Before Artem Chigvintsev was arrested in Napa, Calif., on a felony domestic violence charge on August 29, the “Dancing With the Star” pro’s love story with ex-WWE Diva Nikki Bella — who was born Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace — was one for the books.
Chigvintsev, 42, was taken into custody by the sheriff’s department just before 10 a.m. PT, and his bail was set at $25,000. He was later released as his mugshot made headlines.
It’s unclear if Bella, 40, was the alleged victim; however, he was booked under California Penal Code Section 273.5(a) PC, which “makes it illegal to injure a spouse, cohabitant or fellow parent in an act of domestic violence,” and states, “This offense is also referred to as domestic abuse, domestic violence or corporal injury to a spouse.”
Here is how Bella and Chigvintsev’s story began.
Bella and Chigvintsev were paired as partners on Season 25 of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2017. Despite their on-screen chemistry, they were eliminated during the seventh week. At the time, Bella was engaged to WWE star-turned-actor John Cena.
Months after calling off her engagement to Cena, Bella revealed she had reconnected with Chigvintsev. The pair went to lunch in late 2018.
“The last time I saw Artem I was in a relationship for so long, so I’m just really excited to see him today,” she said on an episode of her former reality show with her twin sister, Brie, “Total Bellas.”
In December 2018, they were photographed at the Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles, further fueling the romance rumors. Bella later confirmed that was their first date, telling Entertainment Tonight, ”Our first date was at the farmer’s market in Studio City, and I had no idea that it was filled with paparazzi.”
She joked that “just freaked” and allegedly left without telling Chigvintsev.
A source confirmed the two were more than friends on January 3, 2019, and Bella addressed her relationship status weeks later.
“I’m having a lot of fun in my dating life,” Bella told Access Live on Jan. 24, 2019. “Not just Artem [Chigvintsev], I mean we had amazing chemistry. I’m just kind of having fun. I don’t want to say playing the field, but just kind of having different experiences.”
Bella confirmed her romance with the “DWTS” pro by posting a photo kissing his cheek on Instagram.
“Well after that season finale ???? First thing I’ll be talking about this Wednesday,” she wrote in part.
Chigvintsev took Bella as his plus one to fellow “DWTS” pro Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson’s wedding. The “Total Bellas” star talked about the event on the “The Bellas Podcast” and insisted they were dating but he wasn’t her “boyfriend.”
“I posted a lot [at the wedding] with Artem. We did really cute snaps,” Bella said. “I was his date, right, we’re dating. But then everywhere it says, ‘Nikki Bella and boyfriend Artem’ — and I’m like, wait, boyfriend? Why are there labels? Why are they doing that?”
The pair walked their first red carpet together at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Sports Awards and gushed about each other.
“Artem’s aura and energy, he’s so calming and relaxing,” Bella shared with People at the award show. “I’m like the Tasmanian devil, I need someone with his energy to make me stop and be present. … He’s so adorable and sweet.”
Chigvintsev had adoring things to say about his arm candy, telling the outlet that Bella was “the exact opposite of me.”
“What I’m missing in my life, she fulfills,” he stated.
Four months after going Instagram official, Bella and Chigvintsev shared they had upgraded their relationship status.
“We’re boyfriend and girlfriend.” Chigvintsev said on Bella’s podcast. “We’re in a relationship.”
The pair also danced to “Let You Love Me” by Rita Ora.
“I’m the one that chose the song and [it’s] kind of my journey with Artem and dating,” Bella explained. “This song really hit me hard. I just felt like, ‘Okay I’m falling for this guy really fast.’ But, not that I wanted to avoid it, but I just kept trying to push Artem away. I just wasn’t ready for anything.”
Chigvintsev popped the question to Bella during a trip to France in November 2019; however, the couple didn’t reveal their engagement until Jan. 3, 2020, when they each posted several shots of the proposal and ring on social media.
“Excited for 2020 and the next decade with you @theartemc ❤️ I said yes in France in November,” Bella shared, to which Chigvintsev added, “You are the best thing that ever happen to me. So excited for what to come I love you more then anything and thank you for saying Yes.”
Bella and her twin sister, Brie, who married WWE star Bryan Danielson in 2014, fell pregnant at the same time.
“[It was] a total surprise,” Nikki told People at the time. “It took even me a good week to come to terms with like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m pregnant.’ I’m not ready for it.”
“I can’t imagine life without being a mom and experiencing the miracle of life and raising a child,” she continued. “I’m just so family-oriented that I couldn’t imagine not having that family life.”
On January 30, she shared photos of Chigvintsev cradling her baby bump.
“Baby Daddy. ❤️,” she captioned the pics.
In a teaser for a “Total Bellas” episode that was shared on March 30, 2020, Bella asked Chigvintsev to live with her.
“Our plan is that when I move to Arizona, well, I was hoping that maybe once it’s done being built, Artem will be coming with me,” she said.
When Chigvintsev asked Bella if she was asking him to move in, she responded, “Of course, Artem, I want you to move into my house. I couldn’t imagine bedtime without you!”
The pair’s first fight was televised in an episode of “Total Bellas.”
Bella posted about the argument via Instagram on May 5 with a sneak peek of the moment.
“Goodness tomorrow night is going to be here before I know it and I’m going to have to relive this! ???? And @theartemc will be seeing it for the first time tomorrow night! First fights are tough! Especially when you’re drunk and especially when you have to watch it on TV!” she wrote.
During their gender reveal, as shown on “Total Bellas” on June 11, 2020, the couple fired a cannon of blue confetti to reveal they were expecting a baby boy.
Bella posted the news to Instagram, writing, “Can’t wait for our little boy to arrive in August!!”
Bella and Chigvintsev announced the birth of their son, Matteo, via social media.
“7/31/2020 ???? Our baby boy is here and we couldn’t be HAPPIER and more in LOVE! Everyone is safe and healthy,” the WWE Diva shared.
“7/31/2020 please welcome our precious baby boy Chigvintsev ???? proud of my love @thenikkibella,” Chigvintsev wrote.
On an episode of “The Bellas” podcast, she revealed she had suffered from postpartum depression after welcoming Matteo into the world.
“Postpartum has knocked me on my ass. This is something that is way different,” she told listeners, adding she felt anger toward Chigvintsev.
“He’s like ‘At times, I felt like you were starting to hate me,'” she said in the episode. “He’s like, ‘You could be mean.’ And I’m not gonna lie, I did have moments of being mean. I did have moments when I looked at him and I hated him. It’s true. There were times I’d look at him and I’m like, ‘I think I hate you.'”
Bella shared they were seeking couples therapy during an interview on “The Tamron Hall Show.”
“We hear a lot of stories of where there’s sacrifice in their own relationship because it’s about the kids,” she said. “Artem and I, from the beginning, want to know: How do we balance this for Matteo and for our relationship?”
Bella told Entertainment Tonight that they were “so busy” with remodeling their home that they decided to put a pin in wedding planning.
“We haven’t even lived in it yet and we’re doing the outside and that takes so much work,” she said. “We’re still not even done designing. And so he and I both were just like, ‘Let’s get through the house. If it happens, it happens.'”
Bella shared they had hit a “rocky” patch when she took a judging job on “AGT: Extreme,” revealing she took her son and was apart from Chigvintsev for six or seven weeks.
“Teo goes everywhere with mama,” she said on her podcast. “That’s where he’s comfortable, that’s where he does best. And, you know, it’s been hard on [Artem], and it’s been hard on me too not to have my man in my bed for over six, seven weeks.”
Bella admitted “it’s been really hard on us” and they were “a little rocky for a bit.” She said they had overcome the distance with “sexy FaceTimes” and were “stronger than ever.”
The pair were supposed to marry in fall 2021, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, they were forced to postpone their nuptials.
The one promise I made [Chigvintsev] before we can plan is that his parents can attend,” she told ET on Nov. 25, 2021. “And with where the world’s at right now, and trying to get two Russian parents into the country, it’s almost impossible. So the day I can get two visas is the day we will set our date and say, ‘I do.'”
On Jan. 20, Chigvintsev revealed he had pneumonia and was leaving “The DWTS: Live! Tour” because of “due to “unexpected health issues.”
In an interview with People published in February, Bella shared they were still figuring out dates and were looking to wed in Paris.
“We feel like it’s the easiest to get his parents there,” she said. “We’re figuring out dates, so we’ll see, but we’re thinking that Paris would be the perfect place.”
While Bella said she’d “love” to get married in the next few months, she admitted, “there’s just a lot of complications right now.”
Bella claimed they “hesitated” to get married due to money after Chigvintsev recovered from his pneumonia battle.
“Like, financially, we have so much more going on in our lives to think, for Artem and I, for the past two years, of putting our money into a wedding — it’s probably the main reason we’ve hesitated,” she shared.
In a June 9 podcast episode per ET, Bella talked about waiting to get pregnant again despite having baby fever.
“I was talking to Artem [about] having baby fever. We kind of got in a big, detailed conversation about it. I was like, ‘You know, I do have baby fever, but I don’t know. Is right now right? Do you wanna try for a girl?’ And actually, Artem was like, ‘We need to wait.'”
Bella said Chigvintsev wanted to “wait a few years.”
“He [thinks that, with how] our life is right now with work, with Matteo and his age and the attention we give him, he said, ‘[Let’s wait] till he was four.'”
The couple finally wed in August 2022 during a lavish ceremony in Paris.
“We said I DO,” they wrote, teasing that their wedding details would be aired on a four-part special, “Nikki Bella Says I Do,” on E!.
During an episode of their wedding special, Bella revealed she and Chigvintsev got into an argument days before their ceremony.
“Artem and I got into a pretty bad argument last night,” she said explaining that he was taking Matteo to Turkey to visit family while she stayed in Paris. FYI — Chigvintsev did not attend their nuptials.
“They’re going to be in Turkey for four days, which is giving me massive anxiety,” she said. “When I would ask about it or say things about it, Artem was taking it as I don’t want him to go, I don’t want him to see his parents, and I don’t want any of that. It definitely caused a lot of tension and tension that is still there.”
The dancer weighed in on the fight.
“I do feel like she doubts my ability at being with Matteo and being his dad. I can handle the situation,” Chigvintsev said.
In honor of their first wedding anniversary, Bella and Chigvintsev posted tributes to each other on social media.
“Happy Anniversary Artem. I can’t believe it’s already been a year,” Bella wrote. “I fall more in love with you every day. You are everything I could have dreamed of. I love doing life with you.”
“You make me the happiest man alive. Cheers to many many more,” the “DWTS” pro shared.
Just three days before his arrest, the couple paid homage to their love story on their second wedding anniversary.
Bella posted a video of several clips from their wedding, claiming their romance was “meant to be.”
Chigvintsev returned the favor, captioning several wedding photos, “Happy anniversary my love, can’t see my life with out you. You are my everything.”
The arrest of Bella’s husband put a spotlight on their marriage. Chigvintsev was taken into custody following an alleged incident at their Napa home.
Chigvintsev’s alleged victim asked for confidentiality following his arrest and was cooperating with police amid the investigation, reported TMZ.
While the second party wasn’t named, Chigvintsev made a 911 call earlier in the day, asking for medical assistance for the alleged victim while claiming his wife threw a shoe at him. He called back minutes later and said their assistance was no longer needed; however, cops still showed up to the house.
Bella addressed her husband’s arrest on Friday, August 30, with her rep telling The Post, “This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time.”
Bella broke cover in her first public appearance on Monday, September 2, while co-hosting a live hot dog eating contest in Las Vegas, which streamed on Netflix. While Bella seemed in good spirits, she was missing one notable accessory: her wedding ring.
Sources claimed Bella has been on the hunt for a divorce lawyer since Friday, August 30, per a story published by TMZ on September 3.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.