Nikki Bella and Brie Bella Return to SmackDown for Hall of Fame Announcement

WWE officially announced Nikki Bella and Brie Bella as inductees into the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame during Friday night’s edition of SmackDown.

Alexa Bliss came out for her “Moment of Bliss” segment and reviewed the formerly announced class members (Batista and the nWo) and then revealed the Bella Twins. Nikki and Brie then walked out on to the stage to take part in the talk show segment.

Brie and Nikki then talked about being grateful for the honor and thanked the Bella Army. They talked about being happy about returning to SmackDown, the show they debuted on, in their hometown of Glendale, Arizona.

They were then complimentary to Bliss and all of the current women’s roster members for taking the division to the next level. Bliss thanked them and then shrugged it off, saying everyone is here to talk about them and hear from them.

After thanking the crowd a little bit more and saying that they hope to see all of the Bella Army in Tampa for WrestleMania, Daniel Bryan’s theme came on. He came out with he and Brie’s daughter in his arms. He handed her off to Brie and aunt Nikki before making his way to the ring for a match with Heath Slater.

WWE issued the following on their website concerning the Bella’s Hall of Fame announcement:

Nikki & Brie Bella, two of the most iconic female Superstars in WWE history, are the latest inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020. They will take their place in the hallowed hall on Thursday, April 2, in Tampa, Fla., during WrestleMania 36 Week. The news was first revealed by Alexa Bliss during “A Moment of Bliss” on Friday Night SmackDown.

The Bella Twins join Batista and nWo members Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman and Kevin Nash in the 2020 class so far. Nikki & Brie will react to the huge news in an interview on WWE Backstage this Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET on FS1.

The road to the WWE Hall of Fame was a long one for Nikki & Brie, who started their WWE careers by having a little fun deceiving their opponents. Brie debuted in August 2008 and strung together a series of wins, seemingly getting a second wind after scampering under the ring. However, their ruse would soon be revealed to be a bit of “Twin Magic,” as it was discovered that Brie’s twin sister Nikki was hiding under the ring, ready to switch places and pick up the victory. Though they had been found out, that tactic would go on to pay off for the Bellas countless times over the years.

Though “Twin Magic” was their calling card early on, Nikki & Brie proved they were extremely capable competitors. Brie was the first to capture championship gold, defeating Eve Torres to become WWE Divas Champion in April 2011. Nikki followed suit one year later with a victory over fellow WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix. Nikki captured the title again at Survivor Series 2014, dethroning AJ Lee to kickstart a reign that would last 300 days, the longest in Divas Championship history.

Throughout their time in WWE, The Bella Twins were part of many classic rivalries, facing off with the likes of Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Stephanie McMahon and even each other. They also helped introduce a new generation of fans to WWE with their hit reality shows “Total Divas” and “Total Bellas,” as well as their YouTube channel, which boasts more than 2.6 million subscribers.

And now, they’re being recognized for their incredible careers with the ultimate honor: induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. Don’t miss The Bella Twins taking their place in sports-entertainment history during the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Thursday, April 2, during WrestleMania 36 Week. Tickets for the ceremony are available now at Ticketmaster and the Amalie Arena box office.