"WWE fan's approved photo no longer viewed as questionable by Nikki Bella, who institutes a new rule"
In a recent episode of her podcast, Nikki Bella defended WWE superfan Brian Lema and clarified that she was comfortable with the controversial prom-style photo that went viral[1][2]. The image, taken over SummerSlam weekend in New Jersey, had sparked a wave of criticism online, with many deeming it inappropriate[4].
Nikki Bella, who goes by Nicole Garcia in her personal life, shared the sweet story behind the interaction. Brian Lema, a long-time fan, had approached her and expressed his admiration, even going as far as buying flowers and writing a letter to express his feelings[6].
Despite the positive intentions, Nikki decided to implement a new rule for meet-and-greet pictures - a "no prom pose" policy[3]. She explained that the photo's distorted appearance and the resulting online backlash made her realise the need for such a rule to avoid misunderstandings or viral moments[3].
Brian Lema, relieved and happy after Nikki's defence, thanked her for setting the record straight[7]. The viral photo, which received almost 100,000 views on Brian's Instagram, no longer casts a shadow over their memorable encounter[5].
Nikki Bella, alongside her twin sister Brianna, addressed the online storm on the most recent episode of the Nikki and Brie show[5]. She expressed that some things go viral for no reason, and she hopes this incident serves as a lesson to everyone to think twice before jumping to conclusions[8].
[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wwe/2021/08/30/nikki-bella-addresses-controversial-prom-photo-fan/5630787001/ [2] https://www.eonline.com/news/1236667/nikki-bella-claps-back-at-critics-of-controversial-prom-photo-with-fan [3] https://www.newsweek.com/nikki-bella-implements-no-prom-pose-rule-fans-after-controversial-photo-1634684 [4] https://www.insider.com/nikki-bella-defends-controversial-prom-photo-with-fan-2021-8 [5] https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/matthewbelloni/nikki-bella-addresses-controversial-prom-photo-with-fan [6] https://www.popculture.com/wwe/news/nikki-bella-addresses-controversial-prom-photo-with-fan-brian-lema/ [7] https://www.hollywoodlife.com/2021/08/31/nikki-bella-defends-controversial-prom-photo-with-fan-brian-lema/ [8] https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/nikki-bella-defends-controversial-prom-photo-183414015.html
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