Nikki Garcia Spent Her First Valentine's Day Since Split from Artem Chigvinstev with 4-Year-Old Son Matteo: 'I Loved It'

Mar. 15, 2025

Nikki Garcia and her son Matteo.Photo:Nikki Garcia/Instagram

Nikki Garcia/Instagram

Nikki Garciamay be single, but she still had an extra special Valentine this year.

On the Monday, Feb. 24 episode of her podcastThe Nikki & Brie Show, the former professional wrestler, 41, chatted with her sisterBrie Garciaabout how they each spent Valentine’s Day. Nikki, who separated and divorced her former husbandArtem Chigvinstevlast year, shared that this was her first Valentine’s Day being single in a while.

“It was actually…I loved it. It was amazing because I got Matteo,” Nikki said of the former couple’s 4-year-old son. “Originally, Matteo and I were supposed to go fly and see Mom.”

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Nikki went on to share that she had plans on taking her toddler son to visit the sisters' mom, who had a minor heart surgery done. They had the whole weekend planned in the Bay Area.

“Matteo has been talking a lot about San Francisco. So I had this whole idea in my head. I’m like, okay. Maybe we’ll do Half Moon Bay first, then head up to San Francisco,” Nikki said. “But so Half Moon Bay is everything everyone says. It is magical.”

“One day, I’ll be getting gifts again maybe on Valentine’s Day,” she said. “And I buy myself flowers and all that kind of stuff. But I think you know what? Honestly, I think that’s why not for one second did I say, ‘Oh, poor me,’ or ‘Oh, I’m sad.’ I didn’t feel it once.”

Nikki filed for divorce in September 2024, just weeks after Chigvintsev wasarrested on suspicion of domestic violenceat their Napa Valley home. The district attorney later declined to press charges, citing a lack of evidence.

The exesreached a settlement agreementin private mediation in November.

source: people.com