NEWSNikki Garcia Reveals Twin Brie Said Her Relationship With Artem Chigvintsev Should Have Ended 'Long Before It Did': 'She Always Felt We Were 2 Different People'
Nikki Garcia shared that twin Brie Garcia thought she and Artem Chigvintsev should’ve split sooner.
Nikki Garcia is breaking her silence on her split from Artem Chigvintsev.
Five months after their alleged altercation — which happened days after their second wedding anniversary — the WWE star is opening up about how she’s coping with the sudden divorce that followed weeks later. However, according to her twin sister, Brie Garcia, the writing was on the wall long before things officially ended between the couple.
Nikki Garcia filed for divorce from Artem Chigvintsev in August 2024.
“Brie’s been very vocal. She said that she felt like this relationship should end long before it did. She always felt we were just two different people trying to make it work. But my mom was a huge supporter of [me and Artem]. She was actually flying in [the] day [of the incident] to spend the whole weekend with us,” Nikki shared.
During the reported quarrel, police were called to the couple’s home, and Nikki later claimed in legal filings that the Russian professional dancer “tackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present.”
Artem was ultimately arrested and charged with felony domestic violence, however, charges were eventually dropped.
Though she’s always been open about her life, especially through her podcast with Brie, Nikki took a three-month step back from the spotlight to “process everything.”
“Everything was very shocking, all of it. And I think that was a main reason why I knew I had to disconnect. I was in shock. You couldn’t have ever told me that this would’ve been the ending of my 2024 or my marriage — [I] wouldn’t have believed you,” she shared.
Nikki Garcia and her ex-husband share son Matteo, whom they welcomed in 2020.
Nikki and Artem first met on Dancing With the Stars in 2017 and started dating in 2019 after she called off her engagement to John Cena. They got engaged later that year, welcomed their son Matteo in 2020 and tied the knot in 2022.
- Nikki Garcia Admits Her Relationship With Artem Chigvintsev Wasn't 'Great for a Long Time' Before Sudden Divorce: 'I Played It Up'
- 'Heartbroken' Nikki Garcia Addresses Artem Chigvintsev Divorce for First Time After Domestic Violence Dispute: 'It's Been Really Tough'
- Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev 'Butted Heads Often' Before Explosive Fight, Source Claims: 'They Were Verbally Abusive Toward Each Other'
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Through it all, she leaned on her inner circle for support.
“I couldn’t get through [it] without my therapist, without my mom [Kathy Colace], without Brie. I needed them, and I needed their love — whether it was hugs or just sitting and letting me cry and vent, or meeting up with Matteo and having a happy time. Whatever it is, your team is so important. You need people around you to [not only] empower you, but to love you and to let you feel the emotions,” she said.
Despite the heartache, the Twin Love alum is moving on with her life.
“No, I can’t have regrets like that. I feel like things happen for a reason. I’m stronger today than I’ve ever been. And that’s not only for myself, but for Matteo. I feel like being a mother and wanting the best for my son and knowing I’ll do whatever it takes for him to have that makes you incredibly strong,” she declared.
The ex-couple tied the knot in 2022.
“I have to say that 2025 has been amazing so far for me. I’ve really taken the time to kind of date myself. I have days where I get to focus a lot on me and self-care and just really get to know who I am in my 40s. I feel like I have this whole new era to look at, and I get to choose how I want to be and [where to] take it,” Nikki continued.
The retired professional wrestler is prioritizing self-care during this new "era."
“For me, focusing on healing is totally mind, body, soul. I fully took out [alcohol] for months. I didn’t want anything to be in my body that can make me feel more emotional or sad or depressed. I focused on putting good nutrients in my body and upped my vitamins and [did] whatever I knew could help my inside be physically strong. Then, I work[ed] on the mental part. And honestly, it’s been incredible to my healing,” she explained.
“Anytime I break a sweat, I feel like I can conquer the world. It’s one of the best forms of therapy I can do. I’ve [also] been making playlists and just dancing. I’ve been having so much fun because I felt like I lost a part of me, not my s-- appeal, but I was like, ‘Girl, are you even s--- anymore? Let’s try to loosen you up.’ So I’ve been trying to dance a lot by myself in the mirror, just seeing how I can move my body,” she added.
The famous wrestler's twin, Brie Garcia, believes that Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev are 'two different people.'
The Total Bellas star is also adjusting to co-parenting and helping Matteo understand the changes that's happening.
“I’ve used words like divorce, [but] it’s only been when he’s asked. Everything’s kind of been about us just having our own homes. You get to go see Mommy and you get to go see Daddy,” she said, referring to her conversation with her son. “On Christmas, we made sure we were both there when we baked Santa’s cookies. Matteo went to bed and we both were there when he woke up. Because he’s our focus, we want to keep those moments.”
“What’s crazy about coparenting is you get a schedule. It’s wild that one day it’s like, 'OK, here are the days you get your son,' and that’s just what you do. For me, that part is incredibly tough. I had never been in our home without him. So getting through those days is extremely difficult because I just love being around my son so much,” she continued.
Us Weekly interviewed Nikki.
