Nikki Bella has revealed that her recent Women’s Intercontinental Championship match against Becky Lynch at Clash in Paris was not part of the event’s original lineup. The match, which took place on August 31, was initially scheduled for an episode of WWE Raw before a significant card shuffle moved it to the premium live event.
The change was necessitated by the withdrawal of the planned Women’s World Championship match between Stephanie Vaquer and then-champion Naomi. Following Naomi’s pregnancy announcement and the subsequent vacating of the title, a slot opened on the Clash in Paris card, which was filled by moving the Bella-Lynch bout.
Speaking on The Nikki & Brie Show, Bella explained that she learned of the change a week prior. The shift prompted her to alter her travel plans to better prepare for the high-profile encounter.
“So from Birmingham until I arrived in Paris, I didn’t go home because I knew, okay, by the time I go (from) England back to (San Francisco International Airport), then have to do SFO back to Paris, I would really be home for two days, crazy jet lagged and to prepare for a match that originally was going to be on Raw, that got moved to the PLE,” Bella stated. “I’m like, I have to stay overseas and just prep, kick the jet lag out.”
At Clash in Paris, Lynch retained her championship by defeating Bella with a surprise roll-up pin. The match followed a feud that had developed on Raw, where Lynch initially turned down Bella’s challenge before the match was made.
Following the loss, Bella received an ovation backstage and has since clarified her long-term intentions. She emphasized that her return is not a temporary nostalgia run, a sentiment she first shared on social media on August 31 when she told her “Bella Army” that this was “only the beginning.”
“This is a part of life and coming back. Things don’t happen overnight,” Bella said. “I’m not here to do a one-off and go to the (Performance Center) and train the same match for five hours every day to perform that 15 minutes that I just put 30 hours in.”
She continued, highlighting her dedication to the industry. “I’m doing it as I have so much passion and love for this business… I truly love wrestling. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m traveling every week.”