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Nikki Garcia<\/b><\/a> (previously known as Nikki Bella) and <\/span>Artem Chigvintsev<\/b><\/a> \u201cbutted heads\u201d before their messy split, an insider exclusively tells Life & Style<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cFriends are starting to talk, most say it was no secret that Nikki and Artem disagreed a lot and butted heads often,\u201d the source tells Life & Style<\/em>. \u201cThey were verbally abusive towards each other and while the physical allegations were surprising, it wasn\u2019t necessarily shocking to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n Now that Nikki, 40, and Artem, 42, have officially called it quits, the insider says \u201cit\u2019s become a he-said, she-said situation and neither one of them is backing down.\u201d<\/p>\n The former couple made headlines on August 29 when Artem was arrested following a domestic violence incident. While the Dancing With the Stars<\/em> pro was booked and taken into custody, he was released on bail hours later and the domestic violence charges were dropped<\/a> following a thorough investigation.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we take every arrest seriously and stand firmly against domestic violence, we have an ethical obligation to only file charges when supported by the evidence,\u201d Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley<\/strong> revealed in a statement issued on September 24. \u201cWe are required to prove any and every criminal charge \u2018beyond a reasonable doubt\u2019 which is the highest standard in the American criminal justice system. If the available evidence doesn\u2019t rise to this level of proof, then we cannot ethically file charges.\u201d<\/p>\n Before the charges were dropped, Life & Style<\/em> confirmed that Nikki filed for divorce <\/span><\/a>on September 11. Artem filed his own divorce paperwork two days later, citing \u201cirreconcilable differences\u201d as the reason for their split. He asked for \u201c<\/span>joint legal and physical custody<\/span><\/a>\u201d of their son, Matteo, as well as spousal support.<\/p>\n The drama continued when Nikki filed a restraining order against Artem<\/span><\/a> on September 30. She claimed that he allegedly brutalized her and \u201ctackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present,\u201d according to <\/span>TMZ<\/span><\/i><\/a>. She also alleged that the Russia native grew \u201cincreasingly angry, snapping at me, and yelling\u201d after he was cut from Dancing With the Stars<\/em>.<\/p>\n While recalling the altercation that led to Artem\u2019s arrest, Nikki claimed that he \u201cwent off\u201d about how Matteo\u2019s English muffin should be toasted. She said she threw their son\u2019s toddler-sized shoes at him before Artem took Matteo, 4, upstairs with him. The retired wrestler said she attempted to get into the room, and Artem allegedly tackled her to the ground. She then claimed that he grabbed her arms and pinned her to the floor.<\/p>\n It was revealed on October 4 that Nikki had been granted the restraining order<\/a> and Artem was prohibited from \u201ccoming within 100 yards\u201d or contacting her, according to court documents obtained by TMZ<\/em>. Additionally, the documents stated that Artem can only see Matteo \u201cfor visitation or exchange of the child\u201d through court-ordered visits.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Life & Style<\/em> confirmed that Artem filed his own restraining order<\/a> against Nikki on October 3.<\/p>\n Both Nikki and Artem have remained relatively quiet about their split, though an additional source exclusively told Life & Style<\/em> she wanted to end their marriage \u201cquickly.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no going back,\u201d the insider dished. \u201cNikki doesn\u2019t even recognize Artem as the man she married.\u201d<\/p>\n