Breakups
Nikki Garcia Speaks Out About Artem Chigvintsev Split 3 Months After His Arrest
Nikki Garcia is finally addressing her breakup with Artem Chigvintsev. The former WWE wrestler opened up for the first time in the December 2 episode of The Nikki & Brie Show podcast.
Garcia and Chigvintsev’s relationship came to a shocking end in August 2024 when the DWTS pro alum was arrested after an apparent altercation with Garcia. The 41-year-old told her sister that the past few months since the incident have “been really tough” for her.
“I’ve been heartbroken,” she continued. “You dream of having this family and you have this incredible love, and it just goes the other way. You go from having a great love story to having a terrible one.”
After Chigvintsev’s arrest, Garcia didn’t address what happened and focused solely on her son, Matteo, whom she shares with Chigvintsev.
“I disconnected from social media, from the world, and I just knew that I needed to disconnect because first things first, I’m a mom and my son’s protection and privacy is the most important,” she revealed. “I was going to do whatever it took for that most importantly, and then just needing space for healing, for facing trauma head-on.”
A week after the Napa incident, the estranged couple filed for divorce. In November 2024, they had settled their divorce.
Garcia and Chigvintsev met when they were paired up on Dancing with the Stars. During her run on the show, Garcia was dating John Cena. After Garcia and Cena’s relationship ended, she began dating the pro dancer. They married in 2022. Garcia admitted on the podcast that she had been making it seem like her relationship with Chigvintsev was in a better place than it was.
“It’s sad,” she said. “[The relationship] hasn’t been great for a long time. I really played it up like things were a lot better than they were in the public eye. I felt like, ‘If I can just put this person on a pedestal … maybe they can believe that in themselves.'”
However, she confessed she “never” expected her marriage to end this way. “It’s been a struggle,” Garcia noted. “I know being a public figure, I have to say a little bit about this, right? After this, I don’t want to ever talk about [it] again because I truly do want privacy for Matteo. That has been the most important part.”
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233.
