Artem Chigvintsev RESPONDS to estranged wife Nikki Garcia’s divorce filing – as he asks for joint custody of son and spousal support

Artem Chigvintsev has responded to his ex-wife Nikki Garcia’s divorce filing. He also officially filed for divorce on Friday after being arrested late last month on domestic violence charges.

The 42-year-old Dancing With The Stars pro, who removed the former WWE star from his Instagram profile before adding her back, cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split in documents obtained by We do it weekly.

He listed August 29 as the date of the divorce, the same day he was arrested for domestic violence after an alleged altercation at their Napa, California, home.

Chigvintsev has also requested joint legal and physical custody of his four-year-old son Matteo and Nikki.

The Russian-born dancer has asked for spousal support and asked Garcia to pay his legal fees, the documents show.

In the filing, Artem claimed that he was a presumed husband between August 26, 2022, and January 19, 2023.

A putative spouse is a person who believes that he or she is legally married to someone, but that the marriage itself is not valid.

Chigvintsev and Garcia tied the knot in August 2022 during a ceremony in Paris, France.

But in the documents, according to Us Weekly, the professional dancer stated that they also tied the knot in the United States in January 2023.

Garcia filed for divorce in Napa Superior Court two days earlier, on Wednesday, asking for full legal and physical custody of their son.

She also cited “irreconcilable differences” in the dissolution documents, TMZand named August 29 as the date of the divorce, the day of Artem’s arrest.

The TV personality indicated that she is open to Artem’s request for visitation rights to their four-year-old son Matteo.

Chigvintsev has asked Nikki for spousal support, but she has asked to block the court’s ability to award spousal support to either of them.

A few days before the professional dancer was arrested, the couple celebrated their second wedding anniversary.

Chigvintsev shared a heartfelt message at the time in an Instagram post that read: “Happy birthday my love, I can’t see my life without you. You are my everything.”

Last Saturday, Chigvintsev updated his Instagram bio by adding his wife’s name again, less than 24 hours after removing it.

Sources recently told DailyMail.com that Chigvintsev is desperately trying to save the marriage.

Police were called to the couple’s $1.5 million Yountville, California, home after reports of a fight on August 29.

Sources say the couple called 911 twice: first to ask for help for an injury, then they called back and asked emergency services not to come.

But with domestic violence looming in the background, Napa Sheriff’s Department officers went to the couple’s leafy neighborhood anyway and took Chigvintsev away.

He was booked into the Napa County Jail at 10:59 a.m. on suspicion of domestic violence. He was released on $25,000 bail at approximately 2:18 p.m.

In a photo released by the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, the ballerina looks somber in a plaid shirt and gray beard.

The arrest, which reportedly came after Garcia threw shoes at her husband, came less than four days after the couple celebrated the anniversary of their August 2022 wedding — with both marking the moment on social media.

According to sources, Chigvintsev is scheduled to appear in court in Napa on Tuesday over the incident and is prohibited from leaving Napa County until the case is resolved.

And now Artem is reportedly doing everything he can to prove to his wife Nikki that he ‘can be a different man.’

While she has reportedly banned Artem from seeing their son Matteo unsupervised and is seeking a divorce lawyer, sources have revealed to DailyMail.com that he is fighting “the fight of his life” to win her back – especially now that he has been cut from the upcoming season of DWTS.

“Artem is very frustrated and angry that he was not asked to return to this season of Dancing with the Stars, and now it appears he will never return,” they said. “His life, both professionally and personally, has been and continues to be turned upside down.”

“He doesn’t know what his next move is with Nikki. He’s been angry for a long time and now he’s in the fight of his life to clear his name and win Nikki back. But he hasn’t decided what he can do to show her that he can be a different person.”

‘They are currently having a limited dialogue with each other.’

“If and when he sees Matteo, Nikki wants it supervised. Her trust is out the window and she’s very angry with Artem, he’s got a tough fight ahead of him. It’s all a mess.”

“She’s tried and tried to make it work, but she thinks divorce is the only option. It hurts, but Nikki is such a strong woman, and she’s doing what’s right for her, and for Matteo.”

While Artem is desperately trying to repair his marriage, Nikki’s twin sister Brie Garcia reportedly wants her sister to leave him for good.

Earlier this week, an insider close to former WWE star Brie, 40, said she was “disgusted” by the news of Artem’s arrest and wants her twin brother to have nothing to do with him.

“Nikki’s sister Brie is shocked, disappointed and just sad that this has happened,” they told DailyMail.com.

“She loves Artem, and for this to happen is so impossible for the person she knows. Brie is very concerned about it and is there for her sister no matter what.”

The addition: ‘Brie, who is clearly the closest to Nikki, as anyone would, tells her to leave Artem. If this is as bad as it seems, and if it has happened before, she will be the first to tell Nikki to leave him once she learns everything that has happened.’

Nikki and Artem’s two-year marriage was reportedly plagued by feuding, but his violent outburst has shocked the WWE star and her family.