Nikki Bella wasn't invited to John Cena's WWE retirement match

Asked about her reaction to his retirement, Nikki told Logan Paul's Impaulsive podcast: "I guess I didn't have an emotion to it.

"Meaning, I was sad at the fact that he was retiring, but I was having a lot of fun at the Flyers game too. That, I got a lot of s*** for.

"People acted as if I was invited to his last match and I denied the request. I wasn't invited. So I was at the Flyers game because the Eagles were playing the next day, so I was in Philly.

"It was more sad about him retiring. And I just wanted his run to be the way he wanted, so as long as he's happy, I'm happy."

Nikki, who reunited with twin sister Brie Bella at the Royal Rumble premium live event over the week, had been around for a lot of John's year-long farewell tour in 2025 after making her own wrestling comeback.

She admitted the "first time" they were backstage together felt a little strange.

She explained: "I mean, the first time - we hadn't seen each other in so many years, so you didn't know what to expect.

"So, yeah [it was awkward]! And then it was fine, it was normal, and I got to meet his wife.

"After that, actually, I would talk to them both every time I saw them at TV. And then it was normal, but the first time, for sure."

Nikki previously admitted it was a "hard thing" to walk away from her relationship with John back in 2018, because there were no major issues between them.

She said during an episode of Biography: WWE Legends: "You almost wish it was bad, because it's so much easier to walk away. It's so much harder to walk away when it's loving.

"I think a lot of women get into this situation when it's like, 'I love this person, but I don't know if it's right for my life,' and that's a hard thing."