Nikki Garcia has decided to separate from her marriage to “Dancing With the Stars” dancer Artem Chigvintsev.
Garcia, the former WWE wrestler formerly known as Nikki Bella, filed for divorce from Chigvintsev on Wednesday in Napa County Superior Court, The Times has learned. Her petition comes on the heels of their second wedding anniversary and Chigvintsev’s arrest last month on suspicion of felony domestic violence.
Neither representatives for Garcia, born Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace, nor Chigvintsev immediately responded to The Times' request for comment.
Chigvintsev, who has appeared on “DWTS” for 13 seasons since 2014, was arrested on Aug. 29 in Yountville, California, reportedly after making a 911 call. The Napa County arrest database cited California’s penal code targeting anyone who “willfully inflicts bodily injury resulting in a traumatic condition” on a spouse, ex-spouse, domestic partner, fiancé or fiancée, ex-dating partner or co-parent.
It’s unclear if Garcia, 40, who Chigvintsev worked with on Season 25 of “DWTS” in 2019, was involved. TMZ reported that injuries were involved.
Chigvintsev, 42, was released on $25,000 bail the same day he was arrested.
Garcia and Chigvintsev’s time together on “DWTS” sparked a romantic connection that eventually led to marriage in 2022. Prior to tying the knot, the couple welcomed a baby boy in July 2020.
They celebrated their wedding anniversary on August 26, just three days before Chigvintsev’s arrest. In his Instagram post, the “DWTS” veteran praised his wife, writing that “I can’t imagine my life with you.”
“You are my everything,” she captioned a photo from her wedding.
In his Instagram post, Garcia used the lyrics of “Can't Help Falling in Love” to express his feelings for the dancer, who was born in the then-Soviet Union and moved to the United States in 2003. The love song, he said, “is our love story.” He said he had a “conversation with [Jesus] & God” about her partner.
“It all seemed so fast. And then this song started playing. And that’s when I knew I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be,” she wrote.
Neither Garcia nor Chigvintsev have posted anything on social media since their arrests. In a decision made before his arrest, Chigvintsev will not be among the professional dancers who will accompany a new group of competitors on season 33 of “Dancing With the Stars,” which premieres Sept. 17 on ABC.
Times assistant editor Christie D'Zurilla contributed to this report.
