Dancing with the Stars dancer Artem Chigvintsev and his wife, former WWE wrestler Nikki Garcia (formerly Bella), are splitting up, but they have each shared a different story about the violent incident that led to their separation. Here’s what we know so far:
The separation and allegations
The DWTS pro, 42, was arrested on August 29 at the Napa Valley, CA home he shared with his wife, 40. The arrest was for corporal violence against a spouse, and the dancer was released on bail later that same day. Garcia filed for divorce from Chigvintsev on September 11.
A representative of the former Total Bellas star gave the following statement to People: “This is a private matter and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time.” The arrest came a few days after the couple posted loving tributes to one another on Instagram in honor of their anniversary on August 26.
Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella attend Brie and Nikki Bella’s live edition of SiriusXM’s The Bellas Podcast on February 08, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The couple are divorcing after allegations of domestic violence from both sides.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM
Nikki Bella’s request for a restraining order
The TV personality did not press charges against her husband, but she was granted a restraining order, and according to court documents obtained by TMZ, gave a detailed description of the violent altercation on August 29. She alleged that Chigvintsev “tackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present.”
Her representative gave a statement to the outlet: “Although Nikki requested that the Napa District Attorney not file charges against Artem as she did not want him to go to jail, he must still be held accountable for his actions, and Nikki and her son must be protected. Nikki’s number one priority has always been the wellbeing of her son.”
Garcia also alleged in the same court documents that her husband had been physically aggressive with her once before, in mid-2023. She alleged that Chigvintsev “violently grabbed me around my waist” and had also been verbally abusive over the years.
Artem Chigvintsev’s version of events
On October 4, however, Chigvintsev went public with a different story, alleging that his wife was the one who attacked him, instead of the other way around. In new court documents obtained by TMZ, the dancer has alleged that Garcia was the aggressor, and that he was attempting to remove their 4-year-old son, Matteo, from an escalating situation.
The DWTS alum claims he was the one who called the police, and took pictures of injuries that he claimed his wife gave them. TMZ noted that per standard domestic violence procedure, if Chigvintsev had had injuries that suggested domestic violence, Garcia should have been arrested as well, but she was not. Still, the judge also granted Chigvintsev a restraining order against his wife.
Brie Garcia’s commentary
During the Friday, October 4 episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, the podcast that the Garcia sisters take turns hosting, Nikki’s twin sister Brie Garcia spoke about “trauma” in a way that many fans have assumed is an allusion to her sister’s situation. “In the last week, when I’ve seen trauma — I’ve looked at trauma in the face and that’s the sadness that has come,” said the podcaster, 40.
She also encouraged any female listeners who were in a “toxic” situation to “say game over” and get out. “I am sorry you are living in that hell. I am sorry that there is no way out, is what you think, even though there is. You’re going to find it. You are. I promise you, sometimes things take time, but you got to take the first step.”
The meeting
The couple met in 2017, when they were paired together on DWTS, but Bella was engaged to fellow wrestler John Cena at the time.
The courtship
In 2018, they were seen together socially by paparazzi, causing dating rumors to swirl. In January 2019, a source confirmed to People that they were dating, but Garcia held off on labeling Chigvintsev as her official boyfriend until July of that same year.
Engagement
On January 3, 2020, Bella announced on Instagram that she and Chigvintsev were engaged. “Excited for 2020 and the next decade with you @theartemc ❤️ I said yes in France in November,” she wrote. Chigvintsev wrote his own version of the post, sharing, “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. So excited for what’s to come. I love you more then anything, and thank you for saying Yes.”
Moving in and baby Matteo
On January 29, 2020, shortly after announcing their engagement, the couple revealed they were expecting a baby. They agreed to move in together in March of that same year on an episode of Total Bellas. After a Mexican-themed baby shower, they announced that they were expecting a boy. Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev was born in July of 2020.
Relationship woes
All was not perfect, as the reality star said she suffered from postpartum depression on The Nikki & Brie Show, and explained that it had an impact on her marriage. “I’m not gonna lie, I did have moments of being mean. I did have moments when I looked at him and I hated him. It’s true. There were times I’d look at him and I’m like, ‘I think I hate you,'” she said.
The duo went to couples counseling in order to “be amazing parents” and for help “knowing how to balance parent life out and also our own relationship.” They told Entertainment Tonight at the time that they were postponing their wedding in order to focus on remodeling their home and parenting Mateo. Chigvintsev’s bout with pneumonia postponed the nuptials yet again, and then money troubles held them back from throwing their wedding bash for a third time.
Marriage
Chigvintsev and Garcia finally tied the knot on August 26, 2022, and the details were revealed in a four-part special on E! called Nikki Bella Says I Do.
After the couple wed, it seemed like they had finally settled into their happily ever after. There was little public drama in their relationship until the events of August 2024.
If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
