Nikki Bella

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Cody Rhodes"

Guest: Nikki Bella
Host: Cody Rhodes (WWE x Fanatics Podcasts)
Episode Date: July 23, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this lively and candid episode, Cody Rhodes welcomes WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella aboard his bus for a wide-ranging conversation. The chemistry is electric as the two reflect on their shared wrestling past, Nikki’s evolution as a performer, entrepreneur, and mother, and their takes on legacy, parenting, women's wrestling, and the industry’s quirks. The dynamic discussion oscillates between humorous road stories, heartfelt moments, and thoughtful advice for aspiring wrestlers.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Wrestling Memories: WrestleMania, “The Walk of Shame,” and Behind-the-Scenes Heartbreak

Timestamps: 00:19 – 06:12

• The episode opens with Cody asking Nikki about a backstage WrestleMania photo, referencing a planned match with himself, Nikki, Brie, and Damien Sandow that was cut last-minute.
• Nikki reminisces:

  "That was the worst walk of shame I've ever done in my life." (03:06, Nikki Bella)

• Cody discusses the emotional toll:

  "At that point...that's the first moment where I was like, I'm out. I am out. Out. Didn't come till years later, but I thought, no, I'm out." (03:22, Cody Rhodes)

• The group describes that era’s unpredictability, silliness (like Nikki’s finger getting stuck in Cody’s mustache), and fashion choices (“top hats, poetizing Kane”).
• Both stress how these challenging moments tested their resilience:

  "Maybe there's this fearlessness that comes from maybe you can survive. Listen, you got through that, got cut in Guerrilla." (06:27, Cody Rhodes)

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2. Nepo Babies, Family Legacy, and the Grind

Timestamps: 07:11 – 09:36

• Playful banter about the show's bartender being a “Nepo baby.”
• Cody reflects on wrestling dynasties and the balance between opportunity and earning respect.
• Nikki relates with her own family’s immigrant-to-entrepreneur story and lessons of “earning it.”

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3. Life After the Ring: Parenting, Wine, and Hosting

Timestamps: 14:44 – 19:16

• Nikki shares her journey into motherhood and entrepreneurship:

  "Nothing compares to unconditional love...I will sacrifice life for this little human being." (15:11, Nikki Bella)

• Discusses launching a wine company with Brie and shifting into mainstream TV as a host and judge.
• Cites Blake Shelton and Carson Daly as standouts she’s worked with:

  "Now I understand, like, why this guy just made The Voice so big...he's someone who...this is all of it." (16:27, Nikki Bella)

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4. Pro Wrestlers as Crisis Experts, and “Gorilla” Nerves

Timestamps: 19:13 – 21:19

• Both agree wrestlers thrive in chaotic live environments:

  "Pro wrestlers are the best crisis people. There is no such thing as, like, oh the camera broke. Great, we'll keep going." (19:13, Cody Rhodes)

• Discussion of the unique pressure when “gorilla” position is packed with execs—worse than performing in front of thousands.

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5. Parenting Philosophies & Parent-Child Bonds

Timestamps: 21:44 – 26:46

• Nikki and Cody swap stories on how parenting changes everything:

  "So needy baby meets needy mom...We work together. We're like koala bears." (23:10, Nikki Bella)

• Nikki is intentional about balancing attachment and resilience in her son.
• Cody reflects on his father’s different approaches to him vs. his sisters, cherishing being called "papa" by his daughter.

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6. Twins Dynamic: Brie Bella as Protector and “Brie Mode”

Timestamps: 27:25 – 34:43

• Nikki and Brie’s 16-minute birth difference and how contrasting personalities emerged.
• “Brie Mode” explained:

  "She hits a certain point of intoxication...and then she looks at you and you're like, we're about to be in brie mode...majority of the time it's really fun and playful." (28:41, Nikki Bella)

• Nikki credits Brie as her “rock” and main protector:

  "I've always felt the need to protect her. But what I realized is my need to protect hers in present moments, but Bri protects me overall." (34:10, Nikki Bella)

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7. Wrestling Humor, Relationships, and Life’s Awkward Moments

Timestamps: 35:03 – 40:07

• Anecdotes about Bryan Danielson (Brie’s husband) and his love of humor involving “boner jokes”—leading to laughter about personal quirks and backstage culture.
• Cody discusses what makes Brandy laugh (slapstick and falls), and Nikki shares how she and Brie appreciate similarly “low-brow” humor.

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8. Women’s Wrestling: The Divas Legacy, Modern Era, and Empowerment

Timestamps: 53:16 – 56:11

• Nikki passionately defends the Divas era:

  "The greatest thing about being a woman is we hold a lot of power...That's what I always looked at as the Divas is they had it all. They had empowerment, they had inspiration...and then they had beauty, and they used that as their strength." (53:36, Nikki Bella)

• Reflects on the struggle for opportunities then, the stigma of the “Diva” label, and pride in how the era pushed boundaries and laid groundwork for today’s Women’s Division.
• Cody echoes the necessity of both worlds coming together—athleticism and character—then and now.

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9. Training and the Dungeon 2.0

Timestamps: 59:07 – 66:31

• Nikki describes her return to training at Dungeon 2.0 with Natty & TJ, lauding TJ’s “wrestling encyclopedia” brain and Natty’s leadership and coaching:

  "TJ has the smartest brain in the wrestling industry...Natty and I are like sisters...how you control the room. It's special." (59:12 & 59:49, Nikki Bella)

• Cody shares how Dusty Rhodes considered TJ his “number one” NXT kid and encourages “Nepo babies” to broaden their training.

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10. Advice for Aspiring Women Wrestlers

Timestamps: 66:58 – 68:09

• Nikki’s advice:

  "Never take no for an answer. I never did...Turn every negative into a positive. And...know your character...be a standout." (67:14, Nikki Bella)

• Cody and Nikki stress you need both technical craft (“moves”) and storytelling/character.

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11. Fun, Flirtation, and the Human Side

Timestamps: 44:22 – 47:37

• Nikki opens up about post-divorce life—dating, not wanting anything serious for years, what she’d want in a partner ("businessman with swag").
• Playful mutual compliments about aging, body image, and keeping romance alive:

  "You've gotten so masculine...it's good to see a little age on you. It makes you very handsome and rugged." (46:11, Nikki Bella)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“So needy baby meets needy mom...We work together. We are, like...koala bears. That's us, fully.”
— Nikki Bella, 23:10

"Pro wrestlers are the best crisis people...there's no tantrum, there's no...Pro wrestlers are really...the best."
— Cody Rhodes, 19:13

“Nothing compares to unconditional love...I will sacrifice life for this little human being.”
— Nikki Bella, 15:11

"The greatest thing about being a woman is we hold a lot of power...And that's what I always looked at as the Divas is they had it all. They had empowerment, they had inspiration..."
— Nikki Bella, 53:36

"Never take no for an answer. I never did. And I heard it a lot, and look where it got me."
— Nikki Bella, 67:14

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:19 – 06:12: Memories of WrestleMania match cut, emotional walk of shame
• 07:11 – 09:36: Nepotism, family legacy, and "earning it"
• 14:44 – 19:16: Parenting, entrepreneurship, transition to TV hosting
• 19:13 – 21:19: Life backstage, pro wrestlers as live crisis-managers
• 21:44 – 26:46: Parenting philosophies, adorable family stories
• 27:25 – 34:43: Twin dynamic with Brie, "Brie Mode" explained
• 35:03 – 40:07: Locker room humor, falling down stories, and relationship quirks
• 53:16 – 56:11: Divas' legacy versus modern women's wrestling
• 59:07 – 66:31: Training at Dungeon 2.0; Natty and TJ appreciation
• 66:58 – 68:09: Advice to aspiring women wrestlers: resilience, character, and craft

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Episode Tone

The episode is relaxed, unfiltered, and equal parts hilarious and heartfelt—mirroring the camaraderie of lifelong friends swapping stories backstage. Nikki’s warmth, honesty, and pride in her journey—and that of her peers—shines, while Cody’s self-deprecating humor and deep attachment to wrestling’s traditions and people give the conversation an intimate “family” feel.

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In Closing

Cody and Nikki’s conversation offers both nostalgia and motivation. They honor the struggle and spirit of the “Divas” era, celebrate the current women’s division, share parenting wisdom, and give rare glimpses into the real lives (and quirks) of wrestling’s most recognizable faces.

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Memorable Sign-off:
“Sexy, smart, and powerful—it’s not just the divas anymore, guys!”
— Cody Rhodes and Nikki Bella, (73:24–73:28)

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Transcript

[Nikki Bella]

Foreign.

[Cody Rhodes]

This is a WWE and Fanatics original production. Welcome to what do you want to talk about? And today, very, very special guests. Special guest. And I found out not only is this individual a Hall of Famer. Hall of Famer, Which I knew already, but thinking about it, this is the first hall of Famer we have had on the show. So we're. We are honored. Two time Divas Champion and the longest reigning Divas Champion at that. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to what do youo Wanna Talk About? Nikki Bella.

[Nikki Bella]

First Hall of Famer. Cheers to that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Cheers to that. And they clapped, actually, which is a new thing.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, yay.

[Cody Rhodes]

New thing. So you can tell.

[Nikki Bella]

Thank you, guys.

[Cody Rhodes]

Tell love. At first there was. Nobody was clapping. Now we're clapping. We need to get a whole laugh track. Clapp. Whole thing. Get it going. Get big boisterous noise. First thing I'm gonna ask you is probably not what you think is the first thing I'm gonna ask you. Maybe you could guess, though.

[Nikki Bella]

How is the bean back?

[Cody Rhodes]

That's a great question. And we're gonna definitely ask that. But the first question I'm gonna ask you is do you remember.

[Nikki Bella]

I knew it.

[Cody Rhodes]

A photo.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, no.

[Cody Rhodes]

That myself, your sister, you and Damien Sandow all took backstage at WrestleMania.

[Nikki Bella]

The one that never happened.

[Cody Rhodes]

Right before the match was cut in gorilla. Yeah, we're all hugging. As in, we're going to go do this. This symbolic. Do you remember this photo?

[Nikki Bella]

I remember it so well. I feel like I still see it every now and then.

[Cody Rhodes]

It was black and white. It was posted in black and white.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

Which I guess that was already, like, foreshadowing the situation. You know what I mean?

[Cody Rhodes]

The doom that would come.

[Nikki Bella]

Yes. That was really sad.

[Cody Rhodes]

So it's funny that we're laughing about it now.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Cause it's not funny.

