Nikki Bella (aka Garcia) was granted a restraining order against her estranged husband, Artem Chigvintsev, on Thursday, The Post can confirm, and she went into detail about the alleged physical altercation that led to his arrest.
In her filing obtained by TMZ, the “WWE Divas” alum claimed Artem “tackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present.”
Bella alleged Artem had been “increasingly angry, snapping at me, and yelling” ever since he discovered he’d been cut from “Dancing with the Stars.” She claimed the fight started after he got mad over how she toasted their four-year-old son’s English muffin and blamed her for the toddler being a “picky eater.”
Bella admitted she threw their son’s shoes toward Artem, hitting his leg, which caused the dancing pro to allegedly grab their child and run upstairs as the baby screamed, “Mommy! Mommy!”
Bella alleged when she tried to get access into the room, Artem opened the door and tackled her to the ground. She claimed he grabbed her arms and held her down for what she estimated to be about 30 seconds.
In the documents, Bella said Artem went back into the room with their child and closed the door. When she tried to gain access again, he allegedly pushed her across the hall into their master bedroom.
The ex-WWE star claimed their alleged altercation escalated from there.
Bella alleged Artem forced her to the bathroom floor and started pressing down on her chest near her sternum. She said she felt like she was suffocating and grabbed at his neck to get him off her.
Artem called 911 to report a “medical emergency” at the couple’s home before his arrest, telling dispatchers that his wife had thrown a shoe at him.
In her restraining order request, Bella alleged that when police arrived at the scene, their son told them, “Daddy hurt my hand.”
According to the reality star, this wasn’t the first time Artem had been allegedly violent with her.
Bella said that in mid-2023, her now-estranged husband “violently grabbed me around my waist” to keep her away from their child. She also claimed there were several times she was verbally abused by Artem.
The ex-wrestler said she doesn’t want her son to grow up in a turbulent environment and believes Artem needs therapy and anger management.
TMZ reported the judge signed off on the restraining order, barring Artem from contacting Bella or their child. He is also prohibited from coming within 100 yards of them or their home unless it’s for visitation or court-ordered visits.
The Post has reached out to Bella and Artem’s reps.
Online records viewed by The Post showed a hearing is scheduled on Oct. 21.
Bella’s team told TMZ: “Due to the incident that led to Artem’s arrest on August 29, 2024, Nikki has decided to file for a temporary Domestic Violence Restraining Order to protect herself and her son. Although Nikki requested that the Napa District Attorney not file charges against Artem as she did not want him to go to jail, he must still be held accountable for his actions, and Nikki and her son must be protected. Nikki’s number one priority has always been the wellbeing of her son. She is thankful for all of the love and support she has received and continues to ask for privacy for her and her family during this difficult time.”
Artem was arrested for suspected domestic violence on Aug. 29. The charges were later dropped, with a spokesperson for Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley telling The Post that her office “declined to
file criminal charges.”
“The decision to not file charges against Mr. Chigvintsev was made after a thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence presented to the DA’s Office,” the statement read.
The former “DWTS” pro broke his silence after the decision.
“I am incredibly relieved and grateful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dropped,” Artem shared on his Instagram story. “This has been an extremely difficult time for me. I am thankful that the truth has prevailed.”
Bella filed for divorce on Sept. 11, asking for sole custody of their son. Artem responded with a request for joint custody and spousal support.
The divorce case is ongoing.
