LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Brie and Nikki Garcia, also known as 'The Bella Twins' in WWE, announced back in March this year that they would be exiting the popular wrestling promotion after 16 years. The popular duo tasted immense success as both singles competitors and tag team during their wrestling career and also took female wrestling to a different height, a feat for which they are not credited that much.
“We were representing our Italian roots for so long, and now we get to represent our Mexican, Latin roots,” Nikki told People. “To be in the Garcia chapter, in God's way, was the perfect time and path," she added.
Why did Brie and Nikki Garcia leave WWE?
Brie told the outlet that she and Nikki exited the wrestling organization because “we got to a point where we just didn't feel energetically aligned anymore with the WWE.” The hosts of Prime Video’s Twin Love disclosed that they started thinking about the departure approximately one year before their contracts ended.
“There was a moment where her and I looked at each other and kind of felt, ‘You know what? We're all not seeing eye to eye any more,’” Nikki said, adding “We didn't even have to say it, we could just look at each other and feel it.”
Leaving WWE has helped Nikki and Brie Garcia gain creative freedom
“We get sad at times to not be a part of what the women are doing over there, and we will always support our women of the WWE, but it's been amazing to be in meetings or have these opportunities and be able to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for yourself, and not to have to go and ask, ‘Hey, we really want to do this opportunity, can we?’” Nikki said.
“We’re in this place of reclaiming our power and making our own decisions and not having to ask permission. It's crazy to feel that at 39," she added.
Nikki and Brie Garcia reflect on their own dating experiences
Hosting Twin Love, in which sets of twins will split up and search for love, brought back memories of the Garcia twins’ own dating experiences.
“We felt all of their pain,” said Brie, who shares daughter Birdie, six, and son Buddy, three, with pro wrestler Bryan Danielson, her husband since 2014. “When you're a twin, you are born with your soul mate. So the need to find a spouse or a loved one isn't so important, because you have someone there every day. It took us a while, but we did figure it out. We feel like we're still learning and our husbands remind us of it" she added.
One lesson Brie said she learned, “It's having to put your spouse first. It's hard for us to do it as twins, but it's so important to do it. It means the world to our husbands and our relationships. And I think that's what has really made our marriages strong," she said.
Nikki Garcia admits she, at times, struggled with her husband
Nikki, who was once in relationship with John Cena, admitted that she struggled at times with her husband Artem Chigvintsev. “When I found out I was pregnant with Matteo, my first thought was, ‘Do I call Brie or Artem?’” Nikki recalled, adding “Artem was in the other room, but you have to, as a twin, give your other half that chance of having those moments with them first and doing things first. It changes everything."
Nikki compared being in a relationship with a twin to dating two people at once. “You don't realize until you've dated an identical twin that you truly are in a relationship with two people, whether you like it or not,” the Barmageddon host said, adding “You're just sleeping with one and the other one you're not, but you're fully in a relationship with them."
The twins also host 'The Nikki and Brie Show' podcast along with 'Twin Love' and are planning on opening a tasting room in Napa, California, for their Bonita Bonita Wine brand and continuing to focus on raising their children.
“I am honestly the Pinterest mom, I always have arts and crafts ready for the kids,” Brie said, adding “I feel like I have been more present than ever in the last couple years. I finally had to admit to myself I was a workaholic and I fixed that totally.”
Nikki admitted she “had to work on shifting” feeling rewarded “from award shows and your fan base” to experiencing gratitude as a mother. “I don't think anyone ever thought I was going to change on being a workaholic,” the mother of three-year-old Matteo said.
“When I enjoyed those present moments with Matteo, I realized how much I love them. It's really made me take steps back of what I want to do. When there's recognition of being a good mom, it's weird how that it's such an amazing internal reward. I love my daily life with him. I'm in sweats. I don't wear makeup and I just can't believe how much I love it,” she said.
