Nikki Garcia breaks silence on ‘tough’ Artem Chigvintsev divorce, co-parenting struggles following abuse allegations
Nikki Garcia finally returned to her podcast, “The Nikki & Brie Show,” on Monday after a months-long hiatus following her divorce from Artem Chigvintsev.
The WWE star, 41, sat down to discuss their split for the first time, telling listeners she has had a “really tough” time coping with the end of their marriage and their new co-parenting dynamic.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
Nikki Garcia finally addressed her split from Artem Chigvintsev. nikkigarcia/Instagram
The former WWE star returned to her podcast on Monday after a three month hiatus. theartemc/Instagram
The “Total Bellas” star (who previously went by her stage name, Nikki Bella) said she “didn’t know [her] heart could break that many times in such a short period of time.”
The pair’s two-year marriage came to a crashing halt over the summer after the “Dancing With the Stars” pro, 42, was arrested on suspicion of corporal injury to a spouse. Chigvintsev has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Although the charges were dropped, Garcia reportedly kicked the dancer out of their marital home, where she stayed with their 4-year-old son, Matteo. She filed to end their union weeks later.
The exes settled their divorce and reached a co-parenting agreement last month, which Garcia admitted has been “tough.”
Garcia opened up about the difficulty of co-parenting with her ex. nikkigarcia/Instagram
She and the professional dancer share 4-year-old son Matteo. theartemc/Instagram
“I miss Matteo, oh my goodness. Those first few times in my house [alone]… I’ve never been in the home without him. It’s really really hard and very emotional,” she confessed.
“I cry every time he leaves. I just cry so hard as I’m picking up his trains and cleaning his plates whatever it may be — doing his laundry — I just cry so hard.”
Although it’s been “hard,” Garcia said she and Chigvintsev have been “doing a great job” at co-parenting.
“We both are very focused on Matteo and that’s the great thing,” she said. “And I do think in time… I pray. I pray every day that we will be great friends and will be able to share holidays together. I don’t think that will happen anytime soon but I pray for it because, again, that’s what Matteo deserves.”
Garcia said it has been “really hard and emotional” being away from her son. nikkigarcia/Instagram
“I cry every time he leaves,” she said. nikkigarcia/Instagram
Garcia did not disclose the exact details of their parenting agreement.
Elsewhere in the episode, the E! star said she is determined to make the situation work for the sake of her son.
“I’m gonna get through this and it’s gonna be hard — co-parenting sucks. It sucks because I want my baby boy every night. I never imagined having a family and only seeing my son half the time,” she said.
“That wasn’t what I wanted. But I am here and I am gonna do it and I’m gonna do it damn well. And I’m gonna keep praying and shooting love and light at that other person that one day they are going to be that person they are meant to be.”
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She did not reveal the exact details of their co-parenting agreement. theartemc/Instagram
The former couple wed in August 2022 after nearly four years of dating. theartemc/Instagram
Despite their messy split, the reality TV star still believes Chigvintsev is “meant to be something great.”
Garcia met the professional dancer in 2017 after they were partnered up on “DWTS.” Although she was engaged to WWE star John Cena at the time, they split one year later — opening up the possibility for romance between her and Chigvintsev.
They got engaged in 2019 but didn’t say “I do” until August 2022.
