Nikki Garcia is an American professional wrestler, television personality, podcast host and entrepreneur who became famous worldwide under the WWE name Nikki Bella. After stepping away from the Bella name professionally in 2023, Garcia later returned to WWE as Nikki Bella, bringing together two different chapters of a career that has stretched from wrestling and reality television to business and motherhood.
In 2026, she is no longer simply remembered as a former WWE star. Nikki has again become part of WWE programming, while continuing to use Nikki Garcia in her life and projects outside the ring. Her career includes two WWE Divas Championship reigns, the Bella Twins partnership with her sister Brie, reality shows such as Total Divas and Total Bellas, and a place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
Nikki Garcia Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace |
| Professional Name | Nikki Garcia |
| WWE Ring Name | Nikki Bella |
| Born | November 21, 1983 |
| Birthplace | San Diego, California, United States |
| Profession | Professional wrestler, television personality, podcast host and entrepreneur |
| Twin Sister | Brie Garcia |
| Former Spouse | Artem Chigvintsev |
| Child | Matteo Chigvintsev |
| Known For | WWE, The Bella Twins, Total Divas, Total Bellas |
| WWE Achievement | Two-time Divas Champion |
| Hall of Fame | WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020 |
Garcia was born in San Diego and later became closely associated with Scottsdale, Arizona. WWE lists Nikki at 5 feet 6 inches and recognizes her as a two-time Divas Champion and WWE Hall of Famer.
Who Is Nikki Garcia?
Nikki Garcia is best known to wrestling audiences as Nikki Bella, one-half of The Bella Twins alongside her identical twin sister, Brie Garcia.
The sisters joined WWE’s developmental system in 2007 before reaching the main roster. Their early WWE storyline became famous for “Twin Magic,” in which Nikki and Brie secretly switched places during matches to gain an advantage.
What began as a twin-based storyline eventually developed into two separate wrestling careers. Nikki became particularly successful as a singles performer, developing a stronger power-based style and the “Fearless Nikki” image that became closely connected with her brand.
The Bella Twins also helped bridge professional wrestling and mainstream reality television. WWE credits their appearances on Total Divas and Total Bellas with introducing them to audiences beyond traditional wrestling fans.
Nikki Garcia and the Nikki Bella Name Explained
One source of confusion for newer fans is why the same person can appear as Nikki Garcia in interviews but Nikki Bella in WWE.
In March 2023, Nikki and Brie announced that they were leaving WWE at that time and would begin professionally using their family name, Garcia. Nikki explained that the sisters were entering a new stage as mothers, entrepreneurs, producers and hosts.
They therefore became publicly known as the Garcia Twins, and The Bellas Podcast was rebranded as The Nikki & Brie Show.
Nikki also said in 2023 that she and Brie did not own the “Bella” name, while the sisters wanted to return to their roots and use Garcia professionally.
The situation changed again when Nikki returned to WWE. Inside WWE, she once again performs under the familiar Nikki Bella name. Outside wrestling, Nikki Garcia remains widely used.
That distinction explains why searches for “Nikki Garcia” and “Nikki Bella” now frequently refer to the same person in different professional contexts.
Nikki Garcia’s WWE Career
Nikki’s WWE career began alongside Brie, but she eventually established a major singles legacy.
She captured the WWE Divas Championship for the first time in 2012. Her second title reign began after defeating AJ Lee at Survivor Series in 2014.
That reign became the longest in the history of the WWE Divas Championship. WWE records the reign at 300 days, giving Nikki one of the defining accomplishments of her wrestling career.
Her WWE career also included major matches and storylines involving names such as Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Stephanie McMahon.
WWE Hall of Fame
Nikki and Brie were announced as members of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020 as The Bella Twins.
The honor recognized not only their championship success but also their wider influence on WWE’s entertainment business and the popularity they built through television and social media.
Nikki Bella’s WWE Return
Nikki Garcia’s wrestling story appeared to have largely moved into the past before she made a major comeback.
She returned as Nikki Bella in the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble Match, entering at No. 30. She eliminated Bayley before eventually being eliminated by Nia Jax.
Her WWE involvement continued rather than being limited to a one-night appearance.
Later in 2025, Nikki challenged Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship at Survivor Series: WarGames, but Vaquer retained the title.
At the 2026 Royal Rumble, Nikki entered the women’s match at No. 25. Brie later entered at No. 29, officially reuniting the Bella Twins inside a WWE ring. Together, they eliminated Bayley and Lyra Valkyria before both were eventually eliminated by Lash Legend.
An ankle injury then prevented Nikki from competing at WrestleMania 42. Paige replaced her alongside Brie in the Women’s Tag Team Championship match.
Nikki returned from the injury on the July 24, 2026 episode of SmackDown, helping Brie and Paige during an attack by Fatal Influence and setting up a six-woman tag team match for SummerSlam.
Her storyline remained active into the autumn. Nikki defeated Paige on the September 11 edition of SmackDown. On October 2, another confrontation involving Nikki, Paige and WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green ended with Paige slapping Nikki.
As of October 2026, that makes Nikki an active part of WWE television rather than simply a Hall of Famer making occasional nostalgic appearances.
Television Career Beyond WWE
Wrestling is only one part of Nikki Garcia’s public career.
She became a major reality-TV personality through Total Divas, which followed the professional and personal lives of WWE’s female performers.
