Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia. Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA
Nikki Garcia shared new details about her and estranged husband Artem Chigvintsev’s domestic violence incident in a restraining order filing.
In the document, which was filed and granted by a judge on Monday, September 30, Garcia, 40, claimed that Chigvintsev, 42, tackled her multiple times and shoved her to the ground while their son, Matteo, 4, was present, according to docs obtained by TMZ.
According to Garcia, the interaction resulted from Chigvintsev reportedly not being asked to return for Dancing With the Stars season 33, which resulted in him growing “increasingly angry, snapping at me and yelling.” Us Weekly confirmed in August that the pro dancer would not appear on the ABC competition’s new season, which premiered last month.
The morning of their August 29 domestic violence incident, Chigvintsev allegedly snapped at Garcia for not toasting Matteo’s English muffin, accusing her of making him a “picky eater.” Garcia responded by throwing one of Matteo’s shoes at her partner. (Chigvintsev accused her of throwing shoes at him in a 911 call acquired by TMZ on August 30.)
Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev started dating following her broken engagement to ex John Cena — but their romance ended in September 2024. Nearly seven months after Garcia, who once wrestled under the name Nikki Bella, and Cena split for good in July 2018, Us Weekly confirmed that she and the Dancing With the Stars […]
The restraining order goes on to claim that Garcia was tackled by Chigvintsev outside Matteo’s room after she followed them upstairs. After follow-up attempts to enter her son’s room, Garcia claimed her ex forcibly pushed her into their bedroom and pressed his hands down on her chest. Garcia stated in the filing that she felt like she was suffocating.
When police responded to the scene, Garcia said Matteo told officials, “Daddy hurt my hand.” In her filing, Garcia alleged that Chigvintsev acted aggressively and was verbally abusive toward her in the past.
A judge reportedly ruled that Chigvintsev is prohibited from being within 100 yards of Garcia and their son and their former shared home, with the exception of court-ordered visits. The judge also ruled that Garcia cannot leave the country with Matteo until a full hearing is held on October 21.
Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia on ‘Dancing With The Stars.’
Us can confirm that Chigvintsev filed a restraining order of his own against Garcia on Thursday, October 3, in the Superior Court of Napa.
Chigvintsev was arrested on a felony domestic violence charge on August 29 and was released on a $25,000 bail that same day.
In September, a source exclusively told Us that Chigvintsev and Garcia were not “living under the same roof.” That same month, Us confirmed that Garcia had filed for divorce from Chigvintsev after two years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. In her filing, Garcia requested sole legal and physical custody of Matteo and listed their date of separation as August 29.
Chigvintsev filed a response on September 13, asking for joint legal and physical custody of Matteo, requesting spousal support and asking Garcia to pay his attorney fees and costs. Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley shared in a September 24 statement that Chigvintsev would not be charged with domestic violence after a “thorough review” of the case was completed.
“I am incredibly relieved and grateful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dropped,” Chigvintsev wrote in an Instagram Story statement the following day. “This has been an extremely difficult time for me. I am thankful that the truth has prevailed.”
Calling Matteo “the greatest blessing in my life,” Chigvintsev continued: “I am committed to continuing to provide him with the love, support, and care he needs as we move forward. I am hopeful that securing an equal custody arrangement will help us move on.”
Some celebrity couples have gone the distance, but others haven’t been as lucky. 2024 kicked off with a handful of Hollywood duos calling it quits. Fans were shocked when The Bachelorette couple Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo split after four years of marriage. Us Weekly confirmed on January 2 that the chiropractor filed for divorce […]
Chigvintsev’s attorney Ilona Antonyan claimed to Us in a September 25 statement that the dancer was not the “primary aggressor” in the August 29 incident, adding, “I believe that to be true even if the burden of proof would be the preponderance of evidence, which is the standard of proof in family court. He was protecting himself and Matteo.” (Us reached out to Garcia for comment at the time.)
Following news of Garcia’s restraining order, the former WWE star’s rep told Us on Friday, “Due to the incident that led to Artem’s arrest on August 29, 2024, Nikki has decided to file for a temporary Domestic Violence Restraining Order to protect herself and her son. Although Nikki requested that the Napa District Attorney not file charges against Artem as she did not want him to go to jail, he must still be held accountable for his actions, and Nikki and her son must be protected.”
Garcia’s rep continued: “Nikki’s number one priority has always been the wellbeing of her son. She is thankful for all of the love and support she has received and continues to ask for privacy for her and her family during this difficult time.”
If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
