Nikki & Brie confirm WWE contracts expired, name change

WWE Hall of Famers The Bella Twins are now done with the company, and once again going by The Garcia Twins.

Nikki Garcia and Brie Garcia removed the Bella surname from social media earlier today, but PWInsider notes that they were still listed internally as being with WWE. However, the sisters just confirmed this afternoon that they are leaving WWE and focusing on new chapters in their lives.

Nikki and Brie issued a preview of the new episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, which drops tomorrow on SiriusXM, and in the preview quotes/clips they started out with Brie saying, “welcome to the new chapter in our lives,” with Nikki adding, “today, we are officially from here on out, the Garcia Twins, Brie and Nikki Garcia.”

Nikki revealed that their WWE contracts recently came up, but the two sides mutually agreed to part ways.

“Our listeners and everyone in the world right now is asking ‘Why?’ You had this amazing name that you got from your grandfather, Pop Pop, who’d always call us ‘my bellas, my bellas.’ And so why after 17 years is that gone? Brie and I almost 40, we’re gonna be 40 in November. We’re mothers, we’re entrepreneurs. We’re executive producers. We’re starring now, we’re hosting shows. And when our contracts, when our contract came up with WWE mutually we all knew like we just needed to head into this new chapter,” Nikki said.

Brie then thanked Brie Bella, and said she’s excited to close that chapter.

“I just wanna thank Brie Bella. Brie Bella, the character that, the name, all of it. That I have been the last, you know, pretty much almost, I don’t know, 16, 17 years. I am so excited to close that chapter on Brie Bella. Put that book to the side and open up a new one and see what Brie Garcia’s gonna do next,” Brie said.

Nikki added, “And I am so beyond grateful for Nikki Bella, Nikki Bella, whoa. She empowered me. She inspired me. She truly made me become fearless and the road that she has paved and what she’s done for women and the youth and will continue to do just as Nikki Garcia.”

There’s no word yet on if The Garcia Twins have plans for a future in pro wrestling. They were backstage at AEW Revolution a few weeks back, and Brie is married to Bryan Danielson.

Nikki and Brie were advertised for the WWE RAW XXX special in late January, but they never appeared. It was later indicated that the sisters were not happy with creative plans for the show that night, so they didn’t appear.

It was revealed earlier this month that The Garcia Twins have landed a new social experiment dating show on Amazon, and “Barmageddon” with Nikki was picked up for a second season on the USA Network.

Nikki and Brie first signed WWE developmental deals to work FCW in 2007. They came to SmackDown in August 2008, and remained on the main roster together until a brief hiatus in the spring of 2012. They returned in March 2013, and were eventually inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame 2020 Class. Their last in-ring appearance came in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble Match. Nikki and Brie often made non-wrestling appearances for WWE while away from the ring, and were stars of the E! shows Total Divas and Total Bellas, among other project. Brie is one-time WWE Divas Champion while Nikki held the title on two occasions. Nikki’s reign that went from November 23, 2014 to September 20, 2015 is the longest reign in the history of the title at 301 days.

Hi I’m Nikki Garcia, Hi I’m Brie Garcia. And we’re the Garcia Twins. 👯‍♀️ Welcome to our next chapter! 🦋✨🤍✨🦄🤩🥳🫶🏼🫶🏼🍷🥂🍾 pic.twitter.com/w6GQM0P7Zi

— Nikki & Brie (@NikkiAndBrie) March 14, 2023