John Cena's wife is Shay Shariatzadeh, an Iranian-Canadian electrical engineer and product manager. The couple married on 12 October 2020 in a private ceremony at an attorney's office in Tampa, Florida, according to PW Insider and a marriage certificate obtained by People. Two years later, they held a second wedding celebration in July 2022 in Vancouver, Canada. Cena was previously married to his childhood friend Elizabeth Huberdeau from 2009 until their divorce in 2012. Over the course of his wrestling career, Cena was in confirmed and rumoured relationships with Nikki Bella, A.J. Lee, Mickie James, and Lisa Marie Varon.
John Cena's Profile and Career Highlights
John Felix Anthony Cena was born on 23 April 1977 in West Newbury, Massachusetts, United States. As of 2026, he is 49 years old. He stands 6'1" (185 cm) tall and weighs 251 pounds (114 kg). Cena is of Italian, English, and French Canadian ethnicity. He attended Central Catholic High School and Cushing Academy before earning a degree from Springfield College. Professionally, he is an American actor and retired professional wrestler with an estimated net worth of $80 million.
Cena is a 17-time WWE world champion. His career has spanned wrestling, acting, and reality television. He has appeared in films such as The Suicide Squad (2021) and Argylle (2024). He is also active on social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X (Twitter).
Who Is Shay Shariatzadeh, John Cena's Wife?
Shay Shariatzadeh is an Iranian-born engineer who grew up in Canada. She attended the University of British Columbia from 2008 to 2013, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and electronics engineering. According to her ZoomInfo profile, she has worked as a software testing engineer at Alpha Technologies, a product specialist at Motorola Solutions' subsidiary Avigilon, and a product manager at Sonatype. Previously, Shay worked at Guess, La Vie En Rose, BrainStation, and the University of British Columbia.
John Cena and Shay Shariatzadeh met by chance at a bar in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on 3 February 2019. Cena had accompanied a friend to watch the New England Patriots play the Los Angeles Rams during Super Bowl LIII. During an appearance on SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show, Cena said, "I wasn't looking, but, man, it just found me." The future couple took a photo before Cena asked for Shariatzadeh's number. He described being distracted from the game after noticing Shay, adding, "I was so bad. Here I am, hell, this was half a decade (ago). I'm 40, and I'm too scared to approach this girl."
Cena revealed his early plans to propose three months into the relationship, before finally opting to propose after a year. The Argylle actor, who left the set of the 2021 film The Suicide Squad early to propose, said, "And I would have done it in three months. It might have been a little weird, yes. I don't want to speak for her, but she didn't say no when I asked."
John Cena's Relationship History
John Cena's romantic history includes rumoured relationships, two marriages, and one high-profile engagement. Here is a detailed look at his ex-girlfriends, former spouses, and their relationship timelines.
Nikki Bella (2012–2018)
Former WWE power couple John Cena and Nikki Bella (Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace) dated for about six years before calling off their engagement. During her 2013 interview with TribLive Radio (recorded by E! Online), Bella recalled how they started dating: "The first opening line was, 'Hey, do you want to go to dinner with me?' and I was kind of like, 'What? With me?' It just kind of started like a dinner date, and I have to admit we were friends for so many years, but then when you make it romantic, I couldn't even say a word to him."
The couple's relationship featured heavily on Total Bellas, a spin-off of the reality TV show Total Divas, starring Nikki and Brie Bella. In a scene from season 3, episode 1, aired on 7 September 2014, Cena and Bella discussed their conflicting desires regarding marriage and children. Cena firmly maintained, "I'm trying to be a realist. I've told you that I don't want to get married and I don't want to have kids, and you do want to get married, and you do want to have kids. So I feel like this is a time-bomb over my head."
In the following season of Total Divas (Season 4, Episode 13), Nikki Bella's former boyfriend Dolph Ziggler made a bold approach. He admitted he still had feelings for the WWE wrestler and offered her what Cena could not: marriage and children. On 2 April 2017, John Cena and Nikki Bella teamed up to wrestle The Miz & Maryse in a Mixed Tag Team Match at WrestleMania 33 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. After their victory, Cena proposed in front of a live crowd of over 75,000 fans.
Bella shared an announcement of their separation in a now-deleted Instagram post on 15 April 2018. In a May interview on NBC's Today show with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, Cena expressed his desire to win his fiancée back after their split, saying, "I still love Nicole. I still would love to marry Nicole. I still would love to have a family with Nicole." He added, "Life had always been about me, and then slowly over time, this woman waltzes in and just steals my heart. Whether I want to realise it or not, she becomes my number one… So, I'm willing to go back on all of these things that I say just out of stubbornness. 'I won't have kids.'"
In an exclusive statement shared on People on 30 July 2018, Nikki Bella announced their separation: "After I called off the engagement, we tried to work on our relationship to get back to where it was, and in order to move forward with our wedding. After much time and soul-searching alone and together, we have decided to officially part ways."
Elizabeth Huberdeau (2009–2012)
John Cena's ex-wife is Elizabeth Huberdeau, his high school sweetheart. He announced his engagement through a February 2009 feature on Seattle Post-Intelligencer. On 3 May 2012, TMZ reported that Cena had filed for divorce in Florida. As per the report, Elizabeth's attorