Artem Chigvintsev Worked a ‘Construction Job’ After Being ‘Cut’ from DWTS, Claims Ex Nikki Garcia: ‘Felt It Was Beneath Him’

After getting cut from Dancing with the Stars, Artem Chigvintsev sought out work in construction, according to his ex Nikki Garcia.

On Oct. 3, the former WWE star, 40, was granted a temporary domestic violence restraining order shortly after filing for divorce. Two weeks prior, Chigvintsev was arrested on accusations of corporal injury to spouse in Napa, Calif. on Aug. 29. The District Attorney’s office later declined to file criminal charges.

In Garcia’s filing obtained and reviewed by PEOPLE, she claimed that the former DWTS pro had been “cut from the upcoming season” of the competitive dance show a week before the domestic violence incident and “had not been able to find other work as a dancer.”

“He had begun work at a construction job and felt it was beneath him,” the filing alleged. “Since being cut from Dancing with the Stars, Artem had been growing increasingly angry, snapping at me, and yelling. We had discussions about his need to control his anger.”

On Aug. 29, PEOPLE confirmed that there were no plans for the Russian-born dancer to take part in season 33 of Dancing with the Stars prior to his arrest.

This isn’t the first time Chigvintsev has been cut from a season. In 2019, the dancer opened up about finding out he had been cut from the competitive dance show for season 28 during an appearance on Garcia’s podcast, The Bellas.

“I don’t know where to begin, to be honest with you. Obviously, it was a massive shock. Having those calls is never, never, never fun,” he said. “I dedicated 10 years of my life to that company and getting let go three days before an announcement, that’s like a punch in the stomach, really.”

He continued, “It’s not even a job, it’s a lifestyle if you’ve been doing it for a very, very long time. There was never really a thought in my mind that I [wasn’t] going to be doing it. … But getting this call and [hearing], ‘There’s going to be no involvement in the show from now on’ — it’s like going through a breakup after 10 years.”

In Garcia’s request for a restraining order, she claimed that Chigvintsev had been struggling with his anger management before the domestic violence incident last month. Shortly after her filing made headlines, the pro dancer filed his own request for a restraining order, claiming that she had been the primary aggressor in the incident, per documents obtained by PEOPLE. On Oct. 4, a judge granted the protective order.

The married pair, who share 4-year-old son Matteo, have been estranged since the dispute which led to Garcia filing to divorce Chigvintsev and ending their two year marriage on Sept. 11.

Though Chigvintsev was arrested on charges of corporal injury to a spouse, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced on Sept. 24 that her office had declined to file criminal charges against the former Dancing with the Stars pro dancer.

Both are due in court on Oct. 21 for a full hearing, per court filings.