John Cena‘s love life has seen its fair share of ups and downs, from a high school sweetheart to high-profile breakups and, finally, a love story that seems to have found its perfect ending. Throughout his journey, Cena has experienced the exhilaration of grand romantic gestures, the heartbreak of unexpected breakups, and the challenges of balancing love with an intense career.
Cena’s relationships have played out under the scrutiny of the public eye, making each twist and turn all the more dramatic. Despite setbacks, he has continued to search for the right person—someone who understands both his larger-than-life persona and the man behind the spotlight. While some romances seemed destined for forever, they ultimately unraveled, paving the way for a love that appears to be built on a stronger foundation.
John Cena’s First Wife: Who Was Elizabeth Huberdeau?
John Cena’s first wife, Elizabeth Huberdeau, was not a celebrity or a fellow WWE star but a woman he had known since his youth. They got engaged in 2009, with Cena casually dropping the news during an interview while promoting his movie 12 Rounds. The couple tied the knot on July 11, 2009, in what should have been the beginning of a lifelong commitment. However, their marriage faced turbulence, and Cena filed for divorce on May 1, 2012.
Huberdeau was reportedly blindsided by the decision, initially believing infidelity was involved. Legal battles ensued, but eventually, they reached a settlement. Cena later admitted that his devotion to WWE played a major role in the marriage’s downfall, stating, “I realized my WWE marriage was the one that was going to survive.”
High Profile Relationship With Nikki Bella
After his divorce, Cena quickly moved on to a high-profile relationship with fellow WWE superstar Nikki Bella. Their romance, which began in 2012, was highly publicized and even featured on reality shows like Total Divas and Total Bellas. Cena and Bella seemed like the perfect couple, and in 2017, he proposed to her in grand fashion—right in the middle of the ring at WrestleMania 33, in front of 75,000 cheering fans. However, their relationship had underlying issues, particularly regarding children.
A #WrestleMania moment for the ages! After winning their #MixedTag, @JohnCena PROPOSES to Nikki @BellaTwins at The #UltimateThrillRide! pic.twitter.com/lnjviTTL6c
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2017
Cena was adamant about not wanting kids, which clashed with Bella’s deep desire to become a mother. Despite Cena eventually conceding and agreeing to have children for Bella’s sake, she sensed it was not truly what he wanted. In April 2018, just weeks before their scheduled wedding, they called off their engagement. Bella later admitted, “Even in the end when he was willing to give me kids, I could just tell, it’s not what we wanted.”
Who Is John Cena’s Current Wife, Shay Shariatzadeh?
Following the split from Nikki Bella, John Cena stayed away from the dating scene until March 2019, when he was spotted in Vancouver with Shay Shariatzadeh, a brilliant engineer born in Iran and raised in Canada. They met while Cena was filming Playing with Fire. Their first encounter happened at a Vancouver restaurant during the Super Bowl, where a friend of Shariatzadeh’s approached Cena for a picture. That led to their first interaction, and Cena wasted no time in asking for her number.
That very night, as he walked home, he texted her, “It was so nice to meet you, you’re beautiful, I’d like to get to know you more.” Their relationship progressed quickly, and by October 12, 2020, they were married in a private ceremony at an attorney’s office in Tampa, Florida. Almost two years later, they hosted a second wedding celebration in Vancouver in July 2022, surrounded by family and friends.
Unlike Cena’s past relationships, his marriage with his current wife Shariatzadeh has remained largely private. She holds a degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of British Columbia and has worked as a product manager at companies like Motorola Solutions and Sonatype. While she prefers to stay out of the spotlight, she has supported Cena at various red carpet events, including the premieres of Fast X and Argylle.
Cena Is Unlikely to Welcome Kids Anytime Soon
John Cena, who once declared he would never want kids, has softened his stance over the years. In a 2021 interview, he admitted, “I’m a little bit older, a bit wiser… and I think part of that is being a parent, so we’ll see.”
However, in 2024, during an appearance on Club Shay Shay, he reinforced his decision to remain child-free, stating, “I don’t think I’m personally ready, nor will I ever be, to invest the time it needs to be a great parent. I want to live life for all it is.” His relationship with his supportive spouse Shariatzadeh is built on mutual understanding, and they share the same values when it comes to their personal life.
