Daniel Bryan, Brie Bella Announce They Are Expecting 1st Child

WWE announced Wednesday that Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella are expecting their first child.

"It has always been a dream of mine to become a mother," Bella said, according to E! News' Jess Cohen. "Now that it is finally real, it fills me up with so much happiness. I can't wait to see my husband, Bryan, be a father to our child. I am so excited for this new chapter in our lives."

Both Bryan and Bella have been open about their desire to start a family as their in-ring careers wound down.

Bryan said as much during his farewell on Raw in February, and in an interview with WWE.com's Matthew Artus, Bella admitted following her match at WrestleMania 32 that she was taking an extended break to focus on her life outside wrestling:

"

I wouldn't say my last match forever, just my last match that you'll see in a while. I am here at home because [Bryan] and I want to start a family soon. Or I shouldn't say soon — we want to start it now! We're going to start having babies, so I have to put my career on hold. 

It doesn't mean that I'm going to be gone. I'm going to be an ambassador for WWE. But I'm going to try motherhood.

"

Bryan returned to WWE in July to become the general manager of SmackDown Live. Should he have to miss any on-screen time next spring on paternity leave, SmackDown Live commissioner Shane McMahon will likely be the sole figure of authority on the show.