Former WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella recently spoke with Scott Fishman of Channel Guide Magazine, and below are some interview highlights:
On social media negativity and John Cena possibly influencing her title reign:
“I ignore it. Even though I see the hate on social media, and it shocks me. It shocks me the rumors people start, that I have the title because of my boyfriend. If that was the case I would have gotten the title when I came back years ago and still had the title. He has nothing to do with it. He has nothing to do with anyone’s story or anything like that. He has zero pull. We talk about it all the time because it’s funny how people say that.
I think where it started was for a year AJ had a voice on WWE TV and all of us on ‘Total Divas’ didn’t. Then Vince [McMahon] didn’t want the title on any ‘Total Divas’ member because he didn’t know how it would transition on Sunday night and Monday in case there was a title change and the show was airing.
So for a year she got her run through all the girls. I was the only one she really didn’t. She got to say these things that weren’t true, but we didn’t get to speak back. So I felt like that is where the perception of Brie and I really started. She said things like we came back for reality show and all this stuff. It was all untrue. While this is happening, I’m working twice as hard to be better and improve my craft to become the next diva’s champion.”
On the ups and downs of the Divas Revolution:
“It has definitely had its ups and downs. I think having all those tag matches, that’s where our downs are. We had so many girls in teams, why aren’t we having individual matches? I think where we got it up was the Monday of the reversal. It’s funny because I went to Vince [McMahon] saying, ‘I don’t think they are going to buy into this. I don’t know this will get much heat.’ He said, ‘Trust me.’ I was thinking differently, but when we did it we got so much heat. I thought, ‘This man is a genius. That is why he is Vince McMahon.’
I felt like that turned up the ‘Diva Revolution.’ It got us to the point where fans were like, ‘What just happened? Now I want to see what happens.’ At [Night of Champions] we wanted to keep people hooked. So I think we are now back up and think as long as we keep telling stories each week. I mean these teams can’t be perfect forever. There needs to be something that happens. Charlotte can’t just get out of winning the title clean. Something has to happen. If we can continue to tell stories where fans don’t know what will happen next, I think that will be a plus in this ‘Divas Revolution.’”