"I have regrets" — Dancing With the Stars pro Artem Chigvintsev's ex-wife Nikki Garcia on their divorce

Nikki Garcia, who was previously known as Nikki Bella during her wrestling career, has recently shared her thoughts on her divorce from Dancing With the Stars' Artem Chigvintsev. She discussed the emotional consequences on a podcast she co-hosts with her twin sister, The Nikki & Brie Show, where she made her return on December 2, following a prolonged absence.

Nikki admitted to having regrets about how she handled the public perception of their relationship.

"I really played it up like things were a lot better than what they were in the public eye, which I have regrets in that," she said.

Nikki disclosed that their marriage had faced difficulties for an extended period, which ultimately led to their separation. The divorce comes after a time filled with personal and legal struggles, including an episode of domestic conflict that did not lead to any charges.

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Dancing With the Stars pro Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia's relationship struggles

Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev first met in 2017 during Dancing With the Stars, where they partnered as dancers and contestants. At the time, People magazine reported that Nikki was engaged to fellow wrestler John Cena, but the engagement ended in 2018.

Nikki and Artem began dating publicly in 2019 and married in 2022. During the recent episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, she revealed that her relationship with Artem faced many challenges behind the scenes.

“When it came to our relationship, it’s sad, but it just hasn’t been great for a long time,” Nikki shared.

She noted the difficulty of presenting a seemingly perfect relationship to the public while managing private struggles, saying:

“I really played it up like things were a lot better than what they were in the public eye.”

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Incident and legal developments

According to Entertainment Weekly, Nikki's former Dancing With the Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev was arrested at their California home on August 29, 2024, over suspicion of domestic violence following a reported altercation. Both alleged that the other was the instigator, but the Napa County district attorney declined to press charges after reviewing the case.

Nikki filed for divorce in September, and the separation was finalized through private mediation on November 20. Nikki chose to remain largely silent about the incident and divorce proceedings, citing her commitment to protecting her son Matteo’s well-being.

“I’ve been heartbroken..You dream of having this family and this incredible love and it just goes the other way. You go from having a great love story to having a terrible one. I never saw any of it coming, you know, as far as what the ending would be. So it's just been a struggle.” Nikki admitted in her podcast.

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Reflections on the relationship

Dancing With the Stars fame Nikki further addressed her efforts to maintain a positive image of their marriage and her regrets about doing so.

“If I can just put this person on a pedestal, and maybe if this person hears it enough, what I believe in them, they can believe that in themselves,” she explained.

Despite these efforts, she acknowledged that the relationship was not mutually beneficial, stating:

“We weren’t bringing the best out in each other, and we should have probably walked away a long time ago.”

Her twin sister and podcast co-host, Brie Garcia, commended Nikki’s restraint in handling public scrutiny, contrasting it with how others might have approached the situation. She mentioned:

“I would have probably done it differently.”

Nikki emphasized that her actions were motivated by respect for the love they once shared and the need to create a stable environment for their child, Matteo.

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