Nikki Garcia, best known to wrestling fans as Nikki Bella, has spoken candidly about recent criticism she faced on social media during the latest episode of The Nikki & Brie Show.
The former WWE Divas Champion received backlash after sharing a photo from a family trip to Legoland in which she was pictured kissing her five-year-old son, Matteo, on the lips. Nikki explained that the negative reaction ultimately led her to disable the comment section on the post.
“It’s so weird. There were quite a few reasons why I turned my comments off on that post and it just goes to show why I don’t put my son on social media, but what’s so crazy and sad about that is, and it wasn’t even that many comments, but it was enough to bug me where like, ‘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.’ That’s crazy to me.”
Nikki went on to clarify the context of the moment captured in the photo, emphasizing that it was a spontaneous and joyful reaction from her son.
“In that photo that’s on the cover photo, Matteo, that was his first time seeing Lego Santa, just the Lego version. He got so excited, so the lady was just taking photos. Matteo grabbed me and gave me that big kiss. It was the cutest thing because he was just, you could tell, so excited and grateful he was actually going into Legoland and he saw Lego Santa, so it was such a great moment.”
She also addressed broader frustrations with online commentary directed at her child, including remarks about his appearance, and strongly defended the affectionate bond she shares with him.
“The kissing thing was so annoying to me and just bothersome because I’m like, first of all, I love my son so much and I feel bad if your kid wants to kiss you on the lips and you tell him no. I think that’s sad because I don’t know what that would do to them mentally.”
Nikki’s comments highlight the challenges public figures face when sharing family moments online, as well as the deeply personal boundaries parents must navigate in the age of social media.
