Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev's Relationship Timeline

Mar. 15, 2025

Nikki BellaandArtem Chigvintsev’s relationship ended swiftly.

Two weeks after Chigvintsev was arrested on accusations ofcorporal injury to a spouse, Bellafiled for divorceon Sept. 11, 2024. Theirdivorce was settledtwo months later in November 2024.

The couple met in 2017 when they werepaired togetheron season 25 ofDancing with the Stars, although the retired WWE wrestler was engaged toJohn Cenaat the time. In July 2018, Bella and Cena officiallyended their relationshipafter six years together.

TheDWTSpairreconnectedlater that year and gotengagedin November 2019. Chigvintsev and Bella went on towelcome a sonin July 2020 and they said, “I do,” in August 2022.

“They say love conquers all… and it sure does,” Bella wrote onInstagramin March 2020. “So many people in the beginning said it was just lust, my feelings weren’t real, it was just the dance, the infatuation, the mystery of this person, but I knew & felt it was always more. I listened to my heart, my soul, my body, I knew deep down that this was God’s gift, his answered prayer.”

From theirDancing with the Starsconnection to their divorce, here’s everything to know about Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev’s relationship.

September 2017: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev meet onDancing with the Stars

Eric McCandless/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Bella and Chigvintsev met on the set ofDancing with the Starswhen they were paired up as partners for season 25.They were eliminatedin the show’s seventh week.

Late 2018: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev catch up for lunch

Sometime after Bella and Cena broke up in July 2018,Bella reconnected with Chigvintsevfor lunch, as seen on the Jan. 20, 2019, episode ofTotal Bellas.

“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 in a clip.

December 2018: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev spark relationship rumors

Bella and Chigvintsev werespotted at a farmer’s markettogether in December 2018, sparking relationship rumors.

The former WWE star later opened up about the pair’s first date toEntertainment 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 said, adding that she “just freaked” and left without telling Chigvintsev.

January 3, 2019: PEOPLE reports Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev are dating

Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images

A source confirmed to PEOPLE on Jan. 3, 2019, thatBella and Chigvintsev were dating. At the same time, another insider revealed that the duo had a “strong attraction.”

“They’ve been spending time together for a long time, but it’s nothing serious right now,” the source told PEOPLE. “They have a strong attraction to each other, but they’re just having fun. They’re both extremely busy with their own careers, so they spend time together when they can.”

January 24, 2019: Nikki Bella says she’s just “having fun” with Artem Chigvintsev

After admittingshe had “amazing chemistry"with Chigvintsev, Bella downplayed their relationship, saying she’s just “having fun” during an appearance onAccess LiveonJan. 24, 2019.

“I’m having a lot of fun in my dating life,” Bella said in the clip. “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.”

March 24, 2019: Nikki Bella confirms her relationship withArtem Chigvintsev on Instagram

Nikki Bella Instagram

Bella posted a picture ofher kissing Chigvintsev’s cheekon March 24, 2019, making their relationshipInstagramofficial. Her hand was cupped around his cheek in the sweet snap, and he’s smiling at the camera.

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

After an outpouring of support for her Instagram post about Chigvintsev, Bella told PEOPLE thatshe meant for the post to be more casual.

“I posted a photo of us because we’re dating and we’re having fun,” Bella told PEOPLE. “Then everyone went (and said) we were official.”

Bella also said she was “not fully taken,” adding, “It’s been great. I adore him.”

April 13, 2019: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev attend Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson’s wedding

Bella and Chigvintsev attendedVal Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson’s wedding on April 13, 2019. She talked about the event onThe Bellas Podcaston April 24, again clarifying thatChigvintsev was not her “boyfriend.”

“I posted a lot [at the wedding] with Artem. We did really cute snaps,” she 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?”

After her twin sister,Brie Bella, called her out for her “intimate type of pictures” with Chigvintsev, Bella said, “I’ll admit, I like doing it, I have fun. One, he’s crazy photogenic, he’s very handsome, but beyond that, we have a really fun time posting. It’s fun for us.”

