When veteran WWE Superstar Nikki Bella stepped back into the spotlight on Monday Night Raw’s June 9th episode, she probably didn’t expect her pronunciation skills to steal the headlines. The wrestling icon found herself at the center of social media chatter after flubbing Stephanie Vaquer’s surname during her television return, sparking widespread trolling from the WWE Universe.
The Bella Twin Breaks Down Her Viral Mistake
During a recent episode of “The Nikki and Brie Show,” the Bella Twins dove headfirst into the pronunciation controversy that had wrestling Twitter buzzing. Nikki didn’t shy away from addressing the elephant in the room, bringing Vaquer herself onto the podcast to help set the record straight.
“You have to let me know if I say this right—and she will too—Stephanie Vaquer,” Bella said, clearly determined to nail the pronunciation this time around.
Sister Brie Delivers Some Tough Love
True to sibling form, Brie Bella didn’t let her twin off easy. The retired wrestler delivered some playful but pointed criticism about the botched moment, particularly given Nikki’s Hispanic heritage.
“Can I just say something to you, yeah, before I ask her something? How did you mess up her last name on live television? You’re half Mexican!”
The comment highlighted the irony of the situation, considering Bella’s cultural background should have made Spanish pronunciation more natural for her.
Behind-the-Scenes Preparation Gone Wrong
Contrary to what fans might assume, Bella revealed she actually put significant effort into getting Vaquer’s name right before the show. The preparation process, however, may have been part of the problem.
Bella explained that she specifically sought out Vaquer backstage to confirm the proper pronunciation. She wanted to deliver the name with authentic Latin flair rather than a generic American pronunciation.
“No, I—I tried to add a little spice! And now we have Stephanie here, right now. Okay, so I need to say your last name, because this went viral. I stopped you in the hallway because I wanted to say it with a Latin presence. I wanted to give it that spice.”
Overthinking Led to On-Air Stumble
The irony wasn’t lost on Bella that her attempts at perfection actually caused the mistake. After consulting multiple WWE personnel, including writers and commentators, she found herself second-guessing during the live broadcast.
“But then I got nervous, and I kept asking the writers and commentators, ‘Wait, how do I say it again?’ because I didn’t want to get it wrong. Then I went out there and tried to say it with some flair, and I guess I should’ve just said ‘Vaquer.'”
Stephanie Vaquer Shows Class in Response
Rising wrestling star Stephanie Vaquer demonstrated grace under fire when addressing the situation. Rather than taking offense, she acknowledged the difficulty many people have with her surname.
Vaquer helped Bella practice the correct pronunciation during the podcast, repeating “Vaquer” several times to reinforce the proper delivery.
“Yeah, yeah, I know—it’s hard to say the ‘R’. But no, you said it good.”
Her understanding response showed the professionalism that’s helped establish her as a respected talent in the wrestling world.
Nerves and Live Television Don’t Mix
Bella wrapped up her explanation by acknowledging the reality of performing under pressure. Even experienced wrestlers can fall victim to the unpredictable nature of live broadcasting.
“It was just nerves. Nerves hit hard sometimes. You never know what’ll happen when you’re nervous. I’m never going to say it wrong again, that’s for sure,” Bella concluded with conviction.
Turning a Viral Moment into a Learning Experience
While the original botch generated plenty of social media mockery, Bella’s willingness to address the mistake head-on and seek direct help from Vaquer herself demonstrates the kind of accountability that wrestling fans respect. The collaborative approach to fixing the error shows both wrestlers’ professionalism in handling an awkward situation.
In an era where viral moments can define careers, how important do you think it is for wrestlers to own their mistakes publicly rather than hoping they’ll be forgotten? Will this level of transparency become the new standard for handling on-air errors?