[Cody Rhodes]

Here you are. You have literally total Divas being your show, moving into total Bellas executive producing, this wonderful career that comes out of it. The reason I'm asking about this photo is because the conspiracy was that the match was never supposed to happen in the first place, that the drama of it being cut would be entertaining. But I felt like we didn't. Weren't thinking that.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah. I mean, this is my thing, because I've heard this a lot. I mean, then it was kind of notorious that, like, matches would get cut. Right.

[Cody Rhodes]

Very true.

[Nikki Bella]

It was like.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

So I feel like it actually really did get cut. But if they cut it for drama for tv, that actually pisses me off.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

When I just the outfits Bri and I had on, like, ew. We always.

[Cody Rhodes]

Top hats.

[Nikki Bella]

Poetizing Kane. What were we thinking?

[Cody Rhodes]

Like, I don't remember.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, I think we thought New York, Sinatra, whatever.

[Cody Rhodes]

It was a complicated build.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Wasn't it? The most. It's like I've had some walk of shames in college.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

That was the worst walk of shame I've ever done in my life.

[Cody Rhodes]

So my walk of shame is a little different.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I knew you guys had been hit hard by it.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I knew there was one person. I'm not naming names. Who was overly optimistic and like, all right, well, we'll do it at raw. And that they were in that place. I was so angry. And at that point, I think that's the first moment where I was like, I'm out. I am out. Out. Didn't come till years later, but I thought, no, I'm out.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So my walk of shame wasn't far because I went under the stage. Oh. So I went under the stage. Just sit there. Because I really, like, my fear was I'm gonna say something or yell at somebody or some writer is going to ask for something. I'm going to go crazy. So I wouldn't set it on the stage. I was really trying to kind of control my emotions, the whole thing. And believe it or not, I'm sitting there. I'm not looking ahead, and I felt the kick on my foot, and I heard, excuse me, young man. And I look up, and it is the sitting president of the United States, Donald Trump, who is with his entire family walking by to then go out to do the hall of fame shout out or whatever it was. And I literally was like, oh, sorry, excuse me. And I just turned and I'm in full gear. I had, like, my new robe on and everything because everyone had new gear. And this was WrestleMania. Yeah. I remember this picture, and I feel like it's a very large. Maybe it shouldn't be, but it is. It's a large part of the journey.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah, it was. And do you remember when we were doing the overseas tour and we had a match one night and, like, when FIT yelled at us so bad was like, what were you all doing? Remember, all of a sudden, Brodus, like, had a kiss spot with me. And then people. I guess it was a bit out of control, but remember how bad we got yelled at? And we all were sitting there like, this is. That was a really bad feeling.

[Cody Rhodes]

When FIT yells at you, it's gotta be really, really bad.

[Nikki Bella]

Really, really bad.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's far. Beneath the. Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

It was the only time I had ever had seen in my entire career so angry and like, I was just remember being like, I. Oh, my gosh, what a combination.

[Cody Rhodes]

I feel like the whole thing was that because the build is really messy. There's a moment I'll never forget, and I don't mean this in a funny way. It just. You were in. You nearly fell one time on the mat walking and I had to catch you. You were in heels and you nearly fell. So we had that.

[Nikki Bella]

And how about when my finger got stuck in your mustache?

[Cody Rhodes]

Finger got stuck in the mustache on.

[Nikki Bella]

Like a live promo.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah, in the midd. And there was a couple real moments of what are we doing? And then we did the probably insensitive out of touch with Trin. The whole promo we did right before where we were all acting as if we were tons of funk in the Funkodactyls. And looking back, I feel like none of that would fly. No, I don't think it flied then.

[Nikki Bella]

No.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, gosh.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, our stuff was pretty wild. Yeah, it was crazy. And then what was so crazy during that? It was just being brand new to reality tv.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

It's just everything was new.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

But I know we always look back because especially to see where you're at right now, it's like just wild to think you were there. Even though I feel like you had great chemistry with Bri and I like all that was amazing in Sandow. But it is wild to think what it all was it.

[Cody Rhodes]

To me, that's so much of the stuff that was so bad. And I look back at one of the things I think is, I don't know if this is the way to think, but I'm like, hey, man, you can survive anything. Like, maybe there's this. There's this fear, this fearlessness that comes from maybe you can survive. Listen, you got through that, got cut in Guerrilla.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

Got pushed aside by the president and his family under, like that alone just so much. And speaking of fearless, what are you drinking?

[Nikki Bella]

Hot and Fearless.

[Cody Rhodes]

Hot and Fearless.

[Nikki Bella]

Hot and Fearless. Okay, so usually I would have a Tahin rim, but.

[Cody Rhodes]

Bartender.

[Nikki Bella]

Bartender.

[Brie Bella]

You didn't do it, huh?

[Nikki Bella]

No, he didn't. Listen to me. I'm going to have to give your bartender talk or body slam after.

[Cody Rhodes]

So the bartender has been discussion on the show lately.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, he has?

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I won't go too far into it, but we have often wondered, like, how did he get the gig? Oh, right, Audition. Apparently he's like me, Nepo, baby.

[Nikki Bella]

Nepo.

[Cody Rhodes]

Baby juiced in.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Apparently he's Nepo shirt made that says.

[Cody Rhodes]

Like, a Nepo baby shirt.

[Nikki Bella]

That'd be awesome.

[Cody Rhodes]

So a big thing for me is Nepo. I like to now kind of try and be the lead of the Nepo babies.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah, that's actually pretty cool.

[Cody Rhodes]

I literally will tell, like, Sammy's son when he's at tv. I'll get down on a knee and be like, hey, man, it's gonna be different for you. You're right in.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Private jet, buddy.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Like, in Sammy, I can tell he's like, don't tell him that. I'm like, no, bro, you're. Right away. You're gonna have tons of heat in the locker room. Who cares? Yeah, who cares? And, like, I. So I do, like, I like to look out for an EPO baby.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah, totally.

[Cody Rhodes]

They don't always turn out great.

[Nikki Bella]

No, not at all.

[Cody Rhodes]

No. They don't do too much.

[Nikki Bella]

They don't know how to earn.

[Cody Rhodes]

No.

[Nikki Bella]

Some do if their parents are great, but the ones that just want to.

[Cody Rhodes]

Phone it in, it kind of. No, it goes back to that. Phone it in. But also like, hey, my dad did this. My mom did this. I can do this. You probably can do it.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

But the whole grind of it. I was talking with my niece about that tonight. I was like, hey, the hard part is the door is open.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So it's like, yeah, sure, come in. But then you're around people who have been just digging for it, living for it, and some of them are cool enough to be like, I get it. Come on in. Do your thing. But you're just up against a pretty large wall right out of the gate. And if your parent, whoever preceded you, was over in any way, it's even worse.

[Nikki Bella]

Totally.

[Cody Rhodes]

You're just. You're just dealing with that on a consistent. You're playing, like a tribute act, and then you don't want to play tribute act because you want to be yourself. Then you go too far out, and you're like, hey, it's a very. It's a journey.

[Nikki Bella]

It is. You know, my grandfather was great at it because he and his brothers. I think it's because they came from Italy to South Philly.

[Cody Rhodes]

Sure.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Produce cart. And some of the first farmers, Southern California.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

And so my uncles, and even my mom, the daughters, he made them work in the fields in the summer, like, up until they had to go to college. Like, they worked hard, and they worked in the desert and in the heat. So my uncles have, like, grown the family company Just massive company.

[Cody Rhodes]

I love that.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, yeah. It's huge. But that was someone who. Okay. Dad started all this. But then dad made them earn.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And give. And so then they made it bigger. So would they fall under Nepo babies? I don't know.

[Cody Rhodes]

So you're Nepo baby no matter what.

[Nikki Bella]

No matter what. Right. Even if you're like, just. You could be a cool all star Nepo baby. Or you're just like Nepo baby, like the bartender.

[Cody Rhodes]

Well, here's. Here's.

[Nikki Bella]

Well, just kidding.

[Cody Rhodes]

No, I mean, we're, you know, we're figuring it out, but I mean, Tajin. Tajin Rim, bro.

[Nikki Bella]

All you had to do is just grab Tajin.

[Cody Rhodes]

Maybe the next one has a Tahin Rum. But the hot and fearless is the drink. Hot and Fearless Wheatley American Vodka. We have American Mule Classic American Mule here. Thanks for joining me. This is huge.

[Nikki Bella]

This is fun.

[Cody Rhodes]

When you were at the rumble, I remember being like, oh, I got to sit. I got to talk to her. Like, so much has happened. I mean, I remember that was a big thing. I was like, so much has happened.

[Nikki Bella]

You're like, where do I begin with her?

[Cody Rhodes]

Ma', am, I need you, like, a lot since this moment of being cut in shame in gorilla. Oh, my gosh.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, a lot. Cause, yeah. I haven't really talked to you since that storyline. Right.

[Cody Rhodes]

That was it. We did that. It got cut.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

We did do it on Raw. And then it was. We moved on into the.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I'm so sorry you had to stand across from the period of time I had the mustache.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And it was so just. It was good in person. It was. In person. It was different than how it looked on screen in person. It was so little hair and I. Black just for men on it. So that it stood out from a TV perspective, you know, that's how. In the end, that's why I had to cut it.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, really?

[Cody Rhodes]

So I used to. I didn't have any skills on mustache trimming.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So I didn't know any. I just had a mustache from the three weeks I was away. It wasn't much of one, so I would just. I took, like, clippers and I. Above the lip. Didn't really know. One time I just got a little tight, and it. It got in here where it was not a good look.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, no.

[Cody Rhodes]

And I was walking through the airport, and I knew, like, gotta go. Like, I can't. I. I can'. Sell work. Like, I get this has to go, you know? Yeah. So.

[Nikki Bella]

But it does seem tough. Mustache Trimming.

[Cody Rhodes]

Well, it's now today, face hair is a thing.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Then it was still like it was in its infancy of it's being reborn. Now everyone's about their beard, the beard oil, things of that.

[Natty]

Oh, yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I'm shocked when I look back because I remember Brandy, like, would take. We take pictures together and stuff. I feel like I'm shocked she hung in. That's a real wrestler thing, like having absurd long hair or some. Some gimmick, whatever it may be. And you. Yeah. You've got to go through life.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Civilian life.

[Nikki Bella]

Right.

[Cody Rhodes]

With that.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

No, it's. That's the things we do, though.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Well, but then it's hard to date out of it because then you're looking for edge and you're like, well, where's the uniqueness? Like, someone could just be boring. You're like, oh, you're normal.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Like, I need a weird mustache or I need something.

