On a recent episode of The Nikki & Brie Show podcast, Nikki Bella and Brie Bella addressed a now-viral photo taken during WWE SummerSlam 2025 weekend that had fans buzzing online.
The image, captured at a Fanatics meet-and-greet, shows Nikki posing back-to-front with a fan in what many on social media jokingly dubbed a “prom pose.”
Brie brought up the moment, saying: “So, you know that photo that went viral with you and the fan from Fanatics?”
Nikki responded with humor: “Where it looks like I’m getting pounded from behind? Is that even appropriate to say?”
Prom Night Vibes: Nikki Bella & a lucky fan strike this pose during WWE SummerSlam weekend! pic.twitter.com/qiC3Oo3NVf
— PWMania: WWE & AEW News (@PWMania) August 12, 2025
Brie revealed the fan’s name was Brian Lema and shared her reaction to seeing the shot for the first time: “I remember scrolling while drinking my strawberry matcha latte, and I thought, ‘What the—? Didn’t Nikki let someone just hold her that tight from behind?’”
Nikki then explained that the pose was a lighthearted request from the fan, who had a touching personal story. “Okay, well, I do feel like from now on there’s going to have to be a no prom pose rule. I agree — after this photo, I think so. But I will say, he had an incredible story. He asked very politely about doing a prom photo. I’ve done it a bunch of times. You guys, I didn’t feel anything. It never felt inappropriate. It didn’t feel like what the photo looks like.”
Brie jokingly asked if the fan “did a pelvic thrust” when the picture was taken, but Nikki chalked it up to angles and clothing. “I think that was just his posture. And maybe it was also that my pants were kind of baggy, so they stuck out. You know how sometimes photos get distorted? I honestly feel like that’s what happened. Because if I ever felt it was inappropriate, I would go straight to my rep and say, ‘Hey, that was really inappropriate.’ I didn’t have that at all. And he was actually — unless I’m being played — a very sweet guy with a really touching story. He’s watched us from day one.”
The Bellas laughed off the misunderstanding, but Nikki made it clear that “prom pose” photos might now be a thing of the past at future appearances.