Nikki and Brie later received their own spin-off, Total Bellas. The series placed greater attention on their families, relationships, careers and lives away from WWE.
Nikki also competed on Dancing with the Stars, where she was partnered with professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev.
Her other television projects have included hosting Barmageddon, the celebrity competition series associated with Blake Shelton and Carson Daly. USA Network described Garcia as the show’s host for its second season.
She and Brie have also worked together as hosts of Twin Love and continued building their media presence through podcasts.
Nikki Garcia on The Traitors
Nikki joined Season 3 of Peacock’s The Traitors as a Faithful.
Her appearance ended when she was banished during Episode 5 after other contestants incorrectly suspected that she could be a Traitor. Peacock confirmed that she was actually a Faithful.
The appearance added another major reality competition to a television résumé already closely linked with wrestling and celebrity entertainment.
Nikki Garcia and Brie Garcia
Brie Garcia has remained one of the most important people in Nikki’s personal and professional life.
The sisters entered wrestling together, became famous as The Bella Twins, built television projects together and later adopted the Garcia Twins name for projects outside WWE.
Their partnership has also expanded into podcasting and business. The Nikki & Brie Show became the successor to their earlier Bella-branded podcast, while the sisters have been connected with ventures including Bonita Bonita wine, Birdiebee and Nicole + Brizee.
Their 2026 WWE reunion has now added another chapter to a partnership that began nearly two decades earlier.
Nikki Garcia’s Son and Family Life
Nikki Garcia is the mother of one son, Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev, whom she shares with former husband Artem Chigvintsev.
Matteo was born on July 31, 2020. Remarkably, Brie gave birth to her son only about a day later, giving the twin sisters another major life experience at almost exactly the same time.
Motherhood has become an important part of Nikki’s public life, although she has increasingly emphasized maintaining boundaries around Matteo’s privacy.
Marriage and Divorce From Artem Chigvintsev
Nikki met dancer Artem Chigvintsev when they were partnered on Dancing with the Stars in 2017. They later developed a relationship, held a wedding ceremony in Paris in August 2022 and were legally married in January 2023.
Their marriage ended in 2024.
Chigvintsev was arrested in Napa County in August 2024 on suspicion of felony domestic violence. On September 24, the Napa County District Attorney announced that it would not file criminal charges after reviewing the investigation and determining that the available evidence did not meet the standard required to prove a criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
Garcia and Chigvintsev subsequently reached a divorce settlement through private mediation in November 2024 and agreed to withdraw restraining orders against each other while focusing on co-parenting Matteo.
Later court documents made additional financial and custody terms public, including joint custody arrangements.
In April 2026, Garcia publicly said she was single and enjoying the independence and peaceful routine she had created with her son.
Nikki Garcia as an Entrepreneur and Podcast Host
Garcia’s career has increasingly expanded beyond wrestling.
Alongside Brie, she has been associated with businesses in clothing, beauty and wine. Nikki has also continued working in podcasting through The Nikki & Brie Show.
In 2026, she became involved with women-owned tequila brand Madam Paleta as chief margarita officer while recovering from her ankle injury.
These projects matter because they show why describing Nikki only as a “former WWE wrestler” is now incomplete. Her public career has developed across wrestling, television, podcasting, hosting and business.
What Is Nikki Garcia Doing Now?
As of October 2026, Nikki Garcia is again actively involved with WWE as Nikki Bella.
Her return that began at the 2025 Royal Rumble evolved into a larger comeback, including her reunion with Brie, injury recovery, SummerSlam involvement and a developing rivalry with Paige.
At the same time, she continues to be publicly known as Nikki Garcia outside WWE and remains involved in entertainment, media and entrepreneurial work.
That combination makes her current career unusual: Nikki Garcia represents the broader media personality and entrepreneur, while Nikki Bella remains the wrestling identity that made her famous.
More than a decade after first becoming one of WWE’s most recognizable women, she has managed to bring both identities into the same stage of her career.
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FAQ
Is Nikki Garcia the same person as Nikki Bella?
Yes. Nikki Garcia and Nikki Bella are the same person. Nikki Garcia is the name she uses professionally outside WWE, while she performs in WWE under her famous ring name Nikki Bella.
Why did Nikki Bella change her name to Nikki Garcia?
Nikki and Brie stopped professionally using the Bella name in 2023 after their WWE contracts ended at that time. They said they wanted to enter a new chapter and return to their family name, Garcia. Nikki later resumed using Nikki Bella when she returned to WWE.
Is Nikki Garcia still wrestling in 2026?
Yes. Nikki Garcia returned to WWE as Nikki Bella and has continued appearing on WWE programming in 2026. She competed in the Royal Rumble, returned from an ankle injury in July and remained involved in a WWE storyline into October.
Who is Nikki Garcia’s twin sister?
Nikki Garcia’s identical twin sister is Brie Garcia, also known in WWE as Brie Bella. Together they are famous as The Bella Twins and were named to the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
Does Nikki Garcia have children?
Yes. Nikki Garcia has one son, Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev, who was born on July 31, 2020. His father is Nikki’s former husband, professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev.
What is Nikki Garcia’s net worth?
Nikki Garcia’s exact net worth has not been publicly verified through authoritative financial records. Various entertainment websites publish estimates, but these should not be treated as confirmed figures because her private assets, business interests, contracts and liabilities are not publicly known.
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