[Cody Rhodes]

I. I love that you said you're normal. Arne Anderson used to always be like that. He'd literally say it, and I say it now and I'm like, it's so condescending. But I still say it now. He'd be like, I don't know, he'd talk about somebody, he's like, he's dating a civilian. Or he'd say, like, this guy's just a civilian. I'm like, is everyone a civilian? That's not us. But that was how he did it. I'm like, I get it though. Like, I get like, oh, it's just a civilian. That his way of saying they're not in the circle more than doesn't mean they're bad or just not in the circle. So to say summer is here. More sun, more light, more time to do all the things that make summer so special. And the number one thing you don't want to be doing all summer? Spending hours cooking inside. That's where Factor comes in. Factor's chef crafted dietitian approved meals are ready in just two minutes. Taking the hassle out of eating well. Factor meals arrive fresh and ready to eat, perfect for any active lifestyle over summer and beyond. With 45 weekly menu options, you can pick gourmet meals that fit your summer gains and goals. Choose from options like calorie, smart, protein plus keto and more. Factor powers your day sunup to sundown with nutritious breakfasts on the go, lunches, premium dinners, and guilt free snacks and desserts. Factor has your whole day covered. Enjoy more this summer. Get Factor if you want all the Flavor and none of the fuss. I personally love the protein plus meals. They're delicious, high protein and keep me going while I'm on the road away from home. Get [e-mail] Cody 50 off and use code Cody50OFF to get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box. I know my fans have been waiting for something new. Well, head to WWE shop and check out my new American Nightmare stars and stripes collection, including authentic tees, hat, weightlifting belt, and everyone's favorite windbreaker jacket. The Cody Rhodes stars and stripes collection is live now. Don't wait to grab yours now only on WWshop.com so what have you been up to this whole time?

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, my gosh.

[Cody Rhodes]

Lots of things, you know. You know why I know that?

[Natty]

Why?

[Cody Rhodes]

I've watched a. But also I have this many notes in terms of, oh, God, all the things that you've been doing.

[Nikki Bella]

I thought you were about to put out, pull out headlines. I was like, oh, gosh, it's not that type shit.

[Cody Rhodes]

No, no, no, no.

[Nikki Bella]

I'm just kidding.

[Cody Rhodes]

Not that type show.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, well, I mean, like you, I've become a parent, which isn't it just the greatest thing ever?

[Cody Rhodes]

What a. What a game changer.

[Nikki Bella]

What a game changer.

[Cody Rhodes]

Cheers to that.

[Nikki Bella]

Cheers to that. The greatest thing ever. You know, I was thinking about this the other day. I'm like, you can have all these, like, loves of your life and like, great loves we all have, and we all, like, fall in love a few times. I feel like in our lifetime, especially if we're lacking deep. But nothing compares to unconditional love.

[Cody Rhodes]

Right.

[Nikki Bella]

No matter what. Like that feeling of, like, I will sacrifice life for this little human being.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And so he's gonna be five in a few weeks.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, my gosh.

[Nikki Bella]

So it's just crazy to think all these years, like, being a mom and then just really growing as an entrepreneur.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

You know, doing it that way. Winemaker. Well, wine producer, I should say.

[Cody Rhodes]

Winemaker. Wine producer. Wines coming from you.

[Nikki Bella]

Wine. Lots of wine coming from Brie and I. And then what I've really fallen in love with is hosting shows. I really love hosting. So I've gotten to work with a lot of badass people in the industry. I mean, to even judge with Simon Cowell.

[Cody Rhodes]

So this is a question I was gonna ask you. Actually, I was gonna ask you. Cause you've had these entrepreneurial efforts. You've done hosting. You've been very far outside our bubble, crossed into this mainstream, and you've done this. Was there one of these people and not looking for a negative side of it, more a positive. There's somebody you met that has just been the best outside of our world that you mentioned. Simon, you mentioned. Is there someone out there that's just blown you away with how they are as an entertainer in their world?

[Natty]

Oh, yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, I for sure, like, the first person that comes to mind is, like, Blake Shelton.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, yeah. Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

You know, like, because. Right. Hosting Barmageddon, Blake would always open up the show performing. So getting to watch him perform live for every show and close the show. He's incredible. And we had a live crowd in there every time we shot. So how he was and then interacted, but then during our show, how funny he was and charming and charismatic, and I was like, wow, Now I understand, like, why this guy just made the Voice so big, why him and Gwen Stevani are so madly in love. Like, one. They're so cute. But, like, Blake is like. He's someone who. I'm like, whoa. Like, this is all of it, you know, and it was really impressive. And Carson Daly, too. Like, those two are so together, you know, we have a lot of shout.

[Cody Rhodes]

Out to Carson Daly, by the way.

[Nikki Bella]

Carson Daly.

[Cody Rhodes]

Been through it, man. Like, been through it. That's a. I feel like that's our generation of, like, I'm not. You're. I'm. You're not going to make sure.

[Nikki Bella]

We went to GRL to get.

[Cody Rhodes]

Shaming Carson D. He's amazing. Yeah. He did it.

[Nikki Bella]

He did it, and he's hilarious. And, you know, my first day on set, it was like, the first show I was hosting was with Gwen Stefani and Sheryl Crowe. And then to have Carson and Blake there, too, like, that's a lot of pressure.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, my gosh.

[Nikki Bella]

And we had to do a double. Yeah. And Carson was so amazing. Of, like, any tips, you need advice, whatever. And I have to say, all the people that I've worked with because I really enjoyed AGT Extreme with Terry Crews, Simon Cowell, and Travis Pastran.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

All amazing. Everyone makes it, like, Simon so scary, and he couldn't be nicer and, like, helpful. And I've never judged anything. So to go in and, like, day one, they're like, you're gonna race Porsches, and then we'll start judging. Like, I'm gonna be judging next to Simon Cowell and, like.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So did you feel you rose to the occasion, or did you feel you were already there? Yeah, so I. Well, on these settings, when I've been outside, I've watched A few of them. And like, oh, yeah, they're really. And I'm supposed to be the wrestler in this.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So sometimes I've felt like the imposter syndrome hits hard in terms of. In my experience, where just the. The two little seasons I did of Go Big Show, I was legit. Like, Snoop, there's T Pain, there's Jennifer Nettles, and, like. But I felt like I got a lot out of it. Yeah, I feel like you were made for that.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, thank you. You learn definitely a lot from it. But I felt very much at home, like, hosting. I felt very much at home. And the one thing I think you probably felt were great at is, like, life, like, even if it's taped live to life, like, we just. Something happens and we just. We rise up. We can do it. But I really was like, oh, my gosh, I love these environments. Like, I've gotten to do such cool stuff, and I love it.

[Cody Rhodes]

Pro wrestlers are the best crisis people.

[Nikki Bella]

We really are.

[Cody Rhodes]

There is no such thing as, like, oh, the camera broke. Great, we'll keep going. What do you. Oh, can you do it again? Yeah, we can do it again. There's no tantrum. There's no. It's. Pro wrestlers are really. There are certain people who have hidden in Hollywood where they're always like, oh, such and such is so great to work. I'm like, yeah, of course they had to do this. Yeah, they had to do this. And also, we would do a live show where it's a hit and there's no redo on that. You know, there's no. And our version of a redo is we've got to find another way to get to that same spot without looking like, we ran the exact same spot. Yeah, that's.

[Nikki Bella]

Well. And I used to tell people, too. I used to be like, not only do we do that, we do it in front of Vince.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Or we did. That made it even harder, like, because we knew you only had so many chances and that was it. Like, oh, you know, you lost your spot. Your Mania match got taken from you and Gorilla.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's so. It's so funny you mentioned doing it in front of someone in Gorilla. I. Do you ever feel the sense of when Gorilla kind of clears out, pressure's a little less. Like at the end of the night for the closing show, Dark or whatever it may be every now and then when Gorilla clears out, I can always. Part of me is always like, okay, it's a little. It's a little less, you know. Yeah, they're They're. They. I'm. I'm going to go out there and we're going to have a great time. I'm going to do. Have fun with the crowd, and they're going to be able to beat the traffic. And maybe that's the relationship we have here. It's. It's a good. It's. It's not a bad feeling, you know?

[Nikki Bella]

Well, I always thought it's harder to see speak in front of, like, 30 people, you know, and thousands of people you don't know. Right. So that's kind of like the gorilla feel.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And then it's like. I mean, like, for instance, tonight, like. Yeah, I haven't wrestled in six years. I've done a few rumbles.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

But just rumbles. And I know tonight was like a battle royal, but I was doing a bit more. But also, like, it was so many of the top women in all of wwe, so I was like, I feel like step up. And then everyone's a gorilla too.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And. And then it being Evolution, which is always a different, you know, feel of a ple. So I was like, oh, man. But it was amazing.

[Cody Rhodes]

Of course, you know, rose to the occasion.

[Nikki Bella]

That's exactly.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, my gosh. No, I was. I literally. You just had me thinking about. So we're talking about Evolution. We're talking about gorilla. Oh, man. I can't believe that match got cut in.

[Nikki Bella]

You know what I mean?

[Cody Rhodes]

So mad about.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, it. No one will ever understand it unless you're us in that feeling of, like, having one at that time. Our biggest moment just taken right from us.

[Cody Rhodes]

Here's a question for you. Cause you mentioned your son is five.

[Nikki Bella]

In a few weeks.

[Cody Rhodes]

He's gonna be five in a few weeks. What happens between four and five? Liberty's four.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, she's four. Well, it's crazy because I definitely feel they're knowing themselves more. More curious. Now, I think there is a difference between boy and girls, but I do think girls tend to get more sassy at this age. Like, they're just more getting, like, to know things. Their voice, like, bossing around. But I love it because my son's such a mama's boy. He's like the cutest thing.

[Brie Bella]

Aww.

[Nikki Bella]

But I feel like communication's better. So they're telling you more things they want, or they're telling you things that, like, are so fun, funny, and you're just like, oh, my God. Did they just say that they're showing more of their interest? Like, I'm going to do T ball. I don't, like, dance anymore. All the things. And then someone told me this, and then it hit me really hard. They're like, enjoy the summer before they turn five, because once they go into kindergarten, nothing's ever the same.

[Brie Bella]

Oh, wow.

[Nikki Bella]

And I was like, buckle up.

[Brie Bella]

What? Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And I'm like, no.

[Brie Bella]

My God.

[Nikki Bella]

This is like.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I don't do well. I'm. I'm needy in, like, some ways, and I like that, like, you know, in relationships. But what I realize is now I found my needy baby. All I need for life. So Mateo and I are like koala bears.

