Artem Chigvintsev issued a restraining order against Nikki Garcia and disputes her version of a domestic incident

Artem Chigvintsev has filed for a restraining order against Nikki Garcia, challenging the WWE Hall of Famer's version of the domestic incident that led to his arrest. As reported yesterday, Garcia sought and received a restraining order against Chingvintsev in connection with the August 29 incident Dancing with the stars Alum arrested for domestic battery. Garcia filed for divorce last month.

According to the New York Post, Chingvintsev was granted a restraining order on Thursday, the same day Garcia was granted her restraining order. Chingvintsev has a very different version of the events of August 29, and his lawyer issued a statement to the Post saying:

“In this situation, it is crucial to consider the motivations of both parties. Mr. Chigvintsev contacted law enforcement on 8/29/24 and requested protection from his wife's ongoing aggression. While he was on the phone with police, Ms. Garcia-Colace made a strong statement: “Do you see where this is going, Artem?” “You just ruined my career and you know it.” Someone was supposed to be arrested that day, and it would not have been Mr. Chigvintsev if Ms. Garcia Colace had told the truth. [Chigvintsev] denies ever attacking her. He was shocked to learn that she had made this accusation against him two weeks after the incident; It was at this point that he realized why he was being arrested. As a result of his wife's self-serving statements, Mr. Chigvintsev's career suffered and numerous opportunities were canceled due to these false accusations. Men can also be victims of domestic violence; Mr. Chigvintsev's case illustrates this reality. He was not the main aggressor.”

According to Chingvintsev's filing, the couple's argument began that morning when Garcia criticized him for not having her son's breakfast and packed lunch ready. Chingvintsev claims Garcia is “stressed out because of her upcoming job,” namely her role as a co-host at Netflix Unfinished beef especially, and complained that she did everything for her son, while Chingvintsev did not help (which he denies).

Chigvintsev claims that Garcia continued to verbally abuse him as he walked her son to the door on the way to school, and that the argument escalated during a conversation about her son's shoes. Chigvintsev claims Garcia “completely lost her mind and started screaming, 'Get the fuck out of my house, I'm tired of this, I've had enough,'” before responding “vigorously.” [threw] both [their son]'s sneakers on me” and hit his chest with his son right next to him. The file states: “[M]Her first reaction was obviously safety [the son] because he was standing right by my side.”

He then says that her son was confused and looked scared when Garcia started screaming that he wanted a divorce, and that he took her son and “tried to defuse the situation and take him upstairs to his room.” Chingvintsev says Garcia followed her and tried to break into the room. He claims that “I couldn't take it because she's pretty strong” and that her son started crying, and he wanted to protect the son from Garcia's “lack of self-control at the moment,” so he pushed through the door to get Garcia He said he begged Garcia to calm down and stop and there was a “mutual struggle and both ended up on the ground.”

Chingvintsev says he then went outside, called the police and waited for them outside. He then says he was shocked when he found out he was arrested, claiming: “I had no idea what she had told the police, but to my surprise I ended up being arrested.” I wasn't the main attacker, she definitely was. Since the 8/29/24 incident, I found out on 9/13/24 that she lied to the police about me assaulting her twice, which is absolutely false.”

The file includes photos of injuries he believes Garcia sustained in the incident to his hand, neck and elbow.

The judge ruled that Chingvintsev and Garcia will share joint custody of their son for now and “there must be appropriate daily FaceTime contact between the child and the non-custodial parent.” Neither is permitted to “make negative statements about the other or question the child about the other parent in the presence of the child’s hearing.”

A hearing on the matter is scheduled for October 21.