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Nikki Garcia, along with Rob Riggle, hosted Netflix’s live Labor Day event, Joey Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef in Las Vegas. The event aired on the platform on September 2, 2024.
One detail from the event particularly caught the attention of Nikki Garcia’s fans: the retired WWE star and TV personality did not have her wedding ring on as she co-hosted the live show.
This fact added some context to the personal crisis Garcia is tackling at the moment. On August 29, 2024, Artem Chigvintsev, Garcia’s husband, was arrested on charges of domestic violence. As per multiple reports, the relationship between the two has been building up to this for some time.
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Nikki Garcia hosted a recent Netflix event following her husband’s arrest
The hot dog eating contest, titled Joey Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, has become quite popular on Netflix. Garcia, co-hosting the show, received a positive reaction from the live audience, who kept cheering for her.
This marked Garcia’s first TV appearance since her husband, Artem Chigvintsev, was arrested on a felony domestic violence charge on August 29, 2024, in Napa, California. The New York Post reported on September 3, 2024, that the dancer called 911 on the day of the arrest, alleging that Nikki Garcia, aka Nikki Bella, had thrown a shoe at him during an argument.
However, he called 911 minutes later to withdraw his complaint. By then, a paramedic team was already on its way to the couple’s residence.
The domestic violence case has worried Nikki's fans after news of her husband’s arrest became public.
Nikki Garcia and Artem have had a rocky marriage, as per her friends
TMZ reported on August 30, 2024, that according to people who were friends with Garcia and Artem, their marriage has been “volatile for years.” The sources told TMZ that the news of his arrest was “shocking but not shocking.”
Artem met Garcia when she was a contestant on Dancing With the Stars in 2017. The couple celebrated their second marriage anniversary three days before Artem's arrest. However, as per the TMZ report, the relationship has been shaky for quite some time now.
What now for Garcia and Artem?
Artem was released on bail for $25,000. He is not returning for season 33 of Dancing With the Stars, as per the New York Post.
As for Garcia, she wishes for some privacy at the moment. On September 3, 2024, a representative told E! News:
“This is a private matter and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time."
Garcia did not have the wedding ring on when she was spotted boarding a private plane prior to hosting Joey Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef. She was seen with her and Artem’s 4-year-old son, Matteo. No date for a court hearing on Artem’s domestic violence case is yet available.
Nikki Garcia and Rob Riggle hosted the live hot dog eating event, Joey Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, in Las Vegas, on September 2, 2024. The contest is now streaming on Netflix.
