Posted on 7/17/125 by Colin Vassallo
On today’s episode of SiriusXM’s The Nikki and Brie Show,
Nikki is fresh off her return to the ring at WWE Evolution
and Monday Night RAW and gives a raw and real look behind
the scenes of a weekend she’ll never forget. Nikki opens up
about the nerves she felt, her inability to prepare, showing
grit and grace, and clapping back at her critics.
Nikki Garcia on her return to the ring at Monday Night RAW
(19:57-22:30)
Brie Garcia: When you texted me that you were having a match
on RAW, I’m like, “Wait, what?” ‘cause you know, usually
when people who have been out for six years, or legends come
back, there’s usually a build up to a singles match, so when
you texted me you’re having a match on RAW, I’ll admit, I
was so nervous for you, ‘cause I’m like, “Wait, there’s no
build up?”
Nikki Garcia: Well, I just think they usually go if they
haven’t had their match, what we all know is they’re at the
PC all week training every day for that one moment, right?
When I got hit with that, I was like, “Wait, what?” and I
was like, “Wait, are you sure? How long?” I just was like,
“Oh my gosh,” and you know me, I don’t say no to
opportunities. I always just think of like, “Well, how can I
make this work out the best?” But yeah, no prep. I wanted to
try and get in the ring Sunday morning and then it was all
taken, all full, so then I asked about like Monday early, it
didn’t, because of having the two back to back pay-per-
views, didn’t get built to like 1:30 but I was, I feel like
it’s so different now and I actually couldn’t believe how
composed I was from how I would be, but it’s really weird,
Brie. All the really hardcore work you and I have done,
especially in the past few years, like what a good four
years or five maybe?WWE Evolution Premium Live Event tickets
Brie Garcia: You’re talking about like life coach, therapy
type of work? Yeah.
Nikki Garcia: Life coach, breath work, meditation, giving
yourself grace, all the things. It’s weird that I, like it
was even like this in Battle Royale. Nerves, but not like
how I have felt in the past where it just felt
uncontrollable, it overtakes. I just was able to get myself
in a place like, “You’re gonna have fun. You’re nervous, but
just be confident.” I’m gonna also say training up the
dungeon helps you with that. Nattie has trained me in a way
where she’s like, “It doesn’t matter what you do, you have
confidence, you deliver.” She’s taught me how to just do
even the simplest things, but when you have confidence
behind it, like how big it looks.
Nikki Garcia on self-criticism during match & Twitter
altercation with critic (26:15-29:02)
Brie Garcia: I will admit, like at home watching, like, was
it clean? No, it wasn’t clean. Was it a little sloppy? Yes.
I could tell by your face though, when you won, I go, “Oh,
shit. Her finish didn’t go how she wanted it to,” because
you were selling that.
Nikki Garcia: I know. Well, it’s because, I know, but you
know me, I put a lot of pressure on myself and when you’re
having a match live, and this is in any sport, you are
opening up for judgment, critique and all the things and I
just wanted this first one to set a certain standard. I
didn’t want there to be any sloppiness or anything missed,
because I know how hard then the critique will follow me.
“O.C., and this and that,” so instantly when that happened,
it’s sad, but that’s immediately what I felt was like, “I
hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass,” and what’s crazy is
I’ve never done that ever and it was funny because I went
after someone on Twitter, and then they ended up deleting it
because they knew I was right. Chelsea had wrote to me, “You
can look, but you can’t touch,” and then I wrote back, “I
looked, I touched and I won. Besos,” so then someone wrote,
“No, you looked, you botched, and then won,” and so this is
what I said. “All from the IWC of haters, let me educate.
Botched, of a task carried out badly or carelessly, but what
you meant to say is, you looked, you snatched on your OG
finisher that broke your neck, you protected yourself, you
won. Yay, we learned something new today. Hashtag haters
gonna hate, Bellas gonna ball.”
Brie Garcia: Love that.
Nikki Garcia: Because, you know, we throw around that word a
lot in our industry, botched, and these are people who write
that, are non-athletic people who’ve never played a sport,
let alone a professional sport, so you have to be careful
using the word botched. Botched is when someone does
something and they’re careless and that ends up creating
something. In my situation, I went up for something that
broke my neck, so I either could have in that moment hit it
and re-injured myself or worse, or I could have been like,
“I’m gonna be embarrassed. I’m gonna get something from
this, but I’m gonna set her down and I’m gonna try to now,
she’s either gonna hit me with something or I’m gonna hit
her with something. I’m gonna try to get my finisher back
on.” Right? So, it’s not a botch. It’s actually being smart.
The Nikki & Brie Show hosted by Nikki & Brie Garcia is
available anytime on the SiriusXM app. New episodes every
Monday and Thursday