Subhojeet Mukherjee on March 13, 2026
Nikki Bella is finally clearing up the rumors about her and NFL star Cooper DeJean — and according to her, the age gap played a big role in why things never turned into a real relationship.
During a conversation with Lala Kent, the WWE Hall of Famer opened up about the speculation that linked her to the Philadelphia Eagles cornerback over the past few months. Bella admitted they did spend time together, but she quickly realized the nearly 20-year age difference made a serious relationship unrealistic. While talking about dating younger men, Nikki explained that being with someone in their early 20s simply doesn’t line up with what she’s looking for in life.
“20 years younger is super young. I did have different conversations with that one. But I realized that young 20s are young, but late 20s are great.”
Bella said one of the biggest challenges is the difference in life experience. For her, meaningful conversations and shared life perspective matter more than anything else. She also admitted that when she does date guys in their twenties, she typically sees those situations as something casual rather than long-term.
“I’m someone who’s obsessed with conversation and sharing experiences. I already know that I need to have someone who’s lived a journey; that’s how I connect. I look at the guys in their 20s that I’ve been with as hookups—have fun, make you feel sexy—and I never thought of them as more than that.”
But Nikki says the biggest factor that complicated things between her and DeJean was the intense attention the rumors received once the media picked up the story. She revealed that the reaction online quickly became uncomfortable for her. According to Nikki, that level of scrutiny ended up changing the dynamic between them and made the situation difficult to go through.
“It was the media, because they made a big deal about this age gap. Some people came at me and called me a groomer and a grandma, and I was like, what the f**k? It ruined things for sure. Even something fun, because it made me feel really weird. I don’t like this kind of attention at all. It’s hard when they are professional athletes.”
Nikki Bella then addressed Cooper DeJean directly, making it clear that she still thinks highly of him despite the rumors fading out.
“So Cooper—because obviously that’s the one I made headlines with—an incredible guy, but we just have a big age gap. He’s the 20-year one I made the headlines with. He’s amazing, but it’s just the age gap.”
The speculation first started in late 2025 when Bella was spotted at a Philadelphia Eagles game and shared social media posts that appeared to show her inside DeJean’s locker room area. The two also interacted online, which only fueled the rumors. Earlier this year, Bella told paparazzi at a Philadelphia airport that she was single and just “having fun,” while DeJean also downplayed the situation during a February appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
Now that Nikki has addressed the situation directly, it seems clear that whatever spark fans thought they saw between the two never turned into a serious relationship — and the limelight surrounding the rumors may have shut the door on it completely.
Do you think the attention around Nikki Bella and Cooper DeJean’s rumored relationship went too far? Or was the public reaction just part of being in the spotlight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
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