, the name, all of it that I have been the last 16, 17 years… I am so excited to close that chapter on Brie Bella, put that book to the side and open up a new one and see what Brie Garcia’s going to do next.”
Nikki added: “I’m so beyond grateful for Nikki Bella. She empowered me, she inspired me, she truly made me become fearless. And the road that she has paved, and what she’s done for women and the youth and will continue to do, just as Nikki Garcia.”