Nikki Garcia is open to the possibility of finding someone special again following her divorce from Artem Chigvintsev.
“I can definitely see myself falling in love again,” Garcia, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly in the latest cover story. But, she cautioned, “I don’t think it’s going to be anytime soon.”
When it comes to saying “I do” for another time, Garcia shared that traditional marriage may not be for her.
“I’ve talked to people about this. There [are] commitment ceremonies. I’m like, ‘I don’t ever want to sign paperwork again. No, thank you,’” she said. “And they’re like, ‘Yeah, you could still have a wedding. It’s just more of a commitment ceremony. You can wear rings, but you don’t need to sign papers.’”
Further explaining her stance, she added, “I don’t want to be legally [bound]. We could talk about changing names way in the future if this person is my person. [But] no paperwork.”
After calling off her engagement to fellow WWE star John Cena in 2018, Garcia reconnected with Chigvintsev — her Dancing With the Stars season 25 partner. The pair got engaged in 2019 and welcomed son Matteo the following year. In 2022, Garcia and Chigvintsev tied the knot.
Days after their second wedding anniversary, police were called to the pair’s home due to an alleged altercation between Garcia and Chigvintsev. He was arrested and booked on felony domestic violence in August 2024. (The Napa County District Attorney’s office declined to file charges.)
Garcia went on to file for divorce from Chigvintsev and the two submitted temporary restraining orders against each other. The duo settled their divorce in November 2024 and agreed to “drop the domestic violence restraining orders against each other in an effort to move on with their lives and effectively coparent their son,” Garcia’s rep told Us in a statement at the time.
Through it all, Garcia shared that she still believes in true love. “I truly feel people come into your life for a reason. People come in, and they teach us things,” she said. “And sometimes, when those loves don’t work out, you have to look and go, ‘What did I learn and what did I gain?’ Because there’s always beauty in it.”
Although she is not quite ready to dip her toe in the dating pool, Nikki shared that her twin sister, Brie Garcia, is still trying to play matchmaker.
“She sends me things like, ‘Oh, so I was just at this ski shop in [Lake] Tahoe and oh my goodness, these three guys.’ And I’m like, ‘Brie, no,’” Nikki said, with a laugh. “And then I feel bad because she’ll send me someone else like, ‘Oh, they want to put you on a date with this person.’ I’m like, ‘He has a hundred videos of himself working out. No! Like no, thank you.’ It’s funny because I do not want that right now at all.”
Nikki shared that it’s going to take her “a long time” to get back to a place where she feels “confident” about her body.
“I feel great, but it’s, like, when I’m naked, you just kind of sadly start to dissect yourself. What if the person isn’t a dad and he doesn’t understand a ‘mom bod’?” Nikki said. “Like you can’t date someone younger because then he’s going to be like, ‘Oh, she has an older body,’ or my boobs kind of sag from nursing. I’m not going to just give that up. I need to be in a good place for that. Mama needs her groove back first for herself.”
For more on Nikki, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.
With reporting by Andrea Simpson
