5 Shocking Revelations About Nikki Bella And John Cena’s Tumultuous Split And Where They Are Now (2025 Update)
The six-year romance between WWE powerhouses Nikki Bella and John Cena captured the world’s attention, culminating in a dramatic WrestleMania proposal that seemed like a fairy tale ending. Yet, just weeks before their planned wedding, the 'it' couple of wrestling shockingly called it quits, leaving fans and the media reeling. The true, complex reasons behind their 2018 split—and the dramatic turns their lives have taken since—are far more compelling than any scripted storyline, especially with the extremely recent news regarding Nikki's personal life in late 2024.
As of late 2025, both stars have moved on, but their individual journeys have been marked by significant, life-altering events. While John Cena found quiet happiness with his new wife, Nikki Garcia (formerly Bella) recently navigated another major life change, bringing the curiosity about her former relationship with Cena back into the spotlight. This is the definitive, up-to-date look at their intertwined history and their current, separate worlds.
Detailed Biography and Career Profiles: The Power Couple
To truly understand the magnitude of their split, one must first appreciate the careers of the two iconic figures involved. Their relationship was a collision of two wrestling titans who successfully transitioned into mainstream entertainment.
- John Cena (John Felix Anthony Cena)
- Born: April 23, 1977 (Age 48 in 2025)
- Birthplace: West Newbury, Massachusetts
- Occupation: Actor, Professional Wrestler (Retired/Part-Time), Former Rapper
- Career Highlights: Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Cena is a record-tying 17-time world champion in WWE. He is the face of the "You Can't See Me" meme and the "Never Give Up" mantra.
- Filmography: His successful transition to Hollywood includes major roles in films like The Marine, Bumblebee, Fast & Furious franchise, and the DC Extended Universe film The Suicide Squad, where he played Peacemaker.
- Nikki Garcia (Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace, formerly Nikki Bella)
- Born: November 21, 1983 (Age 42 in 2025)
- Birthplace: San Diego, California
- Occupation: Professional Wrestler, TV Personality, Entrepreneur
- Career Highlights: Nikki, alongside her twin sister Brie Bella (now Brie Garcia), formed The Bella Twins, becoming one of the most dominant female acts in WWE history. She is a two-time WWE Divas Champion and a WWE Hall of Famer.
- Television: Starred in the highly successful E! reality shows Total Divas and its spin-off, Total Bellas, which heavily documented her relationship with John Cena.
The Relationship Timeline: From Secret Dating to WrestleMania Proposal
The relationship between Nikki Bella and John Cena wasn't just a private affair; it was a cornerstone of WWE programming and reality television for years. Their journey was marked by intense public scrutiny and a few key, high-stakes moments.
2012–2016: The 'Total Bellas' Era and The No-Marriage Clause
The couple began dating in 2012, quickly becoming a wrestling world power couple. However, their relationship was immediately complicated by two major issues that became recurring themes on Total Bellas: John Cena’s firm stance against marriage and his reluctance to have children. Cena had been married once before and was very public about his position, even reportedly having Nikki sign a 75-page cohabitation agreement that protected his assets and detailed his desire not to marry again or have a family.
This conflict over wanting to be a mother was a constant source of tension for Nikki, who often expressed her deep desire to start a family, especially seeing her twin sister, Brie Bella, and her husband, Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson), do so.
April 2017: The WrestleMania Moment
In a moment that shocked the wrestling world, John Cena proposed to Nikki Bella at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Florida, in front of 75,000 fans, immediately after they had defeated The Miz and Maryse in a mixed tag team match. This grand, public gesture seemed to signal that Cena had finally changed his mind on marriage for the woman he loved, leading to their wedding planning.
April 2018: The Breakup and The Real Reason
Just one year later, and only weeks before their scheduled wedding, the couple announced they were splitting. While the public statement was amicable, the core issue remained the same: children. Despite Cena's WrestleMania proposal, the underlying conflict about starting a family proved insurmountable. Nikki’s desire for motherhood was non-negotiable, and Cena’s position, despite his love for her, could not be permanently altered, leading to the painful decision to end their six-year relationship.
The Separate Paths: John Cena’s Quiet Marriage and Nikki’s Dramatic 2024 Divorce
The years following their 2018 split saw both stars embark on new, highly publicized relationships, but their recent trajectories are what truly bring this story to a fresh, 2025 update.
John Cena and Shay Shariatzadeh: A Private Happiness
John Cena began dating Canadian engineer Shay Shariatzadeh in early 2019 after meeting her on the set of his film Playing with Fire in Vancouver. Their relationship was notably private, a stark contrast to his highly televised romance with Nikki.
- The Marriage: Cena and Shariatzadeh quietly married in October 2020 at an attorney’s office in Tampa, Florida.
- Current Status: As of 2025, the couple remains happily married, maintaining a low-key profile away from the reality TV spotlight.
Nikki Garcia, Artem Chigvintsev, and the 2024 Divorce
Nikki Bella moved on with her Dancing with the Stars partner, Artem Chigvintsev, in 2019. The relationship progressed quickly, fulfilling the family life she desired.
- Family Life: They welcomed their son, Matteo, in July 2020, just one day before Brie Bella welcomed her second child.
- The Marriage: Nikki and Artem married in August 2022 in Paris, France.
- The Shocking Split: In a major, fresh update, Nikki filed for divorce from Artem Chigvintsev in September 2024, after two years of marriage. The divorce was officially finalized in November 2024, making this a very recent development in her personal life.
- New Name: Following the divorce, Nikki has publicly embraced her birth name, Nikki Garcia, a symbol of her new chapter.
Nikki’s Honest Feelings About John Cena and Shay Shariatzadeh
Despite the highly dramatic and public nature of their breakup, Nikki Garcia has been consistently vocal about her maturity and respect for John Cena and his current wife, Shay Shariatzadeh. This is a critical point of topical authority, showing the closure between the ex-partners.
In recent interviews, Nikki has confirmed that she has a cordial relationship with Cena. She has openly stated that she has "so much respect for him and his wife and their relationship." Furthermore, she has described Shay as "super sweet and amazing," noting that Shay is often present at WWE events.
This mutual respect was evident in late 2025 when Nikki had to explain why she wasn't at a major event often discussed as one of John Cena's final appearances, clarifying that she was representing WWE at a separate NHL game. The fact that their names are still linked in the news, even years later, underscores their enduring impact as a former celebrity couple.
The journey of Nikki Bella and John Cena serves as a modern cautionary tale about fame, love, and compromise. While they both achieved the family life and privacy they ultimately sought, their paths diverged dramatically over the single, non-negotiable issue of having children. With Nikki Garcia now single again after her 2024 divorce, the public continues to watch both stars, curious to see what the next chapter holds for two of the biggest names to ever grace the WWE and Hollywood stage.
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