Nikki and Brie Bella Announce They're Leaving WWE and Changing Their Names

Nikki and Brie Bella are closing the chapter on the Bella Twins and leaving the WWE. The twins, who will be returning to using their real names, Brie Garcia and Nikki Garcia, officially announced their exit Tuesday on the sister's episode of their Sirius XM show, which will be now called The Nikki & Brie Show.

"Today we are officially from here on out, the Garcia Twins, Brie and Nikki Garcia," Nikki said on the episode, explaining that while ditching Bella was tough for her and her sister, it was time to embrace a "new chapter" in their lives as mothers, entrepreneurs, hosts and executive producers. "We're going to be 40 in November," she added. The decision came when Brie and Nikki were offered a chance to renew their WWE contract, but "just knew it was time to head into this next chapter." Brie added that she was "so excited to close the chapter on Brie Bella" and see where the rest of her life takes her. "Let's see what Brie Garcia is going to do next," she said.

Brie and Nikki made their WWE debuts in 2007 as the Bella Twins and have since gone on to appear in their own series, Total Divas and Total Bellas. Fans have gotten an intimate look at their lives throughout many of the milestones Nikki and Brie have had over the last decade-plus in the spotlight, from Brie's marriage to Daniel Bryan in 2014 to the birth of their daughter Birdie in 2017 and son Buddy in 2020.

Nikki has also shared much of her personal life with the camera, from her breakup with ex-fiancé John Cena in 2018 to her relationship with now-husband Artem Chigvintsev. Nikki and the Dancing With the Stars pro first met during her 2017 appearance on the show but reconnected romantically after the WWE Superstar called off her engagement. The two began dating officially in 2019 and got engaged later that year. In August, Chigvintsev and Nikki tied the knot in a stunning ceremony that was filmed for the E! wedding special, Nikki Bella Says I Do. Nikki and the professional dancer share 2-year-old son Matteo.