[Cody Rhodes]

So needy baby meets needy mom.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Does it make you less needy because he's the needy?

[Nikki Bella]

Or is it.

[Cody Rhodes]

Or they work together.

[Nikki Bella]

We work together.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, that's special.

[Nikki Bella]

We are, like. You know when you see, like, the mama otter and the baby otter just swimming together and living life for, like, koala bears? That's us fully.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, I love it.

[Nikki Bella]

And we're like. It's the best thing ever. We're so obsessed.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, my gosh.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

We. What's been good for me coming back and having like that. It's like, it comes out to, like, two days away from him.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Is I was getting a lot of separation anxiety, and I feel like it helps him be more resilient and strong in me, too. Like, we both need that. Because, like, look, I don't want to have a son that's, like, can't be away from his mom. And, I mean, I would love for him to live with me forever.

[Cody Rhodes]

No, no. But.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah, sure.

[Nikki Bella]

But I need him to be a man at some point one day. Like, I don't want to ruin him because of my selfishness.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

So this is good for us.

[Cody Rhodes]

So you're. You're. You're doing it right? In terms of. When I think about my daughter, I. I've already started hearing a few things, like, you know, make sure, you know, she knows the difference and don't spoil her too much. Or.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Can't give her everything. And in my mind, I'm thinking, like, I don't know.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I don't. I'm gonna do. You know, like, you said, like, so hard to say.

[Natty]

No.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah. Well, this. This little. Let me. Let me show you. Let me get this. Let me get this thing. Is this mug in here?

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Look at this girl. Look at her.

[Nikki Bella]

Let me see. I mean, what am I supposed to do? You guys had a gorgeous baby.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, my gosh.

[Nikki Bella]

And then I could only imagine just. Cause I see it with Brian like, the dad and daughter relationship. It's like the mom and son.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, my God.

[Nikki Bella]

And then the dad and daughter. They own you.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah. No. What am I supposed to. Well, my dad also was really, like. He was playfully hard on me.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

But he was actually like, hey, you need to. You can't quit once you started. Hey, stop crying, Daddy. Like, he one time threw my. I had a cast for seven months. I broke my leg when I was in fifth grade, and I had a cast for seven months, which is a ridiculous amount of time to have a cast. And then when I go to the doctor to get it removed, they gave me an air cast, which I didn't need. The leg was healed, but that's the next step in the. And my dad threw it out the truck window when we were driving away from the hospital. So he was actually, like, playfully hard, but sincerely hard.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

But with my sisters, like, there was a whole different energy about, like, his love and how he. Like, nothing was really nothing they did was technically wrong. No, maybe different, maybe.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Maybe, you know, unorthodox in that approach, but just had, like, such a pride about. About. So I don't know if that's the. The. The daddy daughter. And so my daughter still calls me papa. Aw. And I've tried to hang, and it looks like I'm hanging on to it.

[Nikki Bella]

No, you.

[Cody Rhodes]

I want to hang on. I want to hang on to papa as long as I can, because a few times she's been like, that's my dad.

[Nikki Bella]

And I'm like, wait till they start calling you by your first name.

[Cody Rhodes]

So she has it. Well, so she's.

[Nikki Bella]

Which is cute because they just. They're learning people's names, so then they. Once they learn yours, it's, like, cute for them. And, like, whoa.

[Cody Rhodes]

Well, the other day, she was like. She goes, well, Mama Brandy said. And I'm like, why are we. Why are we saying Mama Brandy. Why are we saying both names? Gotta pick a name here. Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I love that.

[Cody Rhodes]

In terms of. As a parent and 5 years old and a child who clearly loves you, what do you feel. What do you feel has changed as far as you. Because this is what the reason I ask is. I met you. No kids.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

On the climb up.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Everybody. On the climb up. How can we get more. What can we do next?

[Natty]

Yeah, how.

[Cody Rhodes]

What? The big spotlight, the main event, the WrestleManias, the freaking hall of Fames? How can we get that? What do you feel is different about your. Your drive, your work ethic? What's changed for you?

[Nikki Bella]

I Definitely think that everything for sure, gets motivated to provide for your child. I think things that you didn't have in your childhood or your life, like, you want to provide for them.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

It's so weird to be focused on education, health, like, all the things college fun. Like, I'm. I do all that. Like, I'm really big with all that, and it's that. And then also, I mean, I'm in my 40s now. I'm going to be 42. November.

[Cody Rhodes]

There you go.

[Nikki Bella]

So longevity of life, like, for me. And Bri and I are very much in sync in this.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's like, hey, shout out to Bri, by the way.

[Nikki Bella]

You know what? Bri might soon get her on your show. Good luck, Brie.

[Cody Rhodes]

Now.

[Nikki Bella]

But you guys will end up in, like, interpretive dancing and stuff like that. It'd be great.

[Cody Rhodes]

So how does this happen when I believe the number I know is 16 minutes. Is that correct?

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, Brie and I. Yeah, you're.

[Cody Rhodes]

You're the older.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Good job.

[Cody Rhodes]

So how are. How is it so different, you know, among 16 minutes?

[Nikki Bella]

I wanna have a talk with God about that. Cause I don't know what happened in the womb in that 16 minutes.

[Cody Rhodes]

Sure.

[Nikki Bella]

Being identical twins, but we're so night and day. But we also are a lot alike.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

You know, I'm the boss. But then there's just this thing with free Mode, and I look at her and it's been. I literally, you know, gave her that nickname in high school.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, we could say when she was 21.

[Cody Rhodes]

But we take credit for it, by the way.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Here's why you should always take credit for things you came up with.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

This. This culture of pro wrestling will try and take it away from you. It's so don't be afraid to call out that thing you made.

[Nikki Bella]

So I did. Brimo and I came up with that in high school. And Keg Killer.

[Cody Rhodes]

Keg Killer.

[Nikki Bella]

Call her that too.

[Brie Bella]

Yep.

[Nikki Bella]

She was both, but she would just. And then when I would see my mom, though, when we started to go out when I was in college, I'm like, oh, my gosh. Brie Mode comes from my mom.

[Brie Bella]

Yep.

[Nikki Bella]

They are so, like. And then a few cousins have that gene.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

And it's like, how would you classify.

[Cody Rhodes]

Brie Mode for someone who's not seen it? Okay, like, you've seen it. What does Brie Mode fully.

[Nikki Bella]

So she hits a certain point of intoxication.

[Cody Rhodes]

Got it.

[Nikki Bella]

She'll have. It's just all of a sudden, number four, drink or whatever. And then she looks at you and you're like, we're about to be in brie mode. And majority of the time it's really fun and playful. I mean, there's no fear in her. Fearless. Oh, man. Like, wants to kill people. That's right. Hot and fearless. Dancing now. Then sometimes it would turn into wrestling, biting, and I'd have to be like, you can't bite random people who are waiting for a drink.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's when it started to violence.

[Nikki Bella]

That's when it would like. So then remode. I didn't know what I'd get. But majority of the time it was hilarious and funny. It was like having free entertainment. But I would just have to make sure to stay sober and responsible. And we'd be. It doesn't matter where we would be. And I would just be like, oh, my gosh, here it goes. We're about to get a performance for hours till I put her to bed.

[Cody Rhodes]

This might be a deviation off what we're talking about, but you guys are Italian.

[Natty]

Yeah, Mexican.

[Nikki Bella]

Italian.

[Cody Rhodes]

Mexican. Italian. Have you ever done like a genealogy? Like one of those?

[Natty]

Oh, yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So you know it?

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

So well, she knows it better than me.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay. So I'm only curious because our family, my sister got it. So we kind of finally kind of found where things were.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So the Cuban element, my mother. That's real.

[Natty]

Oh, wow.

[Cody Rhodes]

So that was real. I was like, okay, we haven't been telling a lie. That's accurate.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

You know.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, that's good.

[Cody Rhodes]

But then my father was really as everything I found out basically when he passed away, like, everything was 2 degree true, but also everything was 2 degree, somewhat of a legend.

[Nikki Bella]

I love it.

[Cody Rhodes]

So he had always told me he was a Native American.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And I thought, like, that makes sense. His dad's super tan. He's a Native American. And then the genealogy came back where he was super. Just white, just German. And like, then I looked at my grandma and she had this giant. So I was like, clearly they were German. And then. But then just now we found a relative who's Choctaw and that is actually his great, great grandfather. So he wasn't lying.

[Nikki Bella]

Okay.

[Cody Rhodes]

But you know, there's certain. I'm not trying to generalize or stereotype, but there are certain places and people that they get. They get hot quicker.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

In terms of like the red blooded. And they're ready. Yes, they're ready. And that's a whole. So I don't know, like brie mode in terms of.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah, we did There was some Irish in there, so I'm assuming maybe it comes from that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Cause the who gets. You know, the friend who gets teed up and starts wrestling is always like, that's a precursor to, like. That's bad.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Like, what. What do we need to. What do we need to shuffle back and forth here? And then somebody hits the wall, and then it's a bit. Oh, man. So Wheatley and myself.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Since we started this partnership, we consider ourselves the American Dream Team.

[Nikki Bella]

I love that.

[Cody Rhodes]

What we ask people is, who is your team? Who is your American dream Team? Again, the world dreams, who's your team? And sometimes I always tell people, it can be whatever you want. It can be you. And 50 lions, we've had some very bizarre answers. Sometimes it's easier to say, hey, you're going to the zombie apocalypse. Bring them with you. I feel like I know one. No doubt who's on your team.

[Nikki Bella]

So, I mean, no doubt. Bree mode. Breezy. And she's truly all I need, but solid. If I. We wanted to add to the team, which Bri and I have always said, we could survive anything if zombies happened. 50 lions.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Any of it.

[Cody Rhodes]

You're ready for it.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah. What is the thing out right now if, like, you can fight? Is it 100 gorillas or something?

[Cody Rhodes]

That was something crazy that so many men were like, I could do it.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I'm like, no, no, you couldn't even do one.

[Brie Bella]

You.

[Cody Rhodes]

This. These are gorillas.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Like, there's no shame in saying you couldn't win that gorilla fight.

[Nikki Bella]

But my brother would be that. Like, my brother wanted to do the pros versus Joe's because he was like, no, I could beat the pros. I'm like, no, you can't. Yeah, like, no, you can't. And he's like, yes, I can. So he would be the one to be like, I could beat 100 gorillas. That's him. And you can't.

[Cody Rhodes]

Nobody's beating these gorillas, guys.

