Nikki Bella Talks Wanting To Be Women's Champion And Not Only A Diva, Changing "Total Divas" Name
Nikki and Brie Bella appeared at yesterday's ACE Comic Con in Chicago to do a fan Q&A. Before that began, Lillian Garcia (who moderated) spoke to the Bellas about turning on WWE Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey, which has now led to Nikki receiving a title shot at WWE Evolution on October 28. Nikki also noted that she wanted the current title added to her resume, something beyond her reign as Divas Champion.
"I guess that was the only way to get my match," Nikki said. "I had to turn on her, she's the champ. I've been here for 12 years, she hasn't, so I have to teach her a lesson. ... I need to have a reign that [goes beyond] the Divas Championship, so I'm not always called a diva and then one day I can actually be called a Raw Women's Champion. I got red in my eyes, I'm looking for that championship."
Garcia then asked if it was strange for WWE to refer to everyone as WWE Superstars, yet they are still on E!'s show, Total Divas. Nikki said that she has tried to change the show's name, but it's not that easy.
"Being an Executive Producer of Total Divas, we've had so many discussions about changing the name of the show," Nikki responded. "Unfortunately, it's on network TV and you can't just change the name one day. They have felt people will still be connected with it ? even though it's called Total Divas ? I feel the opposite. I feel there's a huge disconnect because we've made that name so bad."
Nikki continued by going back a bit to when the Divas Championship – aka the "Butterfly Championship" – was created for the women's division in 2008. While cool for the division, she said it wasn't what the women were "craving."
"Believe me, us girls in the past, I remember when they brought out the 'Butterfly Championship,'" Nikki continued. "We were like 'oh!' we weren't expecting it. It's totally cute, but that wasn't what the women were craving, they were craving what [the title] is now."
You can see the full Q&A in the video below.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit ACE Comic Con with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.