Nikki Bella’s routine literally brought a full-size Wrestling Ring on stage in the recent episode of “Dancing With The Stars.” She performed the contemporary dance with dance pro Artem Chigvintsev, Goldderby reported.
In their performance, the wrestling ring and some hanging fabrics were used as props. Bella once again showcased her strength revealing her toned body and wearing a black suit. Her partner Artem meanwhile, danced without his shirt on and revealing much of his torso.
The routine was inspired by Nikki’s memorable event in her life when she suffered a major injury in the middle of her wrestling career in 2016.
This week’s episode of “Dancing With The Stars” paid tribute to the contestant’s memorable moments including the death of loved ones and life-changing events.
Instead of literally wrestling on stage, the ring was used as their dance floor as Bella hoisted herself up in the air with some swinging and tumbling with the use of the hanging fabric. When she set the fabric aside, Chigvintsev came in to carry her up. It was clearly seen that her partner was quite challenged of her strength during the lifting routines.
They danced to Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song.” They received 24 points from the judges and will move on to the next round of the competition.
Injury
In a featurette before the performance, Nikki Bella shared her struggles amid her successful wrestling career when she suffered a major neck injury around a year ago.
She took an MRI and found out that her neck “was about to break in half.” She was confined to a hospital and skipped some of her matches in WWE.
“I was living the dream of what any WWE superstar wants,” she said. The wrestling diva then started to notice pain on some of her body parts particularly her feet.
“That’s when I knew...
something is wrong with me,” she added. She also said that she did not know she would be “that scared” in her life. Her fiance, fellow wrestler John Cena ,was present throughout her treatment. The video clip even showed him kissing Nikki while lying on the hospital bed.
“She has truly cemented her legacy as one of the top female performers.
It is a wonderful way to make a living but it is also tough,” Cena said. Her twin sister Brie also noted how she saw the “pain” that “has become unbearable” within Bella because she saw “it in her eyes.”
But she never surrendered and still went on hitting the gym even while wearing a neck brace. After seven months from the diagnosis, she came back to WWE filled with strength. She said, “I was told my career was over. I just couldn’t accept that. I wanted to give back to wrestling, I wanted to give back to what I’m passionate about,”
Jazz
Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev are dancing jazz in the next episode of “Dancing With The Stars.” The upcoming show will focus on Disney-themed routines, ET Online reported.
The male dancer shared that their next performance “is interesting” because he is “more the Latin type of expert, not the jazz type.”
“[Nikki is] bold, she’s brave,” Cena said in the introduction video before her performance. “Man, that’s my girl.”
