*Trigger Warning: This story contains mentions of domestic violence.
Nikki Garcia (formerly known as Nikki Bella) returned to her podcast, The Nikki & Brie Show, this week after a three-month hiatus that began after Nikki’s then-husband, Artem Chigvintsev, was arrested on suspicion of corporal injury to spouse.
The retired WWE star returned to the podcast, which she co-hosts with her twin sister Brie Garcia (formerly Brie Bella), less than two weeks after she and Artem settled their divorce in private mediation, according to People.
When asked on Monday’s episode how she’s been doing in recent months, Nikki first thanked her sister, their podcast listeners, family, friends and fans and for their “love and support” and for respecting her “privacy and space” while she’s been away.
“The past few months, 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 and my son’s protection and privacy is the most important,” Nikki said. “So, I was going to do whatever it took for that, most importantly, and then just needing space for healing, for facing trauma head-on, all of that.
“So it’s been tough,” she continued. “It’s been really tough.”
Nikki and the former Dancing with the Stars pro tied the knot back in August 2022 after welcoming son Matteo in 2020. Following his August 28 arrest, Artem did not face any criminal charges and both he and Nikki alleged that the other person was the aggressor in the August incident that led to Artem’s arrest, People reports. While both parties were granted protective orders against each other, both protective orders were dropped upon Artem and Nikki settling their divorce November 21.
The former Total Bellas star– who had prefaced this week’s podcast discussion by telling listeners she was going to try her best “to not get too emotional”– noted that, after this podcast episode, she never wanted to talk about this topic again in order to respect her son’s privacy. However, because she was in a public relationship and is a public figure, Nikki said she felt it was necessary to “talk about what’s gone on.”
While Nikki didn’t go into detail about what occurred between her and Artem, she told listeners she feels both “heartbroken” and “sad” about the way their relationship turned out, admitting she “never saw any of it coming.”
“You know, you dream of having this family and you have this incredible love and it just goes the other way, and you go from having a great love story to having a terrible one,” she said, later telling listeners that she “didn’t know your heart can break that many times in such a short period of time.”
Brie told her sister she admired how she has chosen to keep so many details about her and Artem’s relationship and split private in recent months, noting that Nikki could have retaliated or fought back in the press in response to misinformation that was allegedly reported.
“I mean, how does it feel to see lies in the media, to see the constant clickbait stories,” Brie asked her sister, to which Nikki replied, “It’s heartbreaking. It’s truly heartbreaking. And not only that, it’s shocking. I have been just so shocked. You sit there and you go, ‘I shared my life with this person. I thought it was so different.’ And just to see what someone can do … .”
Nikki reiterated that her son is her priority and that she’s focused on his “healing,” to which Brie added that her sister has put Matteo “way over” her own needs and has remained “so strong” throughout the whole ordeal. Nikki said that, even though she “was in so much pain,” her response to the situation was motivated by the fact that she “loved this person so much” and didn’t want to “drag” her son’s father.
“ … I still wanted great things for them, or I wanted them to heal, I wanted them to get help, I wanted them to be the best version of themselves, because also that’s what my son deserves,” she said. “I don’t want to drag my son’s dad because I want my son to have the greatest dad ever because that’s what Matteo deserves.”
The former Total Divas star did, however, reveal that her marriage had been rocky for quite some time, despite her efforts to make it appear differently to the public.
“When it came to our relationship, it’s sad, it just hasn’t been great for a long time,” she said. “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 because what I felt was like, 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.”
Nikki admitted that her past “failed public relationship”– presumably her years-long relationship with John Cena, to whom she was previously engaged– contributed to her wanting to make things work with Artem, though she said her son was also a big factor.
“ … I wanted it for Matteo,” she said. “You know, it always comes back to him. You fight for your kids, right? You want to stick together because that’s what the kids want, right?”
Despite her trying “really hard,” Nikki said she and Artem “weren’t bringing the best out in each other” and “should have probably walked away a long time ago.”
“So in the end, what happened wouldn’t have happened,” she added.
Nikki encouraged those who find themselves in similar situations to “break up”– for their own sake, as well as their children’s.
“ … Don’t drain yourself to waiting for that [person to change] and don’t keep your kids in it, hoping that person is gonna show up, or hoping that you’re gonna get better in the relationship,” she said.
Nikki said both she and Artem are “doing a great job” at co-parenting Matteo following their split, insisting they are both “very focused” on their son.
“I do think in time– I pray, I pray every day– we’ll be great friends and we’ll be able to share holidays together,” she said of her and her ex-husband. “I don’t think that’ll happen anytime soon, but I pray for it because again, that’s what Matteo deserves.”
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(Photos: Instagram)
3 Responses
I think she handled it in a very respectful way. And I know exactly where she’s coming from.
I actually, unfortunately, understand exactly where she’s coming from.
NOONE should stay together for their children
If the relationship is over it’s over
Bringing a child up in a toxic relationship cause that’s what it is actually does more harm to the child than just splitting up.