July 11, 2019: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev make their red carpet debut

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Bella and Chigvintsev posed forphotos together on the red carpetat the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards.

“Artem’s aura and energy, he’s so calming and relaxing,” Bella told PEOPLE at the event. “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.”

“I think she’s the exact opposite of me,” said Chigvintsev. “What I’m missing in my life, she fulfills.”

July 17, 2019: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev announce they’re boyfriend and girlfriend

The coupleclarified their relationship statusonThe Bellas Podcastfour months after their first Instagram selfie. Bella said, “We’re boyfriend and girlfriend.” Chigvintsev added, “We’re in a relationship.”

“I’m the one that chose the song and [it’s] kind of my journey with Artem and dating,” Bella said. “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 also shared how important the song was. “It’s very personal,” he said. “It’s very special because of the song and the storyline. It sums up to us and sums up our story. “It’s very dear to both of our hearts. It’s so emotional, it’s crazy. It makes you feel a certain way.”

November 2019: Artem Chigvintsev proposes to Nikki Bella in France

In November 2019,Chigvintsev proposed to Bellain France. The couple kept their upcoming nuptials a secret until Jan. 3, 2020, when Bella and Chigvintsev posted photos of the proposal and engagement ring onInstagram.

“Excited for 2020 and the next decade with you @theartemc ❤️ I said yes in France in November,” Bella wrote. 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.”

January 29, 2020: Nikki Bella announces she’s pregnant

Bella and her sister, Brie, announcedthey were both pregnantat the same time in an interview with PEOPLE on Jan. 29, 2020.

“[It was] a total surprise,” Bella said. “It took evenmea good week to come to terms with like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m pregnant.’ I’m not ready for it.”

Bella has wanted to be a mom her “whole life.” She told PEOPLE, “I can’t imagine life without being a mom and experiencing the miracle of life and raising a child,” she said. “I’m just so family-oriented that I couldn’t imagine not having that family life.”

March 30, 2020: Nikki Bella asks Artem Chigvintsev to move in with her

In a preview of aTotal Bellasepisode shared on March 30, 2020, Bella asked Chigvintsevto move in 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 clarified if she was inviting him to move in with her, she responded, “Of course, Artem, I want you to move into my house. I couldn’t imagine bedtime without you!”

May 6, 2020: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev open up about their “first fight”

Bella also shared the news onInstagram, writing, “Can’t wait for our little boy to arrive in August!!”

August 26, 2020: Nikki Bella says she’s “so in love” with son Matteo Artemovich

In an interview withPEOPLEon Aug. 26, Bella opened up about the first few weeks with their son Matteo Artemovich. “I’ve been up since 3 a.m., but this is what I’ve wanted my whole life,” she said. “The fact that he’s here — I’m just so in love and happy.”

She also shared she “labored for 22 hours, and I pushed for two hours while wearing a mask because of COVID-19.”

“What’s crazy about Buddy and Matteo is, they both have the same scream-cry,” Bella told PEOPLE. “It’s the cutest high-pitch noise and they’re identical. Even their coos are identical and they’re so cute. Now, Matteo, he will grunt and like punch my boobs when he’s breastfeeding. Artem and I will sit and laugh because it’s perfect little punches he’ll do. He grunts at me, so I feel like I have a little boxer on my hands.”

September 30, 2020: Nikki Bella reveals she had postpartum depression after giving birth

Postpartum depression madeBella “mean” and “super depressed,“she revealed in a Sept. 30, 2020, episode ofThe Bellas Podcast.“Postpartum has knocked me on my ass. This is something that is way different,” she said.

Later in the podcast, Bella shared she has felt anger toward her fiancé. “He’s like ‘At times, I felt like you were starting to hate me,’ " she said. “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.’ "

November 21, 2020: Artem Chigvintsev calls Nikki Bella his “better half”

Despite the postpartum struggles, Chigvintsev is still very much in love with his fiancée. For her birthday on Nov. 21, 2020, Chigvintsev shared a picturewith a sweet birthday messageto his “beautiful and definitely better other half.”

