Nikki Bella Explains Wearing John Cena Wedding Dress To Marry Artem Chigvintsev

Nikki Bella dropped a bombshell when she revealed that the dress she wore to her wedding to Artem Chigvintsev was the gown she bought for her canceled wedding to her ex-boyfriend, John Cena.

The professional wrestler spoke candidly about her eyebrow-raising move in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly Wednesday, ahead of her wedding special's premiere on E! the following day.

According to Bella, she really wanted to wear the wedding dress even though she'd purchased it while she was still engaged to her ex-fiancé.

"I had that moment with that dress ... when I saw it. It was all something that I dreamed of," she told the outlet.

Bella, who turned 39 last November, married the Russian-American professional dancer in August last year. After their union, she revealed that one of the dresses she wore on her special day was initially intended for her wedding to Cena.

The "Total Bellas" star explained that there was something about the wedding gown that gave her a sense of "empowerment," so she held onto it even after breaking up with her ex.

"I went back and forth with that decision. For me, it [reflects] how I stand as a strong woman, I was like wait, why should I not wear what I love? Because of my past? It just didn't make sense to me," she said.

Bella shared that her husband did not have an issue with it, explaining that the "Dancing With the Stars" pro dancer was "cool about it" because he "looks at it as just a material thing."

Chigvintsev, who was present during the interview, confirmed to Us Weekly that he did not see anything wrong with his wife's decision.

"I didn't think it was going to be that big of a deal for people to react how I reacted ... I think [if there's] an issue with it, they're bringing some other energy into our happiness," he said.

Bella and Chigvintsev's wedding previously made headlines after she opted to walk down the aisle alone.

"I walked myself down the aisle because I'm about to be 39 and I don't need to be given away," she told Brides last year.

Fans will get to see more of what went down during the couple's nuptials in the upcoming four-part wedding special. A sneak peek released by E! News last month showed Nikki heading off to Paris to find the perfect venue for their wedding.

The "Nikki Bella Says I Do" premieres Thursday at 9 p.m. EST on E!