It's been a big year for Nikki Bella and fiancé Artem Chigvintsev, and it's not over yet! Since announcing their engagement in January, they've also welcomed their son, Matteo, into the world — and where this celebrity couple is concerned, it seems like things just keep getting better and better. They seem so perfectly suited for each other that it's hard to believe that they've only been an official couple for a little over a year, but in that time, watching their relationship grow has truly made it obvious that they were meant for each other.
When Artem and Nikki first met as partners on Dancing With The Stars three years ago, we never could have predicted all of this would happen … but we're so glad it did — and we have a feeling that this happy couple feels the same way.
From Nikki's heartbreaking split from John Cena to reuniting with Artem, getting engaged, having a baby, and everything in between, she and Artem have been on quite an adventure together — and the good times just keep coming. Read on for a full timeline of Nikki and Artem's relationship.
We can't wait for their future wedding, but for right now, it's so much fun to watch them live happily ever after.
Fall 2017: Artem & Nikki Meet On 'DWTS'
Artem and Nikki first crossed paths when he was her dance partner on Dancing With the Stars in 2017. At the time, they just seemed like friends — especially since Nikki was still engaged to longtime partner John Cena. Who knew that it would eventually lead to them engaged with a baby just a few years later?
April 2018: Nikki Calls Off Her Engagement to John Cena
Fans were shocked when Nikki and John called it quits in the spring of 2018, despite the fact that they'd been planning their wedding. Though they did briefly reconcile, they went their separate ways for good by the summer. And because their biggest difference was the fact that Nikki wanted kids and John didn't, that choice was obviously for the best.
January 2019: Rumors About Nikki & Artem Begin
It wasn't until several months after Nikki's initial split from John that the relationship rumors with Artem began to really heat up — especially since an episode of Total Bellas featured them reconnecting over dinner. The rumors were real, though Nikki Bella wasn't exactly confirming whether they were actually in a relationship.
March 2019: Instagram Official
Nikki and Artem kept fans wondering for the rest of the season on Total Bellas, finally revealing their relationship in the season finale — at which point Nikki took the opportunity to make things Instagram official. She posted this pictures on the 'Gram, writing, "Well, after that season finale," adding a shocked emoji.
May 2019: Hanging Out With the Fam
It didn't take long for Artem to get in good with Nikki's family — most importantly, Brie Bella and her daughter, Birdie. That May, Artem joined the sisters — as well as Brie's kiddo and husband — on a trip to Disneyland, basically sealing that things between these two were starting to get serious.
… even if Nikki wasn't quite blowing up our IG feeds with couple-y photos just yet.
July 2019: Red Carpet Debut
That summer, Nikki and Artem made their first red carpet appearance together at the 2019 Kids' Choice Sports Awards. They seemed so happy to have taken their relationship public, although at the time they were arguing that they weren't exclusive yet. Fortunately, that was all about to change…
Boyfriend & Girlfriend
Not long after their Kids' Choice appearance, Nikki and Artem made their relationship officially official. Even though they'd been dating (and smooching on Instagram) for months, they didn't share that they were exclusively boyfriend and girlfriend until July — at which point they confirmed that they had agreed to share those labels.
August 2019: The Fun Continues
With all their relationship cards finally on the table, Nikki and Artem were spending more time together than ever — not that fans were complaining, though. It was great to see Nikki so happy, especially after how heartbreaking her split with John had been just a year earlier. She was in love, and didn't care who knew it.
Artem Joins 'Total Bellas'
Things in Nikki and Artem's relationship continued to get even more serious that August, when she shared that Artem would be joining the cast of Total Bellas in a heartfelt Instagram post. "I am so excited for him to be on this journey with me. I’m thankful for him to showcase his life, love, ups and downs not only for me but for my Bella Army and my Total Bellas viewers," she wrote.
November 2019: Meeting the Parents
Nikki and Artem's adventures continued as they took their relationship international in November 2019. They shared some absolutely gorgeous shots from France, and almost a year in, it was pretty clear that this relationship was here to stay — and it was impossible to deny what a beautiful couple these two made. During their trip, Nikki also met Artem's parents, which was obviously a huge step for them both.
December 2019: Closing Out the Year
Nikki and Artem said goodbye to 2019, and hello to 2020 as a couple, and little did we all know about the big things they had in store for their relationship in the upcoming year. "It has been such an incredible, fun, loving and tons of smiles year with you @theartemc," Nikki wrote in her New Year's Eve Instagram post. "Excited for what 2020 will bring!"
January 2020: Officially Engaged!
Though Artem actually asked Nikki to marry him in November during their trip to France, they waited until January 2020 to share the good news with fans. "I said yes in France in November! We have been trying to keep it a secret but really wanted to share our excitement for the New Year!" Nikki wrote.
Expectant Parents
January brought another piece of big news for this couple: They were expecting! And to make the situation even more exciting, Nikki and Brie were pregnant at the same time, with their due dates super close together. They were starting off 2020 in a huge way, and less than a year after they started dating, Nikki and Artem were creating a family together.
June 2020: The Big Reveal
In June, Nikki and Artem got to share another piece of big news. After their fiesta-themed gender reveal aired on Total Bellas, they were able to publicly share that they were having a baby boy, even though Brie continued to keep the gender of her baby a surprise. These two seemed so excited to be welcoming a son.
July 2020: Welcome to the World
On July 31, 2020, the moment Artem and Nikki had been waiting for had finally arrived. Their baby boy made his way into the world, who they would later reveal had been named Matteo. "Our baby boy is here and we couldn’t be HAPPIER and more in LOVE!" Nikki wrote when she shared the news with her followers, along with a photo of Matteo's tiny hand. "Everyone is safe and healthy."
August 2020: A Family of Three
Now that Nikki, Artem, and Matteo are beginning to settle into their lives as a family of three — and Artem is gearing up for another season of Dancing With The Stars — it seems like they couldn't be more content. So much has happened since these two met in 2017, but now, it's wonderful to see them living their happily ever after.