He added, “You are my rock, you have been absolutely incredible as a mom to Matteo and I am so lucky to have you. I want to wish you lots of success, love and happiness and everything you wish for.”

November 25, 2020: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev try couples counseling

Four months after welcoming their son Matteo, Bella revealed onThe Tamron Hall Showthatshe and Chigvintsev were seeking couples therapy.

“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?”

June 4, 2021: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev postpone their wedding

As the couple worked on remodeling their new home, Bella toldETon June 4, 2021, that they were “so busy” with the house thatthey were taking a break from 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.’ "

July 31, 2021: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev celebrate Matteo’s 1st birthday

Matteo turned 1on July 31, 2021, and Bella and Chigvintsev celebrated with birthday cake and an animal-themed party.

“Happy Birthday to my sweet, shy, loving, wild one Matteo ❤️,” Bella captionedphotosfrom the event. “This past year has been the most incredible year of my life. It’s been beautiful, hard, educating, enlightening and truly amazing.”

Chigvintsev wrote, “Happy first birthday Matteo, Mama and Dada loves you so so much.”

November 10, 2021: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev are “stronger than ever” after a “rocky” patch

Rich Fury/Getty

In November 2021, Bella discussed onThe Bellas Podcastovercoming a rough patch with her fiancé. When Bella took a judging job onAGT: Extreme,she and Matteo were apart from Chigvintsevfor six or seven weeks. “Teo goes everywhere with mama,” she said. “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.”

She went on to say that although “it’s been really hard on us “and things were “a little rocky for a bit,” the two have had “sexy FaceTimes” and are now “stronger than ever.”

February 13, 2022: Artem Chigvintsev’s pneumonia pushes wedding to Nikki Bella back again

A few months later, Bella told PEOPLEthey postponed the wedding again. On Jan. 20, Chigvintsev announced he was diagnosed with pneumonia and was stepping away from hisThe DWTS: Live! Tour"due to unexpected health issues.”

At the Fanatics Super Bowl Party on Feb. 12, Bella told PEOPLE that the couple were looking at Paris for their nuptials. “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.”

She also said she would “love” to have the wedding within the next few months but added, “there’s just a lot of complications right now.”

March 3, 2022: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev postpone wedding for financial reasons

In a March 3 episode ofThe Bellas Podcast,Bella announced that she wasre-evaluating her wedding planswith Chigvintsev, whohad recovered from his month-long battle with pneumonia.

She said “the main reason we’ve hesitated” had to do with money. “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,” Bella shared.

Bella explained her decisionin an interview with PEOPLEon April 10, saying, “Life is really stressful. We’re barely home together at the same time. There’s a lot more, I don’t want to say important things in life, but a lot more [to focus on],” she said. She added, “Like, we want Matteo to go to private school, so to spend what private schools cost on florals at our wedding, I’m like, I think I’ll go with education.”

Greg Doherty/Getty

Bella added that Chigvintsev wants 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.’ "

August 2022: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev get married

Nearly three years after getting engaged, Bella and Chigvintsev wed in Paris in August 2022, a source toldPEOPLE. The pair announced the news onInstagramwith two wedding photos: a close-up of the couple’s rings and another image of the newlyweds looking at the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

“We said I DO,” they wrote, before teasing that fans will discover even more wedding details when a four-part special,Nikki Bella Says I Do, airs on E!.

Bella also shared another photo on her Instagram Story, writing, “We both can’t stop smiling I never want this feeling to end. I will love you forever and ever Mr Chigvintsev.”

January 15, 2023: Nikki Bella reveals that her wedding dress was purchased while she was engaged to John Cena

Bella shared with PEOPLE that she was “very honest” with Artem Chigvintsev about wanting towear the dress she’d previously purchasedwhile engaged to Cena.

“I came to him because I would respect however he would feel with that,” the WWE ambassador said. “Artem was just so amazing with it. Not bothered at all. Even when the cameras weren’t rolling out I was like, ‘Artem, be honest. That’s how you really feel?’ And it really was.”

