![Nikki Bella and Boyfriend Artem Chigvintsev film their new reality tv show in Studio City. 30 Sep 2019 Pictured: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsevfilm their Reality TV Show in Studio City California along Ventura Blvd. Photo credit: ROMA / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA517235_014.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](https://develop.hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Nikki-Bella-Artem-Chigvintsev-gallery-2.jpg?fit=309%2C440)
John Cena was right there playing supportive fiance to Nikki Bella when she competed on Season 25 of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2017 with pro-partner Artem Chigvintsev. While Nikki and the 38-year-old dancer are now engaged and have a nearly three-month old baby boy together, she says there was “no attraction” to Artem when they were getting so physical on the dance floor. On the Oct. 13 episode of The Bellas podcast with her sister Brie, Nikki and guest Lisa Vanderpump, 60, shared notes about their experiences with their hot dance partners. Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa competed on season 16 of DWTS with hunky Gleb Savchenko.
“Did you know you were attracted to him? Did you I feel ‘I’m being unfaithful to my fiance?'” Lisa quizzed Nikki, 36, who told her, “That’s the crazy thing being with him (Artem) now, is there was none of those feelings at all.” Lisa even laughed, “I don’t believe you. You cannot tell me that when you were dancing with him!”
New mom Nikki explained, “I think being an athlete…when I did Dancing it was the first time I was ever vulnerable with a man. And that’s where the bond started to touch. I was thinking of the steps the whole time. Where I got the bond was having to depend on him. And I never had to depend on a man before.”
Nikki said that she did feel a bond as partners with Artem, because the experience was so new and intimidating for her. “You definitely get an emotional bond with them because it’s so scary and you’re so out of your comfort zone…dancing live on TV, being judged in front of the world to see. I’ve never been that nervous, ever,” she confessed.
Nikki and Lisa then discussed the physicality and sensuality of the moves they shared with their DWTS partners. The Vanderpump Rules star admitted, “You do get up close and personal with them, I have to say. You have a bond with your dancing partner,” to which the former WWE star agreed. But she wasn’t totally comfortable with it.
“You know what was weird for me? Cause I was actually engaged at the time and we were together six years at that point. The one thing that was awkward for me was — I don’t know if you remember in some of [the] dance moves — when their leg had to be in between your leg or when their face was close,” Nikki described. “I remember…it was the first time a man’s leg, other than my fiancé’s was in between mine and I was like, ‘Whoa!’ It was weird.”
Then-engaged John Cena and Nikki Bella attend the FOX Upfronts in New York on May 15, 2017. Photo credit: AP.
Nikki and John ended up calling off their engagement in April 2018, as she ultimately wanted a family and he did not want children. Once she was ready to get back on the dating scene, she remembered the connection she had with Artem. The two began seeing each other in March 2019, with their romance being featured on Nikki and Brie’s E! reality show Total Bellas. The couple got engaged in Nov. 2019, but waited to share the good news to their fans on Jan. 3, 2020. At the end of that month, the pair had even bigger news, announcing Nikki’s pregnancy. They welcomed their first child, son Matteo, on July 31, 2020. John has since tied the knot with girlfriend Shay Shariatzadeh on Oct. 12 in Florida after a year and a half of dating.