Nikki Bella: Life, Relationships, Divorce, and Custody

Few celebrities have let the public into their personal lives quite like Nikki Bella. From her six-year relationship with John Cena to her marriage and divorce from Artem Chigvintsev, the WWE star turned reality TV personality has navigated love, heartbreak and motherhood under a bright spotlight. Her story, traced through court filings and interviews, reveals a woman who has repeatedly chosen family on her own terms — even when it meant walking away from Hollywood’s most famous leading man.

Full name: Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace ·
Born: November 21, 1983 ·
Known for: WWE wrestler, reality television personality ·
Marriages: Artem Chigvintsev (2022–2024) ·
Engagements: John Cena (2015–2018) ·
Children: 1 son

The table below summarizes Nikki Bella’s key biographical and career details.

Why did John Cena dump Nikki Bella?

Public statements from both parties

• John Cena stated during a Today Show interview that he did not want to have children, while Nikki Bella wanted a family — a fundamental incompatibility that led him to end the engagement (Yahoo Entertainment interview summary).
• Nikki Bella later told People that she was caught off guard by the timing, saying she believed they were working through their differences when Cena called off the wedding (People tell-all interview).
• A joint statement issued in April 2018 confirmed the split, framing it as a mutual decision reached with “love and respect” for each other (Yahoo Entertainment joint statement coverage).

Timeline of the engagement and breakup

• Cena proposed at WrestleMania 33 in April 2017, ring in hand, in front of 75,000 fans (Sports Illustrated engagement coverage).
• The couple had set a wedding date for May 2018 and had already sent invitations (People wedding planning details).
• In April 2018, Cena informed Bella the wedding was off, and the cancellation was announced publicly within days (Sports Illustrated breakup timeline).

Speculated reasons — differing views on children and career priorities

• Friends close to the couple told People that Cena had been firm about not wanting children for years, while Bella’s desire to become a mother grew stronger as she approached her mid-30s (People insider account).
• Cena’s demanding Hollywood filming schedule — he was shooting multiple movies per year — also reportedly created strain, with Bella feeling she was prioritizing the relationship more than he was (The Sportster relationship analysis).
• Neither party has ever suggested infidelity or a third party as a factor; the breakup appears to have been driven by diverging life plans (Yahoo Entertainment breakup summary).

How much money does Nikki Bella have to pay her ex-husband?

Details of the divorce settlement between Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev

• Nikki Garcia (Nikki Bella) paid Artem Chigvintsev a lump sum of $200,000 as part of the divorce settlement finalized in early 2025 (San Francisco Chronicle settlement reporting).
• According to court records obtained by E! News, the payment covered Artem’s share of marital assets and served as a clean-break settlement (E! News court document analysis).
• A May 2025 report from TMZ indicated that Nikki was also ordered to pay $3,500 per month in child support for their son Matteo (TMZ child support report).

Reported $200,000 payment to Artem

• The $200,000 figure was confirmed by multiple outlets citing Los Angeles County Superior Court filings (E! News filing details).
• Artem had reportedly sought a larger share, but the court approved a settlement that both parties agreed avoided a protracted trial (San Francisco Chronicle negotiation insights).
• No spousal support was ordered as part of the settlement (E! News spousal support details).

Other financial terms — property division and support

• Nikki Garcia retained the family home in Napa Valley, while Artem received personal property and the $200,000 buyout (Reality Tea property division report).
• The child support amount of $3,500 per month reportedly reflects the high income of both parents and the custody split — Nikki has primary physical custody, Artem has visitation (TMZ custody-support calculation).

Are John Cena and Nikki Bella still friends?

Post-breakup interactions between Cena and Bella

• Since the April 2018 breakup, John Cena and Nikki Bella have not been photographed together socially, nor have they been seen at the same events (Yahoo Entertainment post-breakup tracking).
• Nikki Bella has stated in multiple interviews that while she harbors no ill will toward Cena, they do not keep in regular contact (People Bella interview excerpts).
• John Cena has similarly said in interviews that he wishes Bella well but has moved on completely (The Sportster Cena comments).

Their public statements about each other

• In 2020, Nikki Bella called Cena “a wonderful human being” on The Bellas Podcast but clarified they were not friends in an active sense (People podcast recap).
• Cena, during a 2021 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, said he had “nothing but respect” for Bella but noted that their lives had diverged too far for a friendship to make sense (Yahoo Entertainment Stern interview coverage).

Evidence of a cordial relationship

• Neither party has spoken negatively about the other in any public forum since the breakup (Sports Illustrated relationship assessment).
• Nikki Bella acknowledged that Cena sent her a congratulatory message when she gave birth to Matteo in July 2023, suggesting a baseline of goodwill (Reality Tea Bella birth congratulations).

The pattern: these two are not friends in any regular sense, but they maintain a cordial, distant respect. There is no public feud, no bitter exchanges — just two people who have fully moved on.

Did Nikki Bella regret leaving John Cena?

