Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev: A story of love from the dancefloor straight to the heart
'Total Bellas' star and former WWE professional wrestler Nikki Bella got engaged to her 'Dancing With the Stars' partner, Artem Chigvintsev. The couple met when Bella was partnered with Chigvintsev in Season 25 of the show.
Bella took to Instagram to announce that the two have been engaged since November while the couple was vacationing in France with their families. She wrote, "Excited for 2020 and the next decade with you @theartemc ❤️ I said yes in France in November! We have been trying to keep it a secret but really wanted to share our excitement for the New Year!"
Chigvintsev, 37, also shared pictures of the couple posing together, one with Bella showing off her engagement ring, writing, "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. So excited for what’s to come I love you more [than] anything and thank you for saying Yes."
When Chigvintsev and Bella met in 2017 during 'Dancing With the Stars', she was engaged to fellow WWE professional wrestler and actor, John Cena. Cena and Bella had been dating since 2012 and got engaged in April 2017. However, they broke off the engagement in April 2018, less than a month before their wedding was to take place.
Dating rumors between Bella and Chigvintsev first sparked in December 2018 when paparazzi spotted them together at a local farmers' market in Los Angeles. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Bella said she left the date when she spotted the paparazzi.
"Our first date was at the farmer's market in Studio City, and I had no idea that it was filled with paparazzi," Bella said. "So Artem and I are, like, looking at vegetables — and I honestly think he was picking up tomatoes — and I see a paparazzi in this corner, and one in the other corner and I just freaked. I walked away from him, all the way to my car that was parked at Von's and I drove off. And poor Artem, all of a sudden I get a text like, 'Uhh, where did you go?' I didn't even say anything."
In the interview, which took place in September 2019, Bella said about Chigvintsev, "I feel like Artem balances me in all the right ways. I get so busy and get into hustler mode so much and Artem just literally, and this is such a weird analogy, but he does make me stop and smell the roses."
Chigvintsev echoed the feelings in an interview he had with Entertainment Tonight a month earlier in August 2019. He said, "I think Nicole came into my life at the right time. She's been nothing but supportive and is the most positive person. I left my family when I was 15 and I never had a person next to me that kind of had an interest in me to succeed and be better. I think she's the first person that's given me that feeling."