WWE
Being a mother in the public eye often invites unsolicited advice, but for WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella, a recent wave of criticism crossed the line. On the January 15, 2026 episode of the Nikki and Brie Show, the former Divas Champion addressed the controversy surrounding a set of photos she posted from a family trip to Legoland. What was intended to be a celebration of her five-year-old son Matteo’s joy turned into a debate about her parenting, prompting Bella to turn off the comments on the post entirely.
Bella revealed that the backlash she received reinforced her decision to keep Matteo largely out of the digital spotlight. She expressed frustration with the “weird” nature of the comments, specifically those criticizing her for kissing her son on the lips and negative remarks about his long hair.
“Something’s been bothering me this past week, and that’s the Legoland photos. It’s so weird. There are quite a few reasons I turned the comments off on that post, and it just goes to show why I don’t put my son on social media… Some comments were saying, ‘I can’t believe she kisses her son on the lips, he’s five!’ And I’m like, dude, I can’t believe you’re so bothered by it and annoyed by it. That’s crazy to me. I’m so over people telling me to get my son a haircut. He loves his long hair, and it’s beautiful.”
The photo in question captured a specific moment of excitement: Matteo meeting a “Lego Santa” for the first time. Bella explained that the kiss was a spontaneous reaction from her son, a display of pure affection that internet critics tried to twist into something negative. She emphasized that she has no regrets about receiving love from her child and feels sorry for parents who might reject such moments due to societal pressure.
“In that photo on the cover photo, Mateo was seeing Lego Santa for the first time. He was so excited. Mateo grabbed me and gave me this big kiss. It was such a great moment, and people trying to ruin it just really upset me. I love my son so much, and I feel bad if your kid wants to kiss you on the lips and you tell them no, because I feel like that’s sad. I don’t know what that would do to them mentally.”
This defense of her private life comes amidst a busy start to 2026 for the elder Garcia twin. Following the finalization of her divorce from Artem Chigvintsev last May, Bella has been navigating a new chapter as a single mother while managing her growing business empire. Just last week, reports confirmed that she has begun casually dating Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean, marking her first public romance since her split. As she balances this new relationship with her career and motherhood, it is clear that protecting Matteo’s environment remains her top priority.
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