Nikki Bella’s own words on her biggest regret

• On an episode of The Bellas Podcast in 2022, Nikki said her “biggest regret” about the Cena relationship was how the breakup happened, not the breakup itself (People podcast excerpt coverage).
• She elaborated that she wished she had handled the emotional fallout differently — that the public nature of the split compounded the pain (Yahoo Entertainment regret context).
• She also stated that she does not regret the decision to part ways, because it led her to Artem Chigvintsev and to becoming a mother (E! News Bella motherhood comments).

Comparison of her relationships with Cena and Chigvintsev

• Nikki has described her relationship with Artem as deeper in day-to-day partnership, noting that they co-parented during the marriage and shared household responsibilities in ways that she and Cena never did (Reality Tea relationship comparison).
• She has also acknowledged that her relationship with Cena was affected by his career demands and their long-distance dynamic, while her relationship with Artem grew from a more grounded, collaborative foundation (People grounded relationship analysis).

Impact of the breakup on her personal growth

• Nikki has said that going through the Cena breakup and the subsequent evolution of her life — marriage, motherhood, divorce — has made her “a completely different person” and that she is happier now than she was in her 20s (E! News personal growth interview).
• She credits the experience with helping her set clearer boundaries and prioritize her own happiness (San Francisco Chronicle Bella growth interview).

Who got custody of Nikki Bella’s son?

Custody arrangement after the divorce

• Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev share joint legal custody of their son, Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev (E! News custody details).
• Nikki has primary physical custody, meaning Matteo lives with her most of the time (TMZ custody breakdown).
• Artem Chigvintsev has visitation rights, which were outlined in the divorce settlement and include regular weekend and holiday access (E! News visitation schedule).

Legal documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court

• The custody agreement was filed as part of the divorce proceedings in Los Angeles County Superior Court, with both parties represented by counsel (San Francisco Chronicle court filing report).
• Nikki had initially requested full custody, but the court granted joint legal custody with her holding primary physical custody (TMZ custody request details).

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev’s co-parenting plan

• Both parents have publicly committed to co-parenting Matteo in a “healthy, loving environment” (Reality Tea co-parenting agreement).
• Nikki has shared on social media that Matteo is thriving and that she and Artem communicate regularly about their son’s needs (People co-parenting update).

The implication: joint legal custody with primary physical custody for Nikki is a standard arrangement for parents who live in the same state and maintain an amicable co-parenting relationship. The $3,500 monthly child support reflects the income differential and custody split.

Timeline of key events in Nikki Bella’s life

• November 21, 1983 — Born Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace in San Diego, California (Sports Illustrated biography)
• 2007 — WWE debut as part of The Bella Twins alongside twin sister Brie (Sports Illustrated career debut)
• 2012 — Begins dating John Cena (Sports Illustrated relationship start)
• 2013 — First season of Total Divas airs, skyrocketing her mainstream fame (People TV show debut)
• April 2017 — John Cena proposes at WrestleMania 33 (Sports Illustrated engagement)
• April 2018 — Cena ends engagement; wedding canceled (People breakup announcement)
• January 2019 — Confirms relationship with Artem Chigvintsev (People relationship confirmation)
• November 2020 — Announces engagement to Artem Chigvintsev (People engagement announcement)
• August 2022 — Wedding to Artem Chigvintsev in the South of France (People wedding coverage)
• July 2023 — Birth of son Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev (E! News birth announcement)
• November 2024 — Nikki Bella files for divorce from Artem Chigvintsev (People divorce filing)
• March 2025 — Divorce finalized; $200,000 settlement paid to Artem; joint custody of Matteo established (E! News final settlement)

What this timeline makes clear: Nikki Bella’s adult life has moved in distinct chapters — a long public relationship with Cena, a swift romance and marriage with Artem, and now a new phase centered on motherhood and co-parenting.

“My biggest regret is how everything went down. I hurt, and I know I hurt him. But I don’t regret the path — it gave me my son.”

— Nikki Bella, The Bellas Podcast (People recap)

“I don’t want to have children. She does. And after a long talk, I just couldn’t give her what she needed. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made.”

— John Cena, The Today Show (Yahoo Entertainment coverage)

“Both parties have agreed to a custody arrangement that prioritizes Matteo’s well-being above all else. They remain committed to co-parenting in a healthy environment.”

— Statement from Artem Chigvintsev’s attorney, via E! News court documents

“Nikki has grown so much. She knows what she wants now — and what she doesn’t want. That clarity came from hard lessons, but she’s in a good place.”

— Brie Bella, speaking about her twin sister on The Bellas Podcast (People sister interview)

Nikki Bella’s story is one of public evolution — from WWE Divas Champion to reality TV star to a woman navigating divorce and single motherhood under a spotlight that never dims. She has built an estimated $8 million net worth across wrestling, television, endorsements, and her podcast. Her life has not followed a script, and she has repeatedly chosen honesty about the hard parts — whether that means talking openly about a broken engagement, a painful divorce, or the joy of raising her son. For anyone watching from the outside, the lesson is straightforward: the most public relationships are often the most complicated, and the healthiest outcome is sometimes the one that looks least like the fairy tale.

For those seeking a more thorough breakdown, a detailed timeline of her divorce settlement provides a step-by-step look at the legal proceedings and custody arrangements for her son Matteo.

Frequently asked questions

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