They may not have always cared for each other while feuding in the WWE, but Natalya “Nattie” Neidhart and Nikki Bella truly are thick as thieves. Despite Bella’s retirement from the ring and Neidhart continuing her WWE career, the pair have been great friends ever since joining the aforementioned company in the mid-2000s. They’ve wrestled together, filmed E!’s Total Divas together, and have always looked after one another.
This is especially true in terms of relationships. Bella has been there for Neidhart during her past marital problems. (Neidhart has been married to former WWE Superstar turned producer TJ Wilson, F.K.A. Tyson Kidd, since June of 2013.) Meanwhile, Neidhart was there for her friend when Bella broke off her engagement with WWE Superstar/actor John Cena back in April of 2018. Needless to say, the two friends have been through enough boy issues for just one lifetime, let alone two!
That may explain why Neidhart may have had some concerns when Bella began dating former Dancing with the Stars dancer Artem Chigvintsev. But recently, Neidhart had the chance to meet Chigvintsev in-person when she flew to Los Angeles, California to be a guest on an episode of The Bella Podcast. Neidhart would later reveal her thoughts on Chigvintsev as Bella’s boyfriend.
“I really like Artem,” she began before calling him “really sweet” and a “total gentleman”. She then added, “He was very, very respectful and polite and very classy. I really liked him.”
It’s clear that Bella’s constant gushing of Chigvintsev and showing off tons of PDA on social media shows that they love each other. Bella’s family- including twin sister Brie and even her own daughter, Birdie- love him. Fans obviously love following the couple’s antics, too. But to see that one of Bella’s long-time friends adore him must be a sigh of relief for the WW Superstar turned businesswoman.
“At the end of the day, Nicole and Brie are two of my closest friends in the world,” Neidhart explained. She continued to say that watching Nikki “doing her thing” and “just being in her element” with Chigvintsev has her approving of their relationship.
