Nikki Garcia is sharing her side of the story for the first time following her split from Artem Chigvintsev, the former Dancing with the Stars pro, after more than three months of silence.
The 41-year-old former WWE star made her return to The Nikki & Brie Show podcast on Monday, December 2, after stepping away from the public eye for several months. Garcia’s hiatus began after Chigvintsev’s arrest on August 28 on suspicion of corporal injury to a spouse. Their divorce was officially finalized in a private mediation on November 21, marking the end of a turbulent period in their lives.
Opening up about her difficult journey, Nikki told listeners she would try not to get too emotional as she shared her personal experience. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing her son, Matteo, who she shares with Chigvintsev.
“I disconnected from social media, from the world, and I just knew that I needed to disconnect because, first things first, I’m a mom,” Nikki said during the episode. “My son’s protection and privacy is the most important. So I was going to do whatever it took for that, and then just needing space for healing, for facing trauma head-on, all of that.”
Nikki, who had been largely silent during the intense public scrutiny, explained that stepping away allowed her time to focus on her mental health and her son’s well-being. Matteo, who is 4 years old, has remained her priority throughout the ordeal.
“It’s been really tough. I’ve been heartbroken. Sad,” she admitted. “You dream of having this family, and you have this incredible love, and it just goes the other way. You go from having a great love story to a terrible one. And I never saw any of it coming, you know, as far as what the ending would be.”
Nikki went on to reflect on the complexities of her relationship with Chigvintsev, whom she married in 2022. Despite their public appearances, she revealed that their marriage had been struggling for a while. “When it came to our relationship, it’s sad. Like, it just hasn’t been great for a long time,” she shared. “I really played it up that things were a lot better than what they were in the public eye.”
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She expressed regret over her attempts to present their relationship in a more favorable light, thinking that by supporting her husband, he might find the strength to improve. “I didn’t want to have another failed public relationship,” Nikki admitted. “More than anything, I wanted it for Matteo. You fight for your kids. We should have probably walked away a long time ago. So in the end, what happened wouldn’t have happened.”
Despite the end of their marriage, Nikki made it clear that her focus is on her son and his future. “I do want to continue to protect Mateo in those ways because that’s what’s been the hardest part about all this, and that’s been so heartbreaking,” she said. “I didn’t know that your heart can break that many times in such a short period of time.”
The episode also touched on the difficulty of navigating such a personal experience in the public eye. Nikki shared that, while the situation was painful, she had to focus on healing for herself and for Matteo, despite the “lies” and misconceptions spread by the media.
“I know the truth, and I lived it,” she said. “People weren’t there that day. People don’t know what I’ve gone through. And when they get fed lies, they’re going to believe those things. All I need to do is focus on my healing. I need to focus on Matteo’s healing.”
Nikki’s return to her podcast comes after a highly publicized legal situation involving Chigvintsev’s arrest. Although Chigvintsev was not charged with a crime following the incident, both parties were granted protective orders against each other. Those orders were officially lifted after their divorce was settled in November.
Chigvintsev, for his part, has maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal, expressing relief after the charges were dropped. In a statement following the dismissal of the charges, Chigvintsev said he was “incredibly relieved and grateful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dropped” and expressed his gratitude for the truth prevailing.
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As the public continues to follow the aftermath of their split, Nikki’s focus remains on her son’s well-being. She has continued to ask for privacy, both for herself and her family, during this difficult time.