[Nikki Bella]

But Brie and I could.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

Yep, we could. Gosh, you know what I'm gonna say with how the women's division looks now? I mean, talk about an American Dream Team. Well, I'm taking that whole division with me.

[Cody Rhodes]

Whole WWE women's division. Bri.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's a pretty solid team. I mean, no one's anybody else you want in there. You know, it's your team you can have.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, it's my team. Right. Because we need then some smarts. We need some wisdom.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

We need someone that plans thing and then my mom.

[Cody Rhodes]

What a team.

[Nikki Bella]

What a team.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's a great team.

[Nikki Bella]

That's all I need.

[Cody Rhodes]

Thank you for using all people.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, shoot.

[Cody Rhodes]

Thank you.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, yeah, I have a lot of my spirit animals that will join me spiritually.

[Cody Rhodes]

You know what I do when people ask me questions like this or Mount Rushmore of wrestling questions, they haven't figured this out yet. I answer it differently every time because now every answer gets you some sort of heat for some reason. Like left somebody off. No. No kidding. There's four available heads here, guys. Yeah. Like so.

[Nikki Bella]

And it's usually people that have impacted you personally.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's why you think, yes, it's my Mount Rush.

[Nikki Bella]

Your Mount Rushmore.

[Cody Rhodes]

So what I do now is every interview, I just answer differently. That's just somebody's finally like, yeah, this guy's messing with us.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah, for sure. Good. I like this.

[Cody Rhodes]

He's effing with us here. He's. Yeah. Because it's mine.

[Nikki Bella]

It's yours.

[Cody Rhodes]

Why are you judging mine? You know, like, that's. It's mine. As a 16 minute older sister.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Do you feel the need to protect her or does she protect you?

[Nikki Bella]

So this is a crazy thing.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I've always felt the need to protect her. But what I realized is my need to protect hers in present moments.

[Brie Bella]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

But Bri protects me overall. I've realized that I can't live my life. Bree's my rock.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And like, it's amazing because Brian's understood that. He's pretty much married to two people. He's understand that pretty much since they've been dating.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

But I've now real. Everything that I've been through, especially the past few years, I'm like, oh, now I get it. I protect Bri in moments. Bri's my rock overall in life. Like, she's my massive protector. I mean, she will literally DM people being like, don't talk like that about my sister.

[Brie Bella]

Oh, wow.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, she's. She's.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, she's my bulldog.

[Brie Bella]

I love that.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

It's the greatest thing.

[Cody Rhodes]

I love that.

[Nikki Bella]

Very, very protective. And it's because she. She lives life with me. I mean, we're on the phone literally minimum four times a day if we're not with each other at least one facetime. Yeah. But then we don't live far from each other. So then we see each other all the time and. Yeah. We never go a day without communication.

[Cody Rhodes]

I don't know if we can use anything. I'm about to Say. But I'm gonna bring this up because him being married to two people and the closeness that you'll have. I spent a lot of time on the road with Brian. A lot of time, Dan. And one of the things that really, really shocked me, and I thought about it just recently is he would always pick the strangest things to have a deep conversation about the strangest things. And one of them was. And I just started thinking about it the other day, and I thought, this is wild. Why are we talking about this? Because I was dating Brandy at the time, so Brandy was also in the car, and he started talking about the average male penis size and wanted to have a full round table about it. And I remember I was just, like, tending to, like, what? And it was nothing. It was like a scientific conversation.

[Nikki Bella]

Totally.

[Cody Rhodes]

He wanted to have. But I thought, where was it? Was it your need to, like, hey, we're on the road. We're gonna talk.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Was it. Was it genuinely something you read this morning and you wanted to bring up? But it was just, like, jarring. And the other day, because I saw him on TV or whatever, and I thought, man, like, I wonder if he still does that. Just.

[Nikki Bella]

He loves boner jokes, stick jokes. Like, all the things Bri will always be like. That's what he loves the hardest, that he just loves anything. Penis and all that, which is, like, that's his spot.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's his thing. He thinks that's kind of his love language.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Like, the fact that, like, TV will show, like, penis now. Like, he thinks it's hilarious.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's great.

[Nikki Bella]

You know, like, HBO specials now. Like, I mean, you might get a penis or a vagina now. I mean. And just like that the other day.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

We got a full Miranda nude, and I was like, oh, cool. She doesn't shave. Like, just got that from the scene.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's a whole. It's different. What's on tv.

[Nikki Bella]

It's so different.

[Cody Rhodes]

Different guys. It's wild, you know? Oh, my gosh. So that's his thing. I'm in my mind, trying to think, what's the thing that I think is funny? The thing I can.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah, what is that?

[Cody Rhodes]

I know this, so I don't know if I know mine, but I know if I'm in the other room and I hear my wife laughing hysterically, I know it's somebody falling down.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And it's. This is the thing that bothers me a little bit, though. It's not like, oh, I slipped.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's, like, violent. Like, hey, I don't know if that guy survived. Like, that guy looked like he broke both his legs. Like, just. Oh, I gotta watch it one more time. I don't know. Everybody has their thing.

[Nikki Bella]

No, so that's. Brie and I, we, like, cry, laugh at that stuff at a fall. I don't laugh at, like, cat videos and, like, stuff like that. Like, when I see people do that, I'm like, that's so not my humor. I laugh at, like, falls. I laugh at, like, dick jokes, like, certain pranks.

[Cody Rhodes]

I laugh at bad comedy where it's so bad.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's like.

[Nikki Bella]

Like, so cringy that you're like, nobody's.

[Cody Rhodes]

Popping for a bit. And then it's. That's the thing that becomes funny. Like, this. This guy is dying out here. And I laugh at it when it's in a wrestling sense where, like, I did. I'm trying to think of what it was. Oh, my gosh. I'm so. So I was asking around, right? And I said something about. It was a joke that targeted Michael Hayes. And so I. Taking that in mind, I respect and love Michael. He's a super genius. So for this joke to work, it has to. The joke has to pop the entire arena. Then it's worth it. Then it's like, hey, Michael, it's worth it. The worst thing that can happen is if the joke doesn't land, and I just. My guy just caught a stray.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And it. I'm gonna be honest. This joke I made where Michael was included, it didn't land. Oh, no. Nothing to the point where I just moved the promo along. Every one of these people backstage misled me. They all loved it. And then I went out there and did it, and it just died. Died. And then.

[Nikki Bella]

You hate those.

[Cody Rhodes]

Three weeks later, he's. He was on vacation, and three weeks later, he's on the headset, and I'm on the headset, and he's like, you know. And he starts telling me about it. I'm like, I'm sorry. Like, I. I didn't know. I can't. I don't want to get too specific with this, because the joke was not good, but it was bad. Yeah, but I love it. I love it.

[Natty]

I love it.

[Cody Rhodes]

Especially in wrestling, where I'm like, who? Oh, yeah, I didn't hit.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, that's such a. It's like the worst feeling. You're like. And. All right.

[Cody Rhodes]

So bad.

[Nikki Bella]

That's a hard one. You know, it's cute because your dad, when we were at fcw, you know, Bri and I would always call him Daddy. He was like our protector.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's wild.

[Nikki Bella]

Wild.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Well then that's why we started calling Dustin daddy.

[Cody Rhodes]

There we go.

[Nikki Bella]

You know, it was just, I don't know why that became with your dad, but in like actually a very fatherly way.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And he's very daddy. Yeah, very daddy. We always do in a southern accent. He always go, babies, it's my babies.

[Cody Rhodes]

I also think the time you were saying daddy, Daddy's now in the nomenclature where it's a little different now.

[Nikki Bella]

Way different.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's a different type of dad.

[Nikki Bella]

Big time.

[Cody Rhodes]

He's daddy.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Yes.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

But then I remember he'd tell everyone, like, I've never seen a tag team. Love each other so much, but hate each other so much. Like he would go off on Brie and I because literally when we be training, we just get in a massive sister fight.

[Brie Bella]

Oh, I love that.

[Nikki Bella]

Just straight up and be like, what's going on? Like they're fighting now and like we just be full on fighting.

[Cody Rhodes]

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[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Look at that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Who did it?

[Nikki Bella]

You know what? I got my butt kicked by quite a few women.

[Cody Rhodes]

There's a lot of. There's a lot of people who died.

[Nikki Bella]

I was really given tonight.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

So I don't know. I'm trying to think who that would be. I saw that earlier and I had one on my chest, but, yeah, those girls get it. They get it.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

They're. They're hungry for it.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

It was fun. A lot of booty shakes. Hey, Nya did the booty shake.

[Cody Rhodes]

She's great, huh?

[Nikki Bella]

She's amazing.

[Cody Rhodes]

She's one of my favorite people here.

[Nikki Bella]

I love her.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah, She's. She's really person. I gotta get her on the pod.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, my God. You gotta get her on the pod.

[Cody Rhodes]

She's. She always. What I like most is I'm very nervous backstage.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And the way I. But I do try to very much. A lot of. Fake it till you make it.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I do always try to stand up straight. There's always a suit on. I'm always trying to be articulate. I always try to act like I've got this. Well, maybe I do, but also maybe, like, no clue, guys.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's Michael Hayes joke hanging a land. You know, like, maybe I don't, but. But she's always. It doesn't matter. Like, she is. Literally. She'll yell at you. I could be meeting a foreign dignitary and she'll yell some awful joke from across the hall, like. Yeah, all right. Or like, barking is the thing I do backstage. I bark at everyone. And she'll just, like, bark. And if you don't bark back, she'll say something really off color, like.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Really?

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah. It's a whole. But she's. I like it because it's very much like, I don't care.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

She doesn't at all.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

She's so comfortable in her own skin and who she is, and I love it.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

We need to find her a man. Not like that's important, but you know what I mean?

[Cody Rhodes]

Is that something she's looking for?

[Nikki Bella]

Well, I think, you know, we're always looking who when we're seeing.

[Cody Rhodes]

So I don't know as far as, like.

[Nikki Bella]

Well, I signed up for ran.

[Cody Rhodes]

Hold up. Full stop. Talk me through everything you just said.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Ray of the app.

[Cody Rhodes]

Nope.

[Nikki Bella]

Okay. So it's a dating App, but, like, for people in the industry.

[Cody Rhodes]

Got it.

[Nikki Bella]

So you VIPs, VIPs.

[Cody Rhodes]

VIP.

[Nikki Bella]

So you submit an application, but you have to give, like, your Instagram account. You need to have, like, referrals. So in your contacts, you can see who's, like, a part of it.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

I like this, you know?

