WWE’s Nikki Garcia speaks out for the first time after estranged husband’s arrest

For the first time since Artem Chigvintsev’s arrest, Nikki Garcia is speaking out.

(Warning: The below link contains language some readers may find offensive.)

During the Dec. 2 episode of her podcast, “The Nikki & Brie Show,” Garcia noted that the episode will be emotional.

“I’m going to try my best not to get too emotional in this episode,” Nikki told her sister, Brie Garcia. “But I first want to just thank everyone, the listeners, you, family, friends, coworkers, people I haven’t talked to in a long time, just for all the love and support, for the respect of privacy and space.”

On Aug. 29, while at their home in Napa, California, Garcia’s estranged husband Chigvintsev was arrested on accusations of corporal injury to spouse, E! News reported. Chigvintsev was never charged with a crime.

Two weeks later, Garcia, a former WWE wrestler, filed for divorce.

Together, Garcia and Chigvintsev, a former professional on “Dancing With the Stars,” share a 4-year-old son, Matteo.

“The past few months, I disconnected from social media, from the world,” Garcia continued to say on her podcast. “And I just knew that I needed to disconnect, because first things first, I’m a mom and my son’s protection and privacy is the most important.”

“So I was going to do whatever it took for that, most importantly, and then just needing space, for healing, for facing trauma, head on, all of that. So it’s been tough. It’s been really tough. I’ve been heartbroken, sad.”

Garcia admitted she never would have predicted that this is how her marriage to Chigvintsev would end.

In addition to speaking out, Garcia also completely wiped her Instagram account clean.

“You dream of having this family, and you have this incredible love,” she continued, “and it just goes the other way. And you go from having a great love story to having a terrible one, and—never saw any of it coming. You know, as far as what the ending would be. So it’s just been a struggle.”

Garcia and Chigvintsev met while Garcia was a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2017. They wed in 2022.

“I shared my life with this person. I thought it was so different. And just to see what someone can do. We’re a family. No matter what at the end of the day, even when two people divorce, if you have children, you’re still a family. And your child should always be first.”

“I’ve been so shocked, like beyond words, and it’s been heartbreaking,” Garcia explained. “You lose your appetite, you cry a lot. And then I also stepped up and made sure everything was okay for Matteo. And so it’s just been—I don’t even know what other words to use.”

Now, Garcia says she’s focused on the future and successfully co-parenting in the future.

“The one thing that I have realized disconnecting from the world, it’s when you know the truth, nothing else matters,” she added. “So when some of you would come to me and tell me what people were saying or what was out there, it would affect me in some way, but because I know the truth, and I actually lived it, it didn’t have a big effect on me.”

“All I need to do is focus on my healing,” Garcia said. “I need to focus on Matteo’s healing.”

In September, after responding to Garcia’s divorce filing, Chigvintsev shared his first statement through his lawyer Ilona Antonyan, according to People.

“At this time, Mr. Chigvintsev will not comment on any pending proceeding,” but added that both Chigvintsev and Garcia’s priority is their 4-year-old son Matteo.

Antonyan continued, Chigvintsev and Garcia are “focused on co-parenting and working together for the best interests of their son.”

“My focus has always been and will always be, our son Matteo,” Chigvintsev said in an additional statement. “He is my world, and being his father is the greatest blessing in my life. All along, my main concern has been for him.”

“I am committed to continuing to provide him with the love, support, and care he needs as we move forward.”