Nikki and Brie Bella Are Exiting WWE and Ditching Their Ring Names

The Bella Twins are entering a new era

Nikki Bella and Brie Bella announced on March 13 that they are officially parting ways with the WWE and dropping their stage names. From now on, the 39-year-old E! reality stars will go by their birth names, Nikki Garcia and Brie Garcia—or the newly minted Garcia Twins—as they duo revealed on their SiriusXM podcast The Nikki and Brie Show.

“When our contract came up with WWE,” Nikki explained on the March 13 episode, “mutually we all knew we just needed to head into this new chapter.”

Brie took a minute to honor her wrestling ring persona. “I just want to thank Brie Bella—Brie Bella the character, the name, all of it that I have been the last 16, 17 years,” she noted. “I am so excited to close that chapter on Brie Bella, put that book to the side and open up a news one—and see what Brie Garcia is gonna do next.”