Nikki Garcia, a former WWE Hall of Famer known as Nikki Bella, is embarking on her journey to recovery with a heart full of optimism. Just a month after undergoing surgery for an injured ankle, she has shared an uplifting update on her healing progress.
"I'm working on getting strong," Nikki told E! News in an exclusive interview at a Las Vegas Sam's Club, where she and her sister Brie Garcia were hosting an activation for their wine brand, Bonita Bonita. "I can't go side to side or run yet, but I'm standing tall and getting there."
The 42-year-old revealed that she would not be receiving her next ankle update before the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship on Saturday Night Main Event on May 23. "I'm getting my X-rays in a few weeks—mid-June," she added. "So, then we'll see the growth."
Last month, Nikki—a mother of five-year-old son Matteo with ex-partner Artem Chigvintsev—shared a glimpse of her injured foot, which she had injured during the March 27 broadcast of SmackDown. "Fractured, tore, and sprained my ankle," she captioned a video on X. "It's been a painful two weeks."
In the meantime, Brie—known in the ring as Brie Bella—has teamed up with fellow WWE star Paige (real name Saraya-Jade Bevis) to defend their Women's Tag Team Championship title in Nikki's absence. The pair are currently defending champions after winning the title at WrestleMania 42.
At the event, Nikki made an appearance and told the crowd that she wished she could participate. "I tried really to overcome this injury and unfortunately, I couldn't get medically cleared today," she said onstage before introducing Paige. "I wasn't going to ruin Brie's WrestleMania moment. So, to take my place, I called an old friend."
Brie is determined to work with Paige until Nikki returns to the ring. "Paige and I are gonna work really, really hard to keep those titles until Nikki comes back," she told E! during their joint appearance in Las Vegas. To which her sister responded, "That's right."
