Nikki Garcia detailed the demise of her marriage to former Dancing With the Stars pro, Artem Chigvintsev, for the first time in detail since the August incident.
Content Warning: Domestic Violence
During an episode of the Nikki and Brie podcast, the WWE legends discussed Nikki and her estranged husband’s domestic violence case.
Nikki speaks:
“When you love someone so deeply – which I walked down the aisle and said, ‘I do’ – because I loved this person so deeply. I would have done anything for them. I wanted to give him the world, to my last breath and I would have taken a bullet for them.”
“When something like this happens and then you feel so betrayed, you’re just trying to figure it out. You’re feeling so many different emotions and the whole day was just shocking.”
Nikki wanted more for Artem … and their son:
“I handled things with a lot of love and grace because I loved this person so much. I still wanted great things for them. I wanted them to heal. I wanted them to get help. I wanted them to be the best version of themselves because also that’s what my son deserves. I don’t want to drag my son’s dad because I want my son to have the greatest dad because that’s what Mateo deserves.”
Nikki speaks of faking it til you make it:
“So, I try to handle this whole situation even though I was in so much pain. I was just trying to do what’s best for everyone, but that would get turned against me. ‘Oh, she’s fine.’ It’s sad.”
She confessed, “It just hasn’t been great for a long time. I really played it up like things were a lot better than what they were in the public eye. I have regrets in that.”
“What I felt, if I can just put this person on a pedestal and maybe if this person hears what I believe in them, maybe they can believe in themself. I think we were just so public and I felt like I wasn’t being heard at home. So, maybe, he would hear me out loud in the public eye. I didn’t want to be another failed public relationship.”
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In sort-of related news …
Nikki is a contestant on season three of Peacock’s The Traitors. The former pro wrestler will compete – as a faithful or a traitor – in a game of deception and ‘murder.’
Nikki is competing against Vanderpump Rules alum Tom Sandoval, former Real Housewives of New York star, Dorinda Medley, and Britney Spears’ ex-husband, Sam Asghari.
Season 3 of The Traitors drops January 9, 2025.
