“So Much Deeper Than WWE”-Natalya, Brie Bella & Other Stars Reflect on the Hit Reality Show’s First Episode on Its 10th Anniversary

They say the bond of wrestlers grows stronger on the road. While traveling together, they grow closer, from events to house shows to tours. But no one ever thought that a reality TV show could make a deeper bond than the WWE could ever do. A show that ran for six years between 2013 to 2019 and gave us an inside look at the lives and relationships of its biggest stars.

On the 10th anniversary of the first episode being aired, some of the original cast including the likes of Nikki Bella and Natalya reflect on the memories they made. 

Total Divas aired a decade ago and was special for some stars

The first episode of WWE Total Divas aired on July 28, 2013. Looking back on all the time that passed, Natalya took to Instagram to talk about the show. In a heartfelt post where she tagged the original cast, she spoke about the show’s importance to her. “So many amazing women were able to share the show with us. And the women I work with in the ring always remind me of why I love what I do so much,” she said.

She went on to talk about why the show was important to others as well. Being a wrestler for the WWE, she wanted the opportunity to inspire young girls to reach for their dreams. As the WWE showcases the kayfabe part of their life, the show focuses on their actual lives, personalities, and relationships. She confessed and thanked all her cast members for being so strong to open up about their lives on reality TV. 

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She also thanked Russell Jay Staglik and Jeffrey C Jenkins, who worked and produced the show on the E! network. The show was a breath of fresh air in WWE programming. Fans loved the show’s raw approach to the lives of the female wrestlers and their relationships backstage. This gave the viewers a never before seen side of the WWE. At its peak, the show gained over 1.50 million viewers.  

Total Divas stars recall “great memories”

The show’s main goal was to showcase the personality of the women stars outside the ring. It had a major impact on the women’s wrestling scene. Showcasing for the first time on unscripted TV the lives of some of the biggest names in female pro wrestling created a large fan base for the ladies that would go on to help inspire young girls to pressure their dreams in the ring.

Other WWE stars were quick to respond to Natalya’s post. 

Brie Bella – “Some of the greatest memories I’ve made!!! ❤️❤️❤️ love you!!!”

Sonya Deville – “❤️❤️❤️”

Kathy Laurinaitis – “Great memories.”

Natalie Eva Marie – “Legit the best ever !! Love u Natty 💕😘”

Tiffany WWE – “Truly iconic 👏👏👏”

Trinity Fatu – “😍”

Ariane Andrew – “Wow… trip down memory lane… so many great memories 🫶🏾🔥🙌🏾”

A fan also commented on the post highlighting why the show was held close by many fans, writing, “Total divas will always have a special place in my heart. All the laughs/tears this show brought me I can never forget. This show went so much deeper than WWE.. It taught me that blood does not define family. Thank you total divas.”

Unfortunately, the show was canceled after nine long seasons. The main cast moved on to better things, and the show lost viewership. With falling viewership numbers, E! pulled the plug on the show in 2021. While there is no official word on a renewal of the show, it carries its own legacy for many of WWE’s top stars.

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