Nikki Bella has set the record straight on why ready she is to get married to her fiancé of 2 years and Dancing With the Stars pro dancer, Artem Chigvintsev. The pair have pushed their nuptials back multiple times due to the pandemic and the birth of their now 1-year-old son Matteo. But the rumor mill began to spin when the Total Bellas star revealed that she was cautious to tie the knot with Artem, fueling speculation that there may be trouble in paradise for the engaged couple.
The ups and downs of Nikki's love life have often been broadcasted in the public eye. The Bella twin previously dated fellow WWE superstar John Cena but called off their engagement in 2018. Back in the dating game after her 6-year relationship with John, she seemed to finally get it right with her former Dancing With the Stars partner. Fans have watched Artem and Nikki's relationship play out on Total Bellas anticipating the fairytale wedding the WWE divas champion had always dreamed of. But 2 years and a kid later, Nikki shared her hesitancy about making it official, mostly worrying about her son if she were to divorce.
Now, Nikki is defending her relationship with Artem after those comments were blown out of proportion. According to Entertainment Tonight, on an episode of The Bellas Podcast, the reality tv star made it clear that she still wants to marry her fiancé. Nikki told her sister and co-host Brie Bella, "When Artem's on tour, when Artem's gone, I get really sad. I love my life with Artem in it, and I can't imagine Artem not in my life. I don't want to imagine Artem not in my life. I truly feel like, deep down in my heart, I've found the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I want to get married to him." The former WWE Diva explained her perspective on marriage changed along with her priorities with the birth of her son Matteo. Nikki previously said she was cautious because she doesn't want to get a divorce, but "those comments turned into I don't want to marry him."
Nikki went on to call out more assumptions the public made from her interview with E! News. "And then I made the comment, 'I really just wanted to be with someone who would be an amazing father and that's Artem.' So they took it as if, 'Oh, she found her baby daddy and was like, OK, I'm content.'" The Bella twin shared she was "very traumatized" by her high-profile breakup with John and wants to protect her current relationship with Artem from such exposure.
As new parents and with Artem's family living abroad, it's understandable why the couple has postponed their wedding. But Nikki may also be healing from the failures of her past relationships making her overly cautious to say 'I do.' Growing up with divorced parents, it's clear the Total Bellas star doesn't want to follow the same pattern. Hopefully, Nikki and Artem's partnership won't be temporary like on Dancing With The Stars, and the two will end all speculation and make it to the altar.
Sources: Entertainment Tonight, E! News