In opening up for the primary time about her bitter divorce from “Dancing With the Stars” professional Artem Chigvintsev, Nikki Garcia apparently didn’t wish to get into gritty particulars for the sake of “privacy.”
However the retired WWE star and Napa County resident nonetheless provided loads of hints about why she was sad within the marriage for “a long time,” throughout a Monday episode of her “The Nikki & Brie Show” podcast together with her twin sister, Brie Garcia.
Nikki Garcia additionally alluded to components that she believes contributed to the “shocking” Aug. 29 incident of home violence, reportedly at their Yountville house. The incident led to Chigvintsev’s arrest on suspicion of corporal harm to a partner, although Napa County prosecutors subsequently declined to file prices and the dancer and his lawyer alleged that Garcia was the first aggressor.
No matter occurred between the ex-couple, Garcia stated the incident left her feeling “betrayed” and spurred her to file for divorce after two years of marriage.
In speaking about being “so deeply” in love that she would have executed “anything” for Chigvintsev, Garcia stated, “And when something like this happens and you feel so betrayed. You’re just trying to figure it out, you’re feeling so many different emotions. The whole day was just shocking.”
Presumably for the sake of “privacy,” Garcia, 41, then obliquely referred to the Russian-born ballroom dancer, 42, as “them,” as a substitute of “him,” as she stated, “I still wanted great things for them. I wanted them to heal. I wanted them to get help.”
Garcia additionally referred to Matteo, the 4-year-old son they share, when she stated. “I wanted them to be the best version of themselves, because that’s what my son deserves. I don’t want to drag my son’s dad. I want my son to have the greatest dad ever because that’s what my son deserves.”
However Garcia did sort of “drag” her son’s father when she hinted on the podcast {that a} sure particular person was having a mid-life disaster over his profession and future. She stated, “I understand people’s journeys: ‘Mid-life. All you knew came to the end. I’m scared for the future. I’m this age, how do I start over?’”
These feedback echo claims Garcia made in divorce papers in October, when she alleged that her husband was “cut” from the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars,” every week earlier than the home violence incident, and she or he stated he had begun to “work at a construction job and felt it was beneath him.”
“Since being cut from ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ Artem had been growing increasingly angry, snapping at me, and yelling,” Garcia alleged, in keeping with Folks. “We had discussions about his need to control his anger.”
Chigvintsev subsequently countered these claims, saying he was nonetheless getting work as knowledgeable dancer after “Dancing With the Stars,” TMZ reported final month.
“It is not true that I have not been able to find other work as a dancer,” Chigvintsev stated within the courtroom paperwork, the Every day Mail additionally reported.
However after Chigvintsev’s arrest, “based on her false allegations,” his mugshot was launched to the general public, leading to misplaced work, he stated. In these courtroom papers, Chigvintsev additionally complained that Garcia’s profession has not suffered from the incident, though “she abused me, not the other way around.”
“I cannot trust her anymore,” Chigvintsev continued, in keeping with courtroom papers. “Not only did she lie to the police so that her career remains intact, ruining mine, but she used the court proceeding to keep our son away from me for almost a month, not letting me see him until this court issued its 50/50 orders on 10/15/2024, which I am very grateful for.”
Each Chigvintsev and Garcia have been granted protecting orders in opposition to one another following his arrest, however each orders have been dropped once they settled their divorce final month.
Garcia insisted on the podcast that she didn’t “want anyone’s career destroyed” and stated she solely ever acted with “love and grace” as a result of “I loved this person so much.”
She furthermore provided recommendation to different girls who may be staying in a “toxic,” sad relationship — both for the sake of their kids or as a result of they don’t wish to surrender on a “dream” of getting “a great love story” and an “incredible love.”
“I wanted it for Matteo,” Garcia stated, referring to their son. “You fight for you kids. I tried really hard. We both just … we weren’t bringing out the best in each other.”
“(But) if you’re in a marriage with kids, and you’re waiting for that other person to change, for the person to be who they were years ago, that person isn’t going to come back,” Garcia continued. “That change isn’t going to happen. Don’t drain yourself, waiting for that.”
“It’s been really tough,” Garcia additionally stated throughout the episode. “I’ve been heartbroken. Sad. 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. And I never saw any of it coming, you know, as far as, like, what the ending would be.”
Certainly, Garcia and Chigvintsev’ did appear to be dwelling out “a great love story,” definitely a model involving two actuality TV present celebrities.
They met whereas showing collectively on “Dancing With the Stars,” partnering for Season 25 in 2017. They started courting and have become engaged in 2020. That yr, Garcia additionally gave start to their son, Matteo.
Apparently on the behest of Garcia, the couple moved to Napa Valley in 2020, following her retirement from skilled wrestling. They married in 2022.
In Napa Valley, Garcia partnered with Brie, who is also her former wrestling companion, in making wine below their Bonita Bonita wine label. The sisters’ Bonita Bonita wine web site stated they have been “families in a place they love and living their dream.”
The “Total Bellas” alum admitted that it’s been a “struggle,” coping with the cut up within the public eye as folks have been being “fed lies” about her. That’s one cause she determined to talk out in Monday’s podcast episode.
“I know the truth and I actually lived it,” Garcia advised her sister. “People don’t know what I’ve gone through to what I am going through, and you’re always going to have people just assume things and say things, and then, you know, when they get fed lies, you’re gonna have people also believe things. All I need to do is focus on my healing. I need to focus on Matteo’s healing.”
