WWE HOFer Nikki Bella breaks silence on $200,000 divorce payout to her ex-husband

WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella (aka Nikki Garcia) recently opened up about her divorce settlement. She confirmed that she had to pay her ex-husband $200,000.

The former Divas Champion was married to Artem Chigvintsev from 2022 to 2024, and they have a son named Matteo. She filed for divorce after he was arrested for alleged domestic violence last year. Chigvintsev was released the same day on $25,000 bail.

Speaking on The Nikki & Brie Show, Nikki Bella confirmed TMZ's report that she had to pay Artem Chigvintsev $200,000 as part of their divorce settlement agreement, and she clarified that their divorce had nothing to do with the incident.

"Obviously, TMZ put out, and then everyone else has picked it up, and everyone’s had opinions about Artem and I’s divorce settlement. It’s everywhere. It is mind blowing to me that our government allows all this stuff to be public, but that’s the way the world is, and it’s okay, and we’re here. The divorce has nothing to do with what happened, the incident, any of that. Divorce is divorce. Divorce has to deal with the paper, the contract you signed during marriage, the day of marriage, at the court before marriage, whatever, so our settlement is what everyone saw. Yes, I had to give him $200,000," she said. (H/T SiriusXM)

Nikki Bella discloses the advice she got from a judge

The WWE veteran stated that she had to pay that amount because she was the breadwinner. Nikki Bella also revealed that the judge advised her to arrange a prenup if she gets married again.

“The breadwinner, and also, there’s a lot of different things that happen to make that number. I got a steal. I’m not going to lie, which is crazy to say and you know, the one thing is, is our judge, we did private mediation, said at the end of it, 'This is the first time in all the years I’ve done this, where a woman had to pay a man,'and the judge said, 'You should be so damn proud that you built such an empire that someone wants a piece of it. Now, let me tell you the learning lesson. If you ever get married again, promise me you will make them sign a prenup,' and I was like, 'I promise.'”

Nikki Bella made a surprise return to WWE at the Royal Rumble. Her next appearance hasn't been announced yet.

​