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I was, like, not going to ever do a dating app, but then since I've been back on the road and it kind of gets, like, lonely in the hotel rooms and not like I want to be on Tinder, but I think it would just be fun to text people.

[Cody Rhodes]

Well, you can't be on Tinder.

[Nikki Bella]

No.

[Cody Rhodes]

You're probably already on Tinder. And it's.

[Nikki Bella]

No, I've never even done. I never even seen.

[Cody Rhodes]

You're not actually on Tinder.

[Nikki Bella]

Fake account.

[Natty]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I would never do any of that stuff. But then I was like, you know what, Ray? Could be fun because, like, we're not sliding in people's DMs to, like, ask people out. And I don't want to date Napa.

[Cody Rhodes]

At all as far as this.

[Nikki Bella]

I don't even want a date, to tell you the truth.

[Cody Rhodes]

As far as his app goes, say the app doesn't exist. Right. What is it though? That would be. What are you looking for?

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, well, I don't want anything now. Like, I don't want anything serious for years. Cause I don't want anything to interfere with my son and I. And I don't want my son to meet anyone. I just want him to have his mom and his dad and that's it. Yeah, I think that's healthy for him right now. So I don't want anything like that to happen for, like, years. And I don't even want to give my energy to someone like, I'm raising him. And that's all I want to give for my energy. And times he's at his dads and if I'm not here, I'm like, netflixing and chilling and it feels great.

[Brie Bella]

There you go.

[Nikki Bella]

You know how it is with a parent as being a parent and toddler stage. But let's just say in a few years, I want someone like, I have always loved, like a businessman, but that has swag.

[Cody Rhodes]

Swag. Swag Businessman.

[Nikki Bella]

You need to have.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah, like Ed Swag businessman.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I don't like, just straight up, like, business.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, there needs to be a cool vibe.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay. Do we have something we can frame up in terms of, like, what does that look like?

[Nikki Bella]

How about the Nepo baby In the back.

[Cody Rhodes]

Like Kyle.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Just kidding.

[Cody Rhodes]

I mean, Kyle's got swag.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Good business suit.

[Cody Rhodes]

Suit.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

You know.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

He would have had me at Tahiti.

[Cody Rhodes]

I'm so curious. Yeah, he blew it. The rim. Oh, man. Ow. Man.

[Nikki Bella]

Dude just took it for granted. Took it for granted.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah, the Nepos. Oh, man. He.

[Nikki Bella]

But, yeah. So the day. I do look. I mean. But what sucks is I'll be like mid, late 40s and then maybe settle.

[Cody Rhodes]

For a second, but does it matter?

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah, doesn't matter.

[Cody Rhodes]

How do you feel? I feel like so many of us who met each other when we were 25 and now we're in our 40s, and I would say, and I mean this, and I. I hope I'm not wrong. I feel like we all look better now.

[Nikki Bella]

No, I told. Did I not tell you that?

[Cody Rhodes]

It was very nice.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

You've gotten so masculine. Not like you weren't masculine, like, years ago, but your skin was so smooth.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Like you had no pores.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

It's good to see a little age on you. It makes you very handsome and rugged.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

Brandy probably loves it, I think.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I think Brandy's pretty into me, but.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah. Oh, for sure.

[Cody Rhodes]

I would hope. Yeah, I would hope. You know. You know what I think? You know what I always try when I think about, like, what would my wife think is sexy? This is gonna sound so.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, my God. I wanna hear.

[Cody Rhodes]

I think my wife. I don't have, like, Randy's legs. Like, I don't have big, massive. I'll be fair, over developed quads and hamstrings and calves. But she told me one time she really liked my legs. I don't think she even remembers she told me that. So she's never heard this before. This is so terrible.

[Nikki Bella]

I love this.

[Cody Rhodes]

Every now and then, if I'm, like, trying to think, like, I'm gonna get some attention around the house, I'll wear, like, high shorts.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, my gosh. I love that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Like, the high under armours that are maybe one size too small, but just where you get a little of that hamstring. You know what I'm saying? And I don't know if it's working, but she said it. So that's the thing I do because, like, what are the sexiest things you can do when you've been married to somebody for quite some time?

[Nikki Bella]

Right.

[Cody Rhodes]

What is that thing you do? I don't know. I often.

[Nikki Bella]

I love that.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's fun being in the relationship as long as we've been in where I'm still completely like.

[Nikki Bella]

Like, what do we do?

[Cody Rhodes]

Like, what do you. Like, how do I do? How do I get you?

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

You know, that's a fun.

[Nikki Bella]

So cute that you think of that. Oh, my gosh, I love that.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's the whole. That's the whole, like, the magic. That's the thing is, like, you're still trying to figure, you know, like, the magic.

[Nikki Bella]

It's a good marriage.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

No, you can't stop dating each other.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Or wanting them to want you.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Can't give up.

[Cody Rhodes]

You know what's funny? I've talked about on the show about giving up a lot about what's done because I've been working out since I was 14 years old.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And then, like, rest. All you do. And then like, after a while it's like, what. What do we. What is the. What does the end look like for me? You know, like, what do I look like at 50?

[Nikki Bella]

But what does it look like?

[Cody Rhodes]

I don't know.

[Nikki Bella]

What do you. What if wrestling was to go away tomorrow? What would you do?

[Cody Rhodes]

If wrestling was to go away tomorrow? I'd be an amateur wrestling coach. Like a high school wrestling coach.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, I love that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yes. That was my plan, shockingly.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

You're gonna be like, what? But around the time we got cut at WrestleMania and around the time Stardust popped up.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I was going to get my degree so that in the public in Georgia, I could be an amateur wrestling coach. I had completely given up on entertainment, on ever making it on. I thought I'd done everything right. I was very. Pity party. Feel sorry for myself, all those things. Couldn't get a look left or right. And, you know, I. A series of things happened in my life where now I look back and I'm like, man, what the. Like, who were you? You weren't. You weren't you. It's like a gap few years of not being me.

[Nikki Bella]

It's the journey it got you through.

[Cody Rhodes]

Journey. Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah. I feel like we have to have those times in our life because then they make us who we are. It's like we can't always be on the rise, can't always be at the top of the ladder. We have to fall. At times we rise up from the ashes like the Phoenix. I believe we need those spots in our journey of those losses, and then we get some of those hope spots. But then it makes us the champ we are today.

[Cody Rhodes]

Speaking of the champ, you are today the first hall of Famer we've had on the show. You said you had the ring, right? You don't have it with you, but.

[Brie Bella]

You don't have it.

[Nikki Bella]

I have it in my suitcase right now.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's real.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah. Especially because I did the fanatics.

[Cody Rhodes]

Can we get it?

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, yeah, totally.

[Cody Rhodes]

Can we get this ring?

[Nikki Bella]

I feel like there needs to be a new rule.

[Cody Rhodes]

Hit it.

[Nikki Bella]

That if you're gonna decide one year to make diamonds on all of the hall of Fame rings, us from the past who don't have diamonds should get an upgrade.

[Cody Rhodes]

I think it's a great. Rule 3. You guys getting rings at all, though? It was just a plaque.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

So, I mean, they need to call them up.

[Cody Rhodes]

They almost. They have to retrofit everybody.

[Nikki Bella]

I just feel like the modern.

[Cody Rhodes]

When did they start doing diamonds?

[Nikki Bella]

This year or this past year? Oh, you didn't see all their sparkly hall of Fame rings.

[Cody Rhodes]

I'm gonna be honest. As much as I. I love wrestling more than I feel like I love wrestling more than anybody on the planet.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

However, sometimes the hall of Fame is late at night. Sometimes I'm scared to death of what I'm doing at tv.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And I'm nervous and I. And sometimes it's a hard night. Sometimes. Even though my favorite wrestler is literally talking.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

I'm almost about to fall asleep in the front row.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's real.

[Nikki Bella]

It's real. Look at this.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, my gosh. Blooming the vodka. I'm a lightweight.

[Cody Rhodes]

This is so great.

[Nikki Bella]

And then look inside. They put a subscription.

[Cody Rhodes]

2020.

[Nikki Bella]

Fearless Nikki.

[Cody Rhodes]

Gimmick and everything. Fearless Nikki. That. There it is.

[Nikki Bella]

There it is.

[Cody Rhodes]

And you said, you rock yours, I rock mine.

[Nikki Bella]

So. Especially when I know I'm gonna do. Look at that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Look at this.

[Nikki Bella]

Like, my hearing.

[Cody Rhodes]

Congratulations.

[Nikki Bella]

Thank you. Especially when I know I'm gonna be, like, meeting the Bella army, like, photo op stuff. I like them all seen it person.

[Cody Rhodes]

Well, that's. Here's the thing. I love and, like, I'm going to word this in a way that if I mess up, I apologize. Yeah. The word wrest. There's. Okay. There's wrestler, there's worker. There's all these, like, terms that describe us. And. And to me, I always just funnel it into one.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay. It's like, what is the. What is. Makes up a great wrestler.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And it's a combination of all the things, promos, technical skill. It's not. I'm not trying to break it down individually. And a big part of it is the drive, the connection with the audience, which is the most important thing. So, like, Today, people say storytelling.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And I don't think they mean to say just storytelling and not realize, like, storytelling only works if you're connected with the audience. Then it's a different type. It's not just this word that means nothing. But you wearing that ring when you meet the Bella army, when you meet fans, is the most wrestler thing ever.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's the classic case of, why are you in your gear? Because I'm a wrestler.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

Why are you in gimmick? Because I'm a wrestler. Like that. So I didn't. I didn't. I should have started the pod by telling this. At the Nightmare Factory, we have this rule. First day is ask everybody who the favorite wrestler is. And the whole lesson in the day is, because where you are at on the card sometimes will determine how somebody treats you. Dude. And I don't believe in that. I think. I think it's like any call sheet there is. So I'll say, hey, who's your favorite wrestler? I have had two girls in the last four camps tell me that you were their favorite wrestler. And the lesson is always. I'm like, great, we'll treat everybody in here like they're Nikki Bella. Treat everyone. That's the whole point.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

But I feel. I love that we're in this transitional period, and I have heard. I can't speak to it because I feel like I'll speak to it incorrectly, but tonight I saw Maurice turn around and point at the Diva on her jacket.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And the way she pointed at it was like, it's a good thing.

[Nikki Bella]

A great thing.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's a great thing. And you, more than anybody could speak to that time period, what you did, what you went through, and how you ended up with that.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So I don't know, like, in terms of how you feel about modern, how we look at our women's division versus the Divas division. But please tell us, like, your outlook on it.

