Phoenix, AZ – Nikki Bella walked back into WWE on Monday night, but the ring she returned to isn’t the same one she left.
Announced at Money in the Bank and confirmed in the hours before Raw, Bella’s return was billed as something of a homecoming—complete with the vague promise of a “special message.” She delivered that, and then some.
Before she hit the mic, Bella worked the locker room. She crossed paths with Maxxine Dupri and Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky, offering nods of respect that felt genuine. It was a passing of the torch moment, whether scripted or not—Bella acknowledging that this era isn’t hers anymore, but that she still has something to say.
She didn’t get far before Liv Morgan made it clear she wasn’t interested in nostalgia.
Morgan interrupted, seething. “Nikki, you’re lucky I wasn’t around during your career,” she said. “I would’ve been champion—and I would’ve beaten you too.”
It escalated. Morgan accused Bella of jealousy, and took a swipe about her personal life—saying she had no man, no belt, and no legacy in this generation. Bella snapped back with a line about Roxanne Perez taking her spotlight and walked off—until Morgan baited her into one last move.
Bella slid into the ring. Morgan met her with an Oblivion. One move. One statement. Morgan walked off smiling. Bella was left on her back.
The “special message” might’ve been about legacy, about sisterhood, about what Evolution meant once. But Evolution 2 is booked for Atlanta—and it looks like Nikki Bella vs. Liv Morgan is the first match on the card.
Old school meets new blood. And there’s nothing nostalgic about it.
Last modified: June 10, 2025
