Nikki Garcia Breaks Silence On Divorce From Artem Chigvintsev

The retired WWE star returned to her podcast, “The Nikki & Brie Present,” on Monday, December 2, after a three-month hiatus. Her return follows the November 21 decision of her divorce from Chigvintsev by non-public mediation. The divorce submitting got here after Chigvintsev’s August 28 arrest on suspicion of corporal harm to a partner, which reportedly prompted Garcia to take authorized motion.

Whereas Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev have acknowledged they aren’t on pleasant phrases, they’ve dedicated to engaged on their co-parenting relationship for the sake of their son.

Nikki opened the episode with a heartfelt introduction, admitting she would “attempt my greatest to not get too emotional” as she shared an replace on the occasions of the previous few months.

“I disconnected from social media, from the world, and I simply knew that I wanted to disconnect as a result of first issues first, I am a mother and my son’s safety and privateness is a very powerful. So I used to be gonna do no matter it took for that the majority importantly, after which simply needing area for therapeutic, for going through trauma head on, all of that,” she mentioned whereas referring to her 4-year-old son, Matteo, whom she shares with Chigvintsev.

“It has been actually powerful. I have been heartbroken. Unhappy. You already know, you dream of getting this household and you’ve got this unbelievable love and it simply goes the opposite approach,” she continued. “And also you go from having an awesome love story to having a horrible one. And I by no means noticed any of it coming, you realize, so far as, like, what the ending could be.”

She emphasised that her son has been her top priority all through the top of the connection and the following authorized battle, stating, “I attempted to deal with this entire state of affairs regardless that I used to be in a lot ache. I used to be simply attempting to do what was greatest for everybody.”

“I do wish to proceed to guard Mateo in these methods as a result of that is what’s been the toughest half about all this,” she continued. “And that is been so heartbreaking. I did not know that your coronary heart can break that many occasions in such a brief time frame.”

Talking on her relationship with the “Dancing With the Stars” alum, Nikki admitted, “When it got here to our relationship, it is unhappy. Like, it simply hasn’t been nice for a very long time. And I actually performed it up [that] issues had been lots higher than what they had been within the public eye, which I’ve regrets in that as a result of what I felt was, like, if I can simply put this particular person on a pedestal and perhaps if this particular person hears it sufficient, what I consider in them, they’ll consider that in themselves.”

“I did not wanna have one other failed public relationship,” she added, referring to her time with John Cena. “And greater than any of that, take it away, like, I needed it for Matteo. You already know, it is it all the time comes again to him. You struggle on your youngsters. We must always have most likely walked away a very long time in the past. So in the long run, what occurred would not have occurred.”

Nikki admitted that it has been a “battle” coping with the messy divorce, particularly within the public eye as a result of individuals are being “fed lies” about her.

“However as a result of I do know the reality and I really lived it, it had it did not have an enormous impact on me as a result of folks weren’t there that day,” the WWE alum mentioned. “Folks do not know what I’ve gone by to what I’m going by, and also you’re all the time going to have folks simply assume issues and say issues, after which, you realize, once they get fed lies, you are gonna have folks additionally consider issues. All I have to do is deal with my therapeutic. I have to deal with Matteo’s therapeutic.”

Nikki Garcia beforehand requested “privateness for her and her household” in a press release to PEOPLE following her divorce submitting, and he or she has continued to emphasise the significance of privateness throughout this difficult time.

Artem Chigvintsev additionally launched a press release to PEOPLE after it was confirmed that no felony costs could be filed in opposition to him following his August arrest. He expressed feeling “extremely relieved and grateful that the home violence costs in opposition to me have been dropped” and added, “I’m grateful that the reality has prevailed.” Each events seem centered on transferring ahead whereas navigating their separate lives.