[Nikki Bella]

You know, the greatest thing about being a woman is we hold a lot of power. Not only are we intelligent, but we get to have a beauty that men don't have, and we could use that as power. And that's what I always looked at as the Divas is they had it all. They had empowerment, they had inspiration. There was motivation, and then they had beauty, and they used that as their strength. And a lot of the girls were like, especially NXT girls were, like, talking to me today, and. And I was telling them about, like, connection and all that. And I said, you know, I've always made sure that Even though I'm a pro wrestler and I'm a fighter, I find the moments that people don't realize to also show that I'm womanly and I'm sexy and I'm comfortable in my body. So whether it's I'm selling or I'm crawling to a pen, I'm going to do in a way that a man can never do it. And that's like the power of a woman. And that was the power of the Divas.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And I really. I loved that era. And also the Divas were kind of like. How do I say this? Like, we had to earn our place. We had to earn ourselves.

[Cody Rhodes]

There was only one place.

[Nikki Bella]

There was only one place.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And if we earned it too much, like, if we worked too hard, it was like we needed to be more feminine. If we showed too much masculinity, I guess you could say it was always like. Like a tug of war there. And so. But it made us such great fighters and never give up. And like, so it's such a special era. When I saw that with Maurice tonight too, I, like, loved it because we. I thought at wwe, we really changed that name Diva. We worked hard on making it a very special name. And people will always ask me, like, are they gonna ever bring back the Divas Championship? Like, even the fans miss it. I don't think there was anything ever wrong with that. You know, being called a diva. I think it's cool. It's character, it's fun.

[Cody Rhodes]

I think the way it was branded and what you're talking to and what you're speaking to, it's that group. And you could literally point out somebody like, they're in that group. They're in that group. Maurice, we're talking about, of course, that I feel like especially the fact that you had to fight. There was no evolution.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

There was no all women show.

[Nikki Bella]

Right.

[Cody Rhodes]

You. Whenever you meet one, talk to one, engage with one. You're talking to somebody who can do it.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And. And check all kinds of boxes. Get through and just is prepared.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Ready? So cheers. Cheers. To the Divas.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, the Divas. Absolutely. Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

Again, it's a WWE and Fanatics. Original production Fanatics has everything, every jersey, every piece of memorabilia, whatever it may be. Do you. And you are a sports fan.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And have made your allegiance is known.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Do you have a Mount Rushmore, A four of sports jerseys?

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, well, yeah, it's going to be Philadelphia Eagles jersey.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, technically I would throw that in all four, but.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay. We got One Eagles jersey.

[Nikki Bella]

One Eagles jersey.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

Then we'll do a Phillies jersey.

[Cody Rhodes]

Do you have players in line? Are you just going straight the brand?

[Nikki Bella]

Well, we could put. Let's do Hurts.

[Brie Bella]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

Then we'll do Sixers.

[Brie Bella]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

Even though he's retired. We'll do Iverson.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, oh, yes. Yes. Ahead of his time.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah. Ahead of his time.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

We're gonna drop the Phillies.

[Brie Bella]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, I would put the brand there, but let's put people I love.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's. What's all this about.

[Nikki Bella]

We will do women's World cup soccer team.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

Put it Mayhem.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, yeah. Change the game.

[Nikki Bella]

Change the game.

[Cody Rhodes]

We all watch. We all watch the definition of moves and storytelling and character.

[Nikki Bella]

Do you know what I mean?

[Cody Rhodes]

Yes. Okay.

[Nikki Bella]

Brandy Chastain did that.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

All she did was take a shirt off and celebrate.

[Cody Rhodes]

And we all. We all know about it.

[Nikki Bella]

We all know about it. It was epic. Ooh, number four. That's gonna be hard. There's a lot of amazing people. I'm very torn in my head right now. That's okay, because you're.

[Cody Rhodes]

As a Mount Rushmore person who has to answer a lot of Mount Rushmore.

[Nikki Bella]

Do I put new or retired?

[Cody Rhodes]

I'd say in this one, go. Retired.

[Nikki Bella]

Okay. She has her own jersey.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And what she's done is just incredible. And she's close with her sister, but.

[Cody Rhodes]

Serena Williams, what a good choice, right? I almost wonder what the other. Serena Williams. What a great choice.

[Nikki Bella]

I mean, Serena Williams, what.

[Cody Rhodes]

What a choice.

[Nikki Bella]

What a choice. And by the way, when we think of a diva in sexy, powerful and smart. Smart. She's all that. Like, she's all of it. And what she's done in tennis. And her sister. I gotta give her sister credit, too.

[Cody Rhodes]

Sister love.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I always make jokes to Brie. I go, you know, you're the Venus, I'm the Serena. When we had, like, a run, she didn't like that.

[Cody Rhodes]

She didn't like that joke, you know?

[Nikki Bella]

But, you know, everyone fills that role.

[Cody Rhodes]

You know what I'm saying? They're both so good.

[Nikki Bella]

Mount Rushmore, right?

[Cody Rhodes]

Very good. Mount Rushmore. Maybe the best Mount Rushmore we've had on the show.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, nice.

[Cody Rhodes]

We've had a couple people give up on Mount Rushmore, so appreciate it. You nailed it.

[Nikki Bella]

Nice.

[Cody Rhodes]

For our viewers and listeners, whoever is on your Mount Rushmore, you can get all your favorite jerseys and fan clothing from fanatics. Go to fanatics.com or download the app today. So you admit six years since you had your last match?

[Natty]

Match, yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Crazy.

[Cody Rhodes]

With six years, the gap, the game has changed. We're talking about the strengths of the diva time. And there's a strength to now and. And you've got to be able to bring both worlds together.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Where do you go to train? I know this because I've been looking at your social media. Yes.

[Nikki Bella]

I love it. So I go to the Dungeon 2.0. Natty and TJ's the best wrestling facility, school, whatever you want to call it. I think TJ has the smartest brain in the wrestling industry.

[Cody Rhodes]

Unbelievable, huh?

[Nikki Bella]

He's won a wrestling encyclopedia. But the way his brain puts things together and I mean, then how he moves is so flawless.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

But he's just a genius.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

And then he's actually very. He has a lot of patience and he can coach very well. But also Natty can too.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, my gosh.

[Nikki Bella]

Natty. When I'm just in and like. Natty and I are like sisters because I started with Natty and tj, Harry, that whole group. Natty and I are like sisters and. But I. And I'll always text her this when I leave. I go, I'm just so impressed with you. Like how you control the room. It's special how she controls and coaches. But she'll tell you she's not coaching, but she actually is coaching and she's incredible at it. And they just both have so much love and passion for wrestling in the industry, but they're both so smart and. And they teach you what you do need in this business to be great. Because there are some places you go to and it's not teaching you how to be a great wrestler. We can all learn how to do big moves and, like, get those. You need all the in between moments. You need the grit, you need the heart, but you need to be so good at that in between. To carry match and to tell a story or whatever it is and to engage a crowd, to have fire. So that's why I always go to the dungeon because I'm like. And I know a lot of people even outside of WB that go because they're like, there's nothing like it. Like, especially if you already know how to wrestle. It's great. You know Natty's book, I can't wait to read it.

[Cody Rhodes]

If she tells you the amount of people who contributed to the book.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

It makes it very clear how powerful Natty is.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And she'll never act like she's that powerful. She'll. Everybody ever was like, yep, yep. What do you need? Yeah, tell me what you need and I'll write it. Or you need this. I'll tell you. And I always. That's a Hall of fame. One I'm looking forward to.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Because she's one of those that when everyone's standing and sincerely up on their feet, not wanting to sit down and mean it, she's so. She's so special.

[Nikki Bella]

So I so agree with you.

[Cody Rhodes]

She's so special. And my. So my nephews are getting in the business. They've. They've been training for a few years with Dustin. They're. They're right at the point where I'm like, oh, it's getting serious.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Both handsome, too. It's. Oh, and they. They have a lot of Dusty. Because, like, Dusty skipped me.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

But he's, like, got them. And, like, I got. Like, I'm all mom and like. But he's. They're special and I'd love it if they trained with me. Great.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

I love it that they train with Dustin. They can't have a better trainer.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Dustin's good, too, but when I told.

[Cody Rhodes]

Him, I was like, you know, you should go to Natty and teachers. And I think a thing people don't realize is in the Dusty's kids conversation of all his NXT kids.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

No one has ever figured out his number one was tj. Yeah, he loved tj.

[Nikki Bella]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

Like, so we handed out all these pocket knives when he passed away. Cause that was my dad's way of saying, you're a friend, he'd give you a knife. I feel like we gave tj, like, three knives, like, just every other week. Like, oh, he's a. Because he was his number one Dusty kid. Yeah. He just. He thought TJ had everything. He's like, oh, it's great. He can do this, he can do that, and he could trust him. The reason I, like, he was consistent in a. You're doing shows. That's at a school, so. But he knew that guy's consistent. He puts on a main event performance whether there's 13 people or 1300 people or 13,000 people.

[Nikki Bella]

Totally.

[Cody Rhodes]

And I feel like people don't know, like, TJ's is one. So I tell people. I've told Dalton and Dylan. I love that I want them to go. I'm like, they need to go. They have to. And, like, that's a different. You're talking, like, stampede. You're getting a different vibe than just like, Dustin and I teach. How our world, how we teach, go there.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's the best thing. Like a nepo Baby can do is get outside your zone, Honestly, in another zone, and you're just gonna be so much better for it. But they. Yeah, they're. They're incredibly special.

[Nikki Bella]

They're so incredibly special. I. I would not have been able to do this comeback. And it's just the beginning of it, but without Natty and tj, but especially Natty. And, like, even tonight for the battle royal, it's. She just. I could always go to her to pick her brain, but she's done this to me since I've been back. And twice when I've gone out, like, for competition, she's always the last one to come to me right before my music hit. And she's just always like, give him the F you. And just, like, gives me full inspiration, motivational speech, and gets me out there.

[Cody Rhodes]

I love that you have somebody like that.

[Nikki Bella]

Yeah. She's my hyper.

[Cody Rhodes]

Every time I go out there, there's not a soul around.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

Looking out and just like, oh, cool.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Well, then sometimes I do the thing where I come from under the stage, and it's so unflattering under there. One guy yelling like, get on the block. Like, there's no. You're just terrified. No one's around to give you, like, a thumbs up or anything. You just pop up and there's 80,000 people. You're like, oh, all right. This is why we do what we do. That's a good personality. You need. You need that. I need one of those. I need a Natty.

[Nikki Bella]

Yes. We have gone. Natty says it's gonna be a lot in Brooke, and you do need a Natty around.

