Nikki Bella didn’t have a choice when it came to retiring from the WWE.
The Total Bellas star stopped by The Tonight Show with her twin sister Brie on Wednesday, where the two opened up about why they decided to step away from the ring.
While Brie’s decision to tap out of wrestling was due to the fact that she’s a new mom, Nikki revealed she was essentially forced into early retirement because of the health issues she was experiencing.
Related: Nikki Reportedly Dating Her ‘DWTS’ Partner Artem Chigvintsev
She explained:
“For me, I really wanted to go back and fight for the tag titles. I’ve always had my neck issues and after neck surgery, it hasn’t been OK. I feel like I needed to get a checkup before we went back for the tag titles.”
On top of herniating a disc above where she had the surgery and suffering from “inflammation around the metal,” Nikki said she also has “a cyst on [her] brain,” adding that doctors told her:
“They were like, ‘You’re done, no more,’ so I didn’t get a choice, which sucks.”
Wow.
John Cena’s ex didn’t go into more detail during her interview, but she did speak a bit more about the “scary” discovery with TMZ the following day, revealing how she was feeling “bummed” over her forced retirement.
Related: Nikki Memorializes Her Dead Relationship With John On Their Anniversary
She reiterated on Thursday:
“I can’t compete… They found a cyst on my brain, which thank god, it’s benign.”
The 35-year-old went on to say that, despite the disheartening experience, she was staying optimistic about her health, noting:
“It’s super scary, it’s something you’re never gonna hear but I’m so grateful. I’m grateful for my health, I’m grateful it’s benign. It’s something that you have to watch out for the rest of your life because you never know how it can change, but I’m definitely grateful because people go through it worse.”
The athlete also urged fans to get check-ups if they suspect something may be wrong with their bodies, adding:
“Trust your gut; if you don’t feel right, go get it handled!”
The beloved wrestling star first announced her retirement from the WWE in the season finale of Total Bellas back in March.
Although she might be out of the ring for now, Nikki isn’t ruling out a career comeback in the future. She told TMZ:
“I believe in miracles, you never know! We’ll see what the man upstairs has in store for me.”
Focus on your health first, girl!
Watch the twins’ interview with Jimmy Fallon (below) to hear more on their retirement.
[Image via WENN]
