Nikki Garcia thought she had found her fairy tale ending when she reconnected with her Dancing with the Stars partner, Artem Chigvintsev, in early 2019. This came shortly after she ended her engagement with WWE star John Cena. Their relationship blossomed quickly, and they got engaged in November of the same year, later welcoming their 4-year-old son, Matteo.
Garcia, 41, shared that Chigvintsev, 42, was the first person who made her feel completely herself without fear of rejection. She described him as โthe sweetest soulโ and often expressed how happy she felt in their marriage. The couple’s playful remarks about their chemistry in the bedroom often made headlines, with Garcia joking about Chigvintsev’s embarrassment over her candidness.
However, things took a turn in August when police were called to their Napa Valley home after an alleged altercation between the two, just days after their second wedding anniversary. Chigvintsev was arrested and charged with domestic assault. Following the incident, both filed for divorce and sought temporary restraining orders against each other. Garciaโs filing described a troubling incident where Chigvintsev allegedly “tackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present.” She also cited several previous physical altercations in her filing.
Eventually, Garcia and Chigvintsev agreed to settle their divorce and drop the restraining orders, aiming to co-parent their son peacefully. Garcia, devastated by the situation, took a break from social media and paused her podcast with her twin sister, Brie, to process everything.
Now, as the emotional fog begins to clear, Garcia is focusing on her role as a mother and contemplating a return to WWE. She shared that she is rediscovering moments of joy and feels stronger with each passing day, looking forward to embracing this new chapter in her life.
