NEED TO KNOW
- Nikki Garcia is seemingly shutting down rumors of a romance with Cooper DeJean
- The WWE star, 42, and the Philadelphia Eagles cornerback, 22, were seen together in an Instagram post
- “I haven’t even kissed someone in so long. It’s, like, kind of crazy,” Nikki said during the Dec. 18 episode of her podcast, The Nikki & Brie Show
Nikki Garcia is seemingly shutting down rumors of a romance with Cooper DeJean — the NFL star who is 20 years her junior.
During the Dec. 18 episode of her podcast, The Nikki & Brie Show, the WWE star, 42, implied that she has not been dating as she had not had an intimate moment with someone in “a really long time.”
“It’s crazy because I actually haven’t been touched or done anything in so long,” she said while chatting with her twin sister, Brie Garcia. “It’s funny when people call me a wh— when I actually haven’t had intimacy in a really long time, [or even thought] of kissing.”
“I haven’t even kissed someone in so long. It’s, like, kind of crazy. I was thinking of this last night. Do I know how to kiss?” she continued.
“You do,” Brie responded. “It’s like riding a bike.”
“I’m about to make out with my pillow to make sure I still got it,” Nikki joked.
Jesse Grant/Getty
On Tuesday, Dec. 16, the Hall of Fame wrestler shared a roundup on Instagram of her adventures in Philadelphia, which included a clip of herself smiling and posing in front of 22-year-old Eagles cornerback DeJean’s locker.
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Nikki and DeJean were also seen in the video smiling together while dancing, as part of a montage of her trip, set to Alex Warren’s “Ordinary.”
“So blessed for the people around me, new friends and old, who make life so special and fun 🤍✨🙏🏼,” wrote Nikki, who is mom to 5-year-old son Matteo.
The Iowa standout — who celebrated his 22nd birthday with a pick-6 and a Super Bowl win alongside birthday twin Saquon Barkley last February — commented with an eagle and a heart emoji on a separate post, which featured more photos from Nikki’s travels to Philadelphia.
Nikki shares Matteo with ex-husband and Dancing with the Stars pro Artem Chigvintsev, 43.
She filed for divorce from the dancer in September 2024, after he was arrested at their Napa Valley, Calif., home on suspicion of domestic violence. The divorce was settled in May, and Nikki was ordered to pay her ex-husband a $200,000 lump sum, as well as $3,500 in monthly child support.
Despite their split, Nikki has praised Chigvintsev for his support in co-parenting their son amid her returning to wrestling.
“I have to give it to Artem, who’s been amazing in adapting to my schedule,” she said during a September episode of her podcast. “And I get Matteo almost more, and he lets me. Like, he’s amazing.”
“You and Artem have been a great team,” Brie replied.
DeJean was previously linked to college student Steph Wilfawn, who celebrated his selection in the NFL Draft on her Instagram Stories in April 2024.
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