[Natty]

She.

[Nikki Bella]

Bri. Natty and I have gone through a lot in this business. We've gone through a lot together. A lot of ups and downs. But we've always just been this sisterhood and have stuck with each other. But it's. Our stories are crazy. But. But we've. I mean, look where we're all at.

[Brie Bella]

I know.

[Nikki Bella]

And we had. It was such a great support system. And even when I haven't seen her in a while, like, we always catch up on texts and the phone, but it always feels like I had seen her yesterday.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Like, we never miss a beat. And we were really close to her dad, too.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

She used to laugh because on her dad's nightstand, it was a photo of Natty Bree. And I like. It was. And she would always laugh like, no, it's just not me and my dad. It's me and the twins and my dad. And so. But we all Were, like, really, really close.

[Cody Rhodes]

We're. We're putting Natty over so hard. But I have one more Natty piece.

[Nikki Bella]

No, please.

[Cody Rhodes]

We got to. I looked at Natty. So I was with my niece today, who's on the bus. I love my niece, and she wanted to see the show and watch it. Great show to come to. And I saw Maddie from across the. Just the ring.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And what I noticed is Natty looks like everything happening. And what I mean by that is she could be wrestling. She could be a legend in the crowd. She could be producing the segment. She could be leading those extras. She could be the floor manager. She could be the commentator. She could be the announcer. She literally was, like, glowing in this group of people. And I thought, like, that. That's. When someone walks around with that. That's real power.

[Nikki Bella]

That's real power.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's real. And I just. I was just looking at her like, is that Nat. That's Natty.

[Natty]

Yeah, that's.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's what is. And I don't know what she was doing. Like, you know, Natty, she probably was not doing anything like. Or, like, making some sort of joke or whatever. But. Yeah, no, I just thought, like, I'm very, very happy for her. Like, talk about someone who made it. This is something I want to ask you. I've asked it on this, and I've gotten some very unique answers before. What. What do you tell a young woman who wants to get in to pro wrestling?

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

What do you tell someone like that with everything that you and your sister have done and continue to do?

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Because you're back. This is just the beginning of a new chapter.

[Nikki Bella]

Right.

[Cody Rhodes]

What do you tell someone who's. Who's trying to get into this? What. What advice can you give? Give them.

[Nikki Bella]

So the advice I give girls who want to get in this industry, on the advice part, I always say, never take no for an answer. I never did. And I heard it a lot, and look where it got me. And turn every negative into a positive. And then I always tell them, when it comes to the wrestling side of things, like, we can always work on our craft and, like, know the basic. But know your character.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Know the layers. Be a standout. Like, have every layer to this character. So when you go for your audition, they can't look away. They know they need it. They have to have it.

[Cody Rhodes]

They have to have that.

[Nikki Bella]

They have to have that. Cause sometimes you just go in and you're just being you, and you're like, I'm gonna show my wrestling skills. And all that. No, be something. Be something that they can't say no to. And so I always tell my girls all that, and I feel like that it helps. It's like the grit and grace we talk about.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's funny you say that about Be you and know your character because. Because today there is this online argument about moves versus storytelling. And it's shocking to me that it's an argument.

[Nikki Bella]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

Because the truth is, like you said, work on your craft. Get it down.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

You can't be a slouch.

[Nikki Bella]

No.

[Cody Rhodes]

But this is also. Bring them together.

[Natty]

Yes.

[Cody Rhodes]

I don't know why we're arguing. We need them both, guys. I don't know what we're arguing about. Great story. Awesome. Yeah, I need that cool move, too. Bring them together, and then it's a whole nother thing. Then there's a connection in the audience. Oh, my guy's about to do the thing. It's a piece. And there's. Everything today is so, like, we gotta make a stand. No. Like, it's in the middle.

[Nikki Bella]

No. We need it all. And we need the ref and the fans as well, and the commentary. But what I've always looked at is we are a Broadway with body slams.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

We go and tell a story on that mat with moves. We are sports entertainment. We are not just sports, and we're not just entertainment. We are both, and we need both. And that's what makes us so badass and cool. And why we have a worldwide following is because no one does what we do. And I hate when I watch things and I don't feel the story, because the main thing about us is we are all about connection. And connection is story, is character.

[Cody Rhodes]

One of the things I love the most, and I'll never take it for granted because it took me so long to kind of find it. I will do something. And then there'll be. You know, there's been different types of fire ups through the years. Big Hulk fire ups and different types of doing it. And sweet chin music in the corner, whatever it is. But sometimes I'll just kind of shake or I'll punch my jaw or something. But there's these little moments where nothing's happening, but. Because they know me.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

They know something's about to happen. And there's this build. There's this swell, I call it.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And I think, like, how did I ever get so lucky to get to know, like, oh, it's about to. My guy's about to do. Do this thing.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

And then when you do, when you do. It's awesome. And if you don't, it's like, ah, no.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Please get back up. It's just again, the connection. The whole piece.

[Nikki Bella]

So true.

[Cody Rhodes]

Broadway body slams was an old school PR line, by the way. Yeah, I remember that, though.

[Nikki Bella]

It does. And when I still, like, say it and use it.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

People are like, oh, my gosh. Like, especially mainstream, they go, wait, I get it now. I'm like, yeah, that's what we do.

[Brie Bella]

Oh, yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

They don't get it until you use that. It's such a good one. I remember.

[Cody Rhodes]

That's a good one. Do you remember smart, sexy, powerful.

[Natty]

Oh, yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

This is probably. We probably.

[Nikki Bella]

I love that you remember that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Well, the reason I remember it is I will never name this person's name.

[Nikki Bella]

I know, exactly.

[Cody Rhodes]

I watched a person try and say, I'm smart, sexy and powerful. That was all she had to say. And I had worked on a promo all week, and I did my promo to a smattering of applause from promo class. Ah, it's okay. Whatever. And then this girl just needed to say, I'm smart, sexy and powerful. And she stopped halfway through and spaced. And the class started doing like a. And I thought, like, what? What are we doing, guys? Like, like, exactly. I was like, it is very much into the point where. No longer upset about it because, like, totally get it. Totally, totally get it.

[Nikki Bella]

That's the magic of women in this business. It's confidence.

[Cody Rhodes]

But literally, I gave a masterpiece.

[Nikki Bella]

She got the slowest.

[Cody Rhodes]

Come on. Come on. To say three words. And I remember I walked out and then I walked back in and I completely was like, got it. I get it. I'm different. Different thing, you know?

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I remember those classes with Steph about the meaning of a diva and like, that and those words and all that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Just needed three words. Words.

[Nikki Bella]

Just needed three words.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

They were accurate.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Smarts. I bet you, though, you can go use that in your promos now and you actually would get smart, sexy.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Guys, I'm not just. I'm not just. I. I try to find a way to put it in there. Yeah, yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

That actually would be hilarious if we still had, like, the live events going. It'd be fun. Do it on live events.

[Cody Rhodes]

Oh, try it out a little bit. Oh, my gosh.

[Nikki Bella]

That would be.

[Cody Rhodes]

We do have a couple live events coming up, by the way.

[Nikki Bella]

Do you can. Maybe in Mexico City?

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah, we have a. We have actual live events that could be. They can never truly go.

[Nikki Bella]

Never.

[Cody Rhodes]

And I also wonder, like, in two years if we Start full running again. It's subby to be. So we can never truly call our. But right now I like it because they're in markets that normally wouldn't get a TV show.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

So it's the perfect place to be, like.

[Nikki Bella]

And that's what I think it's amazing for.

[Cody Rhodes]

Come, come see this. It's an intimate thing. That was my whole bread and butter when I came back here was. I got to. I'm the live event guy. See everybody. I'll spend every second I can with them until they drag me out of here and. And then, like, bought the bus.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Live events went away.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, I didn't even think about that.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah. No, but we filmed this show on the bus.

[Nikki Bella]

Hey, but. Which is so badass and cool. So sexy, smart and powerful.

[Cody Rhodes]

It is. I feel sexy and smart and powerful.

[Nikki Bella]

I could just see that when you sit in that chair.

[Cody Rhodes]

I'm gonna try and find a way. I'm gonna find a way.

[Nikki Bella]

It would be.

[Cody Rhodes]

So come back and somebody be like, you seem like you were reaching on that. Like.

[Nikki Bella]

Well, especially if you do it after this episode. Then people might feel it. They'll connect.

[Cody Rhodes]

Gotta get it in.

[Nikki Bella]

That's right.

[Cody Rhodes]

Now it's official.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

We will say it. It will happen. It will happen on a TV promo.

[Nikki Bella]

Good.

[Cody Rhodes]

The big smart, sexy, powerful.

[Natty]

Yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

It's not just the divas anymore, guys.

[Nikki Bella]

No, the men, too.

[Brie Bella]

You okay?

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Good to go.

[Natty]

Oh, yeah.

[Cody Rhodes]

Okay, I am going to play for you the Wheatley American Vodka jingle. And I will ask you to replace a word after you watch it. You can't. You can't lose this one.

[Nikki Bella]

No.

[Cody Rhodes]

This song right here is for the red, white and blue. You got good taste and you drink like it too. American vodka.

[Nikki Bella]

That's really good.

[Cody Rhodes]

So Wheatley. So good. I drink it neatly. If you had to take out the word neatly, Wheatly so good. I drink it.

[Nikki Bella]

It freely.

[Cody Rhodes]

Perfect. Absolutely right.

[Nikki Bella]

Is that okay?

[Cody Rhodes]

It is okay. And shockingly, so many people have struggled with this answer.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, really?

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I just think freely, like, if I want to drink wheatley, I'm gonna do it when I want.

[Cody Rhodes]

Yeah, I think that's. That's a really good one. Freely, freely. Another really good one. We had LA Night hit with Just completely, Right.

[Brie Bella]

Oh, yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

I drink completely. See? Freely. I feel.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

Like it can mean the tangible and intangible.

[Brie Bella]

Yeah.

[Nikki Bella]

If you know what I mean.

[Cody Rhodes]

Absolutely.

[Nikki Bella]

So.

[Cody Rhodes]

Well, thank you very much.

[Nikki Bella]

Well, it does, right?

[Cody Rhodes]

Freely, Freely, Freely. Thank you. Thank you.

[Nikki Bella]

Of course.

[Cody Rhodes]

Nikki You've been a wonderful guest.

[Nikki Bella]

Thank you.

[Cody Rhodes]

You killed this, by the way.

[Nikki Bella]

Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, guys.

[Cody Rhodes]

Thank you very much.