WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella returned to singles action at the recent Clash in Paris where she lost to Women's Intercontinental champion Becky Lynch.
During the pre-show, WWE commentator Wade Barrett, in character, made comments suggesting that after many years of inactivity, Bella might not be able to hang with Lynch or the current women's division in general.
Speaking on her podcast with twin sister Brie, Nikki seemed to take some exception to the comments:
"I would love to have a conversation with Wade Barrett, and he avoided me on Monday which was shocking because he always comes up and says hi to me, and he tried to avoid making eye contact with me in the hallway."
"I understand when you want to be a heel commentator and stuff, but then there’s one thing of like… Michael Cole does this beautifully, and this is why Michael Cole is one of the greatest commentators. He knows how to take a life story and put it into what we do, because that is real. We don’t go out there as robots or superheroes. We’re actually professional athletes and we go through real things and we have to make that part of it."
"Honestly, that stuff doesn’t bother me because I get it. Like, I was watching the pre-show and I saw what Wade was saying about me in the pre-show, and I was sitting there getting ready in the locker room like, oh, okay. That’s fine."
Barrett then responded on X, disputing Nikki's claim that he avoided her at Raw:
"I had no idea Nicole felt this way, and I’m happy to have this ‘conversation’ any time she likes. I wish she’d brought it up when we said hello to each other at Raw, rather than via her podcast. I don’t understand the avoiding claim at all, simply not true."
I had no idea Nicole felt this way, and I’m happy to have this ‘conversation’ any time she likes. I wish she’d brought it up when we said hello to each other at Raw, rather than via her podcast. I don’t understand the avoiding claim at all, simply not true. https://t.co/H7lkgKxkp0
— Stu Bennett 🏴🇺🇸 (@StuBennett) September 5, 2025
