A surprising new development has emerged in the divorce proceedings of Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev.
On October 3, 2024, the former WWE champion was granted a restraining order against her allegedly abusive ex-husband. She had originally filed the petition for the restraining order on September 30, 2024.
In support of her petition, Garcia submitted a sworn declaration revealing the details of the traumatic domestic abuse she experienced at the hands of Artem in late August 2024. She shared,
“[Artem] tackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present… for what felt like 30 seconds”.
Nikki attributed the escalation of the situation to Artem’s anger issues, which she claimed stemmed from his removal from the reality show Dancing With The Stars.
On the dark morning of the domestic abuse incident, he accused her of turning their child into a picky eater. In a moment of frustration, Garcia admitted to tossing their toddler Matteo’s lightweight shoe at him, a throw that barely made contact. She recounted,
“He grew increasingly angry, snapping at me and yelling”.
Artem Chigvintsev Involved The Couple’s Toddler In Their Domestic Dispute
Garcia further revealed in her petition that during the altercation, the dancer took Matteo away from her and locked himself in a room with their crying son, who was calling for his mother.
In an attempt to protect her child, Nikki tried to open the door, but only Artem emerged, forcefully pushing her across the hall into their bedroom. He then pinned her to the floor, pressing his hands down on her chest.
She recalled feeling as though she was suffocating, stating,
“[I] felt like I was suffocating… and I grabbed at his neck in an attempt to get him off”.
Following the incident, when Artem was arrested, authorities inspected Matteo and discovered that the child had sustained minor injuries to his hand.
Earlier, on September 25, 2024, the domestic violence charges against Chigvintsev were dropped, and he expressed hopes for a joint custody arrangement with his former wife and a smooth divorce.
However, with Garcia receiving the restraining order, it seems that things between them might be rocky. Furthermore, their divorce remains unfinalized.
Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev first started dating in January 2019. In July 2020, the couple welcomed their son, Matteo, and after more than three years of dating, they tied the knot in August 2022.
Fans Slam Nikki Garcia Over Restraining Order Against Artem
The netizens criticized the former wrestler for dragging the couple’s divorce. Several negative comments on social media read,
“She’s a drama queen”.
“I think l she was the aggressor and putting the blame all on Artem”.
“We are all Team Artem. Take your lies elsewhere”.
“Stop being such a drama queen, it takes two!!”
As their divorce proceedings continue, it remains to be seen how the restraining order will impact their co-parenting and final custody arrangements.