Nikki Garcia is embracing her past following her separation from Artem Chigvintsev.
The 41-year-old Total Bellas star attended her first red carpet event since the former couple finalized their divorce in November 2024. Her appearance was at the Netflix premiere of WWE Monday Night Raw, a continuing professional wrestling television series produced by WWE.
During the event held on Monday, January 6, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the retired WWE star sported a red strapless leather corset paired with matching red and white pants. She completed her outfit with red heels and a striking red lip.
Garcia and Chigvintsev were married from 2022 to 2024 and share a 4-year-old son named Matteo.
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| Nikki Garcia at the Netflix premiere of WWE Monday Night RAW at Intuit Dome on January 6, 2025, in Inglewood, California. |
Months before their divorce was settled, Dancing with the Stars professional, Chigvintsev, 42, was apprehended in August on suspicion of causing corporal injury to a spouse.
Chigvintsev did not face criminal charges for the incident, and both parties claimed the other was the aggressor in the altercation leading to his arrest.
Following this, the ex-couple successfully obtained restraining orders against each other, which were later withdrawn once their divorce was finalized.
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| Artem Chigvintsev (L) and Nikki Bella at FOX's Teen Choice Awards in 2019 |
In a recent episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, the podcast she co-hosts with her twin sister Brie Garcia (also known as Brie Bella), Nikki Garcia discussed the lessons she learned in 2024.
“For me, the most beneficial thing was disconnecting from many aspects of life and confronting numerous challenges — and having spent years preparing gave me a solid foundation — but I want you to recognize that you are much stronger than you believe,” she mentioned in the Dec. 30 episode.
“In our strongest moments, we sometimes face extremely weak ones,” Garcia continued, “and we need to figure out how to navigate through those.” She added that she has been dedicating her time and energy to things that empower her.
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| Artem Chigvintsev (L) and Nikki Bella, August 2019. |
She noted: “I've been focused on that for the past few months, and it has really made a difference.”
According to Garcia, “situations like … divorce” can take "a part of you," but specific songs, such as Harry Connick Jr.'s “Be Not Afraid,” have been very helpful during difficult times.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Garcia had previously requested continued “privacy for her and her family" following the divorce.
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Chigvintsev also expressed in a statement to PEOPLE that he was "extremely relieved and thankful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dismissed" and said he's "grateful that the truth has come out."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or visit thehotline.org. All calls are free and confidential, available 24/7 in over 170 languages.