Artem Chigvintsev Seeks Protective Order Against Nikki Bella, Shows Off Injury Photos

Artem has told his side of the story.

This week it was revealed that Nikki Bella filed a restraining order against her estranged husband Artem Chgvintsev. She talked about her side of the story on the day that led to Artem being arrested in her filing and now Artem has been able to sell his side of the story.

In a report from the New York Post, they posted Artem’s side of the story, in which he called Nikki the aggressor. He noted how he was surprised to be arrested because of that and even provided photos of his injuries.

Chigvintsev, 42, agreed with Bella’s claim in her petition that their altercation began with a fight over their 4-year-old son, Matteo, and his breakfast, though each tells a different version of how this dispute arose. In his petition, Chigvintsev says Bella criticized him on the morning of August 29 for not having their child’s breakfast and packed lunch prepared and complained that their son’s muffin was not toasted enough.

According to Chigvintsev, Bella seemed “stressed due to her job that was coming up” as host of the Netflix live competitive eating special, “Unfinished Beef.”

“She continued saying that she does everything, and I don’t help, which is absolutely false,” Chigvintsev went on, claiming that his wife continued to berate him as he took their son toward the door to leave for school.

The fight then allegedly escalated during a discussion about their son’s shoes. “[Bella] completely lost it and started screaming ‘get the f – – k out of my house, I am sick of all of it, I had enough,’” Chigvintsev said in his restraining order request.

This was “followed by [her] forcefully throwing both of Matteo’s sneakers at me,” he continued, saying that “she hit my chest area” but “fortunately the shoes did not hit Matteo although he was right next to me.”

“[M]y first reaction was obviously safety of Matteo because he was standing right by my side,” he recalled.

Matteo was “very confused and look[ed] frightened” while Bella “continue[d] yelling about wanting a divorce,” according to Chigvintsev.

At this point, the “DWTS” vet alleged he “had to protect” their son and was “pleading with [Bella] to please stop this and calm down.

“I took Matteo into my arms, and tried to deescalate the situation and take him upstairs to his room,” he continued. But he says this only had the effect of escalating the conflict.

Once inside their son’s room, Chigvintsev alleged the former WWE Diva “tried to force herself in to open the door.

“I could not hold it, because she’s quite strong. As soon as the door began opening, Matteo start[ed] crying,” he alleged. “I did not want him seeing his mother angry and confrontational in his bedroom. I wanted to protect Matteo from her lack of self-control at the moment.”

Chigvintsev added, “I squeezed myself through the door opening and tried to push myself out, while Petitioner continued to physically attack me and push her way in.

“I tried to get her off me and away from the door frame so that Matteo would not witness any further conflict. I cannot stress enough how many times I pleaded with her to stop and calm down.”

Chigvintsev conceded in his filing at this point, “There was a mutual struggle, and both ended up on the ground.”

Eventually, he alleged, he was able to find his phone and call 911, waiting outside for law enforcement to show up. He said he was shocked when he was arrested and claims his wife lied to sheriffs.

I had no idea what she told the police, but to my surprise I ended up getting arrested,” Chigvintsev said in his filing. “I was not the primary aggressor, she definitely was.

“Since the 8/29/24 incident, I learned on 9/13/24 that she lied to the police that I tackled her twice, which is absolutely false.”

Chigvintsev also disputed Bella’s claim that “she was holding our son and I grabbed Matteo from her and barricaded myself in the room.”

“This was a complete LIE,” he said. “But it mase [sic] sense why I was arrested instead of her.”

Both Nikki and Artem both have restraining orders against one another and are set to be in court on October 21.