Nikki Bella Was Ready to Join AEW, Almost Called Tony Khan

Mercedes Moné’s AEW debut rocked the wrestling world. The former Sasha Banks arrived in All Elite Wrestling this past March at AEW Dynamite: Big Business, showing face in front of her hometown crowd at Boston’s TD Garden. Moné’s debut was akin to CM Punk’s first AEW appearance, as both were marketed as “worst kept secrets,” went down in the stars’ hometown arenas, and were announced as televised specials with subtitles hinting at their arrivals. Like how Punk’s first AEW promo reached the wrestling industry far and wide, Moné’s introductory oratory exhibition especially hit home with one retired WWE Hall of Famer.

Nikki Bella Was Ready to Join AEW

In another timeline, Nikki Bella would have been #AllElite.

Speaking on the Nikki & Brie Show, Nikki revealed she recently considered reaching out to AEW President Tony Khan about joining the company for a year.

“Since we’ve been lifting so much, we always say, we always start to get that wrestling mindset, ‘We’re going to go back and do this story and cut this promo.’ How serious I got? I was like, ‘Okay, I think I can do maybe a year at AEW and I can do it every week,’” Nikki said. “When I saw Mercedes [Mercedes Mone] debut and cut her promo, that line stuck with me, ‘Here, we’re going to make the evolution worldwide.’ 

“I was like, ‘They do.’ It goes into many leagues, is what she means, it doesn’t have to be at one place. It can be at all these places where all these women are wrestling at. I go [to my sister], ‘Brie, I think I can do it for a year. I can do it here to here and go every week.’ I had a good week of like, ‘This is it. I’m going to call Tony Khan. I’m your girl. I will commit.’ Then, I was like, ‘I can’t do that to my son right now. He needs me.’”

Both Bella Twins have ties to AEW. Brie’s husband, Bryan Danielson, has been a centerpiece of the company for over half of its existence. Longtime friends Saraya (WWE’s Paige) and Renee Paquette (WWE’s Renee Young) are also regulars on programming. The Bellas both attended AEW Revolution 2023 and shared photographs backstage to social media.

Nikki’s praise of AEW’s “worldwide evolution” with the women’s division comes within the “forbidden door” concept. AEW has had long-running relationships with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide and New Japan Pro Wrestling, but the company is now putting an emphasis on working with female-specific promotions like STARDOM. AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm and Mariah May are currently intertwined in a storyline with Joshi talent.

The Bellas officially left WWE in 2023 after their contracts expired. They now use their real names, Nikki and Brie Garcia, professionally.