Nikki Bella Says Ex-Fiance John Cena Reached out After She Welcomed Son Matteo With Artem Chigvintsev

Nikki Bella and John Cena have nothing but love for one another, even if their romantic relationship didn’t work out. Ahead of the Total Bellas season premiere on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 9 p.m. on E!, the former WWE Superstar told Us Weekly that she had a “short and sweet” conversation with her former fiancé following the birth of her son Matteo with future husband Artem Chigvintsev in July.

“John and I will be tied forever. I get that, like, we had a public relationship on a reality show for six years,” Bella shared. “All I’ve ever wanted was for him to be happy. So, it makes me happy when I see that and, like, him kicking butt in the movie world and all that stuff. I love that!”

Bella and Cena split in 2018 just before their wedding, but both have moved on with new partners. The Total Bellas star got engaged to the Dancing With the Stars pro in January, seven months before welcoming their son less than 24 hours before twin sister Brie Bella welcomed her second child, a son named Buddy, with husband Daniel Bryan. Cena, for his part, tied the knot with Shay Shariatzadeh in October. “So with the baby, [Cena] reached out to Brie and I both,” Nikki said. “We haven’t had an individual conversation in gosh, I don’t know how long, but it was very short and sweet!”

Nikki has been open about how difficult being a new mom has been while Chigvintsev performs on Dancing With the Stars with partner Kaitlyn Bristowe. “I was so supportive, like, ‘Go and do it! I got this.’ Then I got shook, like, ‘No, I don’t have this.’ Like, why did I think I could do this alone as a new mom?” she shared of encouraging the new dad to return to the ABC show. Now that they’re in Los Angeles and he’s busy with work, Nikki said Chigvintsev is “an amazing dad,” but things are much harder.

“It’s been so difficult on our relationship because I need so much from him,” she admitted. But he’s torn between his job that requires so much from him and then us at home. My depression kicks in so hard.” Brie said she stepped in to help her sister communicate what she needed from her partner. “I think most women do [that] when they get depressed because they are embarrassed by it,” Brie shared. “Also, because you’re prideful and I was like, you got to let it all go. You have to communicate with him because then he can help you. That’s what you need.”