Nikki Bella: Total Divas Was The First Thing WWE Couldn't Control

WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella has talked up the success of the E! reality show Total Divas, while expressing the belief there was some resentment towards it within WWE.

During an appearance on The Sessions with Renee Paquette, the former Women's Champion said:

"Total Divas should have been praised even more. 

"What we were doing was insane, we literally were at the point of almost beating the Kardashians in the ratings. We were shaking the world up, what a great time. We could have had the industry behind us but instead they used it to turn it against us".

She went on to claim that the success of the show and, as a consequence, her and Brie Bella's popularity, landed them in trouble with WWE management, saying:

"As far as the boss, I felt it was the first time he lost control of what he could make and not make because when Brie and I won Diva of the Year, we got in trouble, and I got yelled at.

We came back so happy and it was like, 'Oh, because you brought in all these new viewers and the women are voting for you and all these new women are here'.

Everyone around was on the floor like, 'The Bella Twins are getting yelled at for being successful' because it wasn't what they wanted because they were the storytellers, they push who they want the crowd to be behind. Perception is reality, that is WWE to a T. 

Even though the fans think they own it, no, they laugh in the back, 'No, we own you at the end of the day'. So, I truly believe Total Divas was the first thing they couldn't control".

The success of Total Divas led to the spin-off show Total Bellas.

Nikki hasn't appeared for WWE since competing in the 2022 women's Royal Rumble match. The Bellas were recently critical towards WWE for failing to highlight the women's revolution during the January 23 Raw is XXX episode of the show.

Nikki and Brie were initially advertised for the show, but ended up not appearing when WWE creative had nothing for them.

H/T F4WOnline