Bella continued: “Artem knows the kind of woman I am. I’m very strong and independent. That dress to me represented who I am and what I loved and my dream. I paid for it. It was all me and was never actually worn for an event. ‘I was like, ‘Why should I have to pick another dress?’ "

January 26, 2023: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev reveal why his parents didn’t attend their wedding

Bella and Chigvintsev revealed whyChigvintsev’s parentsweren’t at their wedding during the premiere of the E! specialNikki Bella Says I Do.

“My biggest issue is I’m not planning on getting married again and I want to make sure my parents can be there, and my family can be there and my brother,” Chigvintsev explained. “They’ve never met Matteo and it’d be the perfect way of them meeting our son.”

However, Chigvintsev explained that with the current situation in Russia, there was “no way possible his parents could make” the ceremony.

“When you actually say it out loud, it makes it even more real,” he added. “It’s been challenging because you feel like you’ve been cut off from that world which has been really frustrating. Sometimes I feel helpless.”

Bella then spoke to the cameras, explaining how difficult the situation was becoming for the couple.

“The one thing I’ve realized in being a fiancée to him, Artem is definitely a realist,” she said. “Artem is so close to his family, but yet they’re so far away. Artem doesn’t have a lot of people here in America.”

February 9, 2023: Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella talk about their pre-wedding argument

In an episode of the E! specialNikki Bella Says I Do, Chigvintsev and Bella talked aboutan argument they had days before their wedding.

“Artem and I got into a pretty bad argument last night,” she said before explaining that Chigvintsev would be taking their son Matteo to Turkey to visit family while she stayed behind in Paris.

“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.”

Chigvintsev also explained his side of the story. “I do feel like she doubts my ability at being with Matteo and being his dad. I can handle the situation,” he said.

August 26, 2023: Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella celebrate one year of marriage

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella.Cindy Ord/Getty

Cindy Ord/Getty

In honor of their relationship milestone, Bella penned a sweet post about Chigvintsev on Instagram.

TheDancing With the Starspro returned the sentiment in his own Instagram post.

“You make me the happiest man alive. Cheers to many many more,” he captioned a slideshow of images from the couple’s wedding day.

August 29, 2024: Artem Chigvintsev is arrested on accusations of corporal injury to spouse

While in Napa, Calif., Chigvintsev wasarrested on accusations of corporal injury to spouse. His bail was set at $25,000, and based on the charge, it’s presumed that Bella was involved in the incident.

September 11, 2024: Nikki Bella files for divorce from Artem Chigvintsev

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella.Getty(2)

Getty(2)

Bellafiled for divorcein Napa Valley, Calif., nearly two weeks following Chigvintsev’s arrest.

Prior to filing, the WWE star was spottednot wearing her wedding ringwhile hosting Netflix’s live competitive eating specialUnfinished Beefon Sept. 2.

October 4, 2024: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev are granted restraining orders

In Chigvintsev’s filing, he claimed that an argument about their son’s lunch and parental responsibilities turned physical.

“I cannot stress enough how many times I pleaded with her to stop and calm down. There was a mutual struggle, and both ended up on the ground,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, Bella’s filing claimed that Chigvintsev “tackled” her to the ground and was pressing on her chest to the point where she felt like she was suffocating. “I think Artem saw the panic in my eyes because he snapped out of it,” she alleged.

November 21, 2024: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev finalize their divorce

In November 2024, Bella’s rep confirmed that the former couple had settled their divorce in a private mediation.

In a statement, her rep said that “both parties decided to drop the domestic violence restraining orders against each other in an effort to move on with their lives and effectively co-parent their son.”

“Nikki’s number one priority has always been her son and privacy on the matter,” said the statement. “She is thankful for all of the love and support she has received during this difficult time.”

December 2, 2024: Nikki Bella hopes she and Artem Chigvintsev can be “great friends”

During an episode ofThe Nikki & Brie Show, Bella opened up for the first time about her divorce from Chigvintsev and her hopes for the future.

“We both are very focused on Matteo, and that’s the great thing. I pray every day [that] we’ll begreat friends,” she said. “I don’t think that’ll happen anytime soon, but I pray for it because that’s what Matteo deserves.”

source: people.com