Brie Bella Warns Sister Nikki of Getting Too Close to ‘DWTS’ Co-Star Artem Chigvintsev

Nikki Bella and her former Dancing With the Stars partner, Artem Chigvintsev, are just friends, but a sneak peek from the upcoming episode of Total Bellas has Bella’s twin sister, Brie Bella, worrying that the media may get the wrong idea.

Over lunch, Nikki tells Brie that she wants to help give their mom, Kathy Colace, the opportunity to learn a DWTS number, and that she wants to train with Chigvintsev to make that happen.

After Nikki revealed her plan, Brie remarked that rumors would surely start flying if Nikki were to be seen with her former partner.

“Yeah, I don’t know if I would use him,” Brie told her sister. “I just think, how you guys’ chemistry was, it would cause rumors.”

In response, Nikki pointed out that chemistry doesn’t always indicate a romantic relationship.

“Chemistry is not just romantic,” she said. “I have amazing chemistry with people in the ring, people don’t call me a lesbian.”

“You don’t think the media’s gonna blow it out of proportion and make up all this B.S.?” Brie asks, to which Nikki replies, “I just think that’s crazy.”

“I grew a huge passion for dancing, that’s my dancing pro that I’m so comfortable with dancing, he became one of my good friends,” she added. “It just sucks because I’m in a situation where I feel like everyone’s constantly telling me how to live my life.”

In an on-camera interview, Nikki explained that she also wants to get back to her DWTS training so she can return to dancing shape for the WWE Pay-Per-View match Evolution, which took place in October 2018.

“Doing this dance with my mom means that I could be in that same shape for Evolution, because that’s what I really, really want,” she said. “Like, so bad.”

Sunday’s episode also sees Nikki and Chigvintsev catch up for lunch, where the two ask each other whether they’ve been going on any dates recently. It was recently reported that the former partners are now dating, but Nikki seemed to put that rumor to rest during an appearance on Access Live last week.

“I’m not looking to be serious with anyone right now,” she said. “I’m just looking to have fun. I’m just in a fortunate position that I get to go on these dates with a lot of amazing guys. I mean, not a lot, it’s only been a few.”

“I moved to L.A., so it was natural,” Bella added of reconnecting with Chigvinstev. “Artem had asked me to the farmers market so I was like, ‘Sure.’ And then paparazzi kind of killed it and I was like, ‘OK I’m out of here.’”

Total Bellas airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on E!

Photo Credit: Getty / Tibrina Hobson