Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev first met when they partnered on Season 25 of “Dancing with the Stars” while Garcia was still in a relationship with John Cena. Following her split from the WWE star/actor, Garcia started dating Chigvintsev. The couple married in 2022 and have a four-year-old son.
On Thursday, news broke that Artem Chigvintsev was arrested in Napa, California, and is facing felony domestic violence charges.
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Nikki And Artem Recently Celebrated Their Wedding Anniversary
Garcia and Chigvintsev tied the knot in 2022 and celebrated their wedding anniversary three days ago.
“This song is our love story. I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast,” the former WWE star wrote on Instagram, referring to the song, "Can't Help Falling In Love."
She added, “And then this song came on. And that’s when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be.”
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Nikki Garcia And Artem Chigvintsev Went To Couples Therapy Due To Communication Issues
Garcia, also known as Nikki Bella of the WWE, recently confessed that she and Chigvintsev faced communication challenges, which led them to seek couples therapy in 2021.
During an episode of Kaitlyn Bristowe’s podcast, "Off the Vine," Garcia shared some details relating to their therapy sessions, which aimed to address issues stemming from Chigvintsev's communication style.
Garcia's confession came after Bristowe, who won "Dancing with the Stars" with Chigvintsev in 2020, mentioned her uncertainty about Chigvintsev's feelings toward her due to his manner of speaking. The former WWE star recalled a similar struggle, revealing that her husband's stress often affected his tone, which sometimes nearly caused her to quit the show.
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The couple sought therapy to improve their relationship and ensure they could effectively parent their then 5-month-old son, Matteo.
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Nikki Garcia And Artem Chigvintsev's Alleged Fight Leads To 911 Call
The 42-year-old Russian dancer is facing felony corporal injury charges related to an alleged domestic violence incident. Although the exact details were initially vague, the term “spouse” used in the charges indicates that his wife, Garcia, known for her WWE career as Nikki Bella of The Bella Twins, is the alleged victim.
Recent updates have shed light on the situation, including a 911 call that suggests Garcia “threw shoes” at Chigvintsev during the reported altercation.
When police arrived, they noted visible injuries on the alleged victim and arrested Chigvintsev on charges of felony corporal injury to a spouse.
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Artem Chigvintsev Not Asked Back To 'DWTS'
According to reports, Chigvintsev was not asked back to "Dancing with the Stars" for this upcoming season, and that allegedly put him in a bad mood this week. The last time he wasn't asked to participate in the show, he fell into a deep depression, according to Garcia.
“This past year was really tough on him, and it was also tough on our relationship because Artem was fighting depression,” she said on “The Bellas Podcast,” perUSA Today, in 2020. “He was really depressed being cut, and it was really hard for him to get past it. And he then finally found a job right before COVID hit, then he lost it, and then it brought that depression back of not being a part of ‘Dancing With the Stars.'”
Cheryl Burke Calls Artem Chigvintsev 'Family' Following Arrest
Shortly after the news broke, Cheryl Burke, who revealed she looks at Chigvintsev as family, spoke out, expressing how shocked she is because "domestic violence and Artem don't really [go together]."
"Artem, someone who I have grown up with, who actually ... we used to live together in my family's home in the Bay Area," she said, visibly at a loss of words. "I get kind of emotional."
"So he was arrested today, Thursday, and Variety confirmed as well that he was not set to be part of season 33," she continued. As specific details relating to the victim are yet to be released, Burke said, "My heart goes out to everyone involved. This is really hard for me because he is my family, and I don't know what to say here other than I hope everybody's okay."
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If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call theNational Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
