Former WWE Star Says Brie Bella Wanted To Lose Against Her In Retirement Match

Following her victory alongside the cast of "Total Divas" at WrestleMania 32, Brie Bella made the decision to step away from full-time in-ring competition in order to start a family, but instead of going out on a high, the former Divas Champion had an alternative ending to her first stint with WWE. 

According to CJ Perry, also known as former WWE star Lana, Bella wanted to stick around for one more match on "WWE Raw" and lose to "The Ravishing Russian" before taking time off, explaining that management wanted Brie to enter semi-retirement with a win.

"She actually pitched for me to have a singles match the next night against her and to go over and actually put her into retirement ... I was really nervous. I was okay and didn't happen cause I wasn't ready and Vince [McMahon] wanted her to win on the high and go off as a babyface. I totally understand that and I supported that because I was training and I just didn't feel like I was ready yet. So I was like, everything happens for a reason. My time will come and even though that would have been mega heat," she explained on "Ring The Belle."

Bella would return to WWE in 2018 for a short run with the promotion before hanging up her boots for nearly four years, as she made a one-off appearance with Nikki Bella in the 2022 Royal Rumble. Since then, it was thought that Bella had truly left professional wrestling in the past, but last weekend, she was a surprise entrant in the 2026 Women's Royal Rumble, and is determined to win the Women's Tag Team Championships alongside her sister.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Ring The Belle" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription