Nikki Garcia is tapping out of her two-year tag-team match with Artem Chigvintsev – and it’s looking more like a cage match at this point!
On Wednesday (Sept. 11), the 40-year-old retired WWE pro said “enough is enough” and filed for divorce from the 42-year-old Dancing with the Stars twirler. This news came just two weeks after Artem did some footwork of his own… straight to a felony domestic violence charge. Yep, not the kind of twirls anyone was expecting!
The drama went down in Napa Valley – yes, where people sip wine and relax, not, you know, throw shoes and call 911. According to People, Nikki handed in her official “I’m done” paperwork in the land of grapes and fancy charcuterie boards.
As for Artem, he made a grand entrance into Napa County Jail on August 29 with a charge of “corporal injury to a spouse.” Don’t worry, though, he didn’t stay long – after all, who’s got time for jail when there are dance rehearsals? He bailed out for $25,000, which in Napa is about the price of a couple of bottles of wine.
The day after his behind-bars debut, Nikki said, “Oh, we’re doing statements now?” and released a quick one through her rep. Short, sweet, and probably rolling her eyes the whole time.
Here’s the kicker (or maybe the thrower, depending on how you look at it): the 911 call mentioned in the arrest report didn’t name Nikki, but apparently, shoes were flying. Artem, poor guy, claimed Nikki tossed some footwear at him. Who knew dancing partners could have such bad chemistry when they’re off the dance floor?
The duo, who once swirled around the stage on season 25 of Dancing with the Stars back in 2017, tried to keep the rhythm going, tying the knot in 2022. They also have a little 4-year-old named Matteo, who’s probably wondering why his parents can’t settle their differences with a good ol’ fashioned dance-off.
Stay tuned, because this soap opera just might have more sequined drama than DWTS!
