Brie Bella Almost Skipped the ‘Yes Kicks’ — Why the Royal Rumble Moment Nearly Didn’t Happen

When Brie Bella fired off the “Yes Kicks” in the Women’s Royal Rumble, it felt like a perfectly timed nostalgia hit. The crowd in Saudi Arabia erupted. Social media lit up. For a brief stretch, it felt like 2014 again, with the Yes movement echoing through a WWE stadium.

It turns out that moment almost never happened.

On the Nikki & Brie Show, Bella revealed she had no intention of breaking out the move that became synonymous with her husband, Bryan Danielson, during his run as Daniel Bryan. In fact, she actively resisted the idea until just hours before bell time.

“I wasn’t going to do the ‘Yes Kicks’ at all,” Brie admitted. Her original plan was to lean into her own established offense. “I was like, no, I want to do of course my missile drop kick, Brie Mode knee. I said, I really want to concentrate doing tag team stuff with Nikki.” From a character standpoint, that decision made sense. A Bella Twins reunion in the Rumble carries its own nostalgia and branding power.

It was a producer who pushed the idea, suggesting the crowd would respond in a major way. Brie remained unconvinced. “They’re like, ‘Why don’t you do the ‘Yes Kicks?’ The crowd will love it.’ And I’m like, ‘Will they? I don’t know.’ And I go, ‘Honestly, I don’t really feel it.’ I haven’t done the ‘Yes Kicks’ forever.”

The hesitation was not about crowd reaction alone. It was personal. “I was so nervous to do the ‘Yes Kicks’ cause they’re obviously my husband’s, and I can’t do them like him and I didn’t want to fail him.” That layer adds depth to what fans perceived as a simple callback. For Brie, it was stepping into a move that defined another performer’s legacy.

Ultimately, she changed her mind roughly four hours before the show. The timing alone underscores how fluid Rumble match layouts can be, even for returning veterans. Add in the fact that this marked her first long international flight in eight years, and the circumstances become even more daunting. Brie acknowledged she was “delirious” by the time the 10 p.m. local start time rolled around.

Yet once she hit the ring, the reaction erased any doubt. By her own account, the energy from the crowd carried her through the nerves and fatigue. The moment connected, and it connected loudly.

In a broader sense, the situation highlights how wrestling thrives on shared history. Moves, chants, and callbacks are not just choreography. They are emotional currency. When executed at the right time, they reinforce legacy while creating fresh memories for a new audience.

Brie’s decision to embrace the “Yes Kicks” shows how modern WWE often blends individual identity with collective nostalgia. It is a balancing act between honoring the past and maintaining authenticity. In this case, the risk paid off, not because it replicated Danielson, but because it felt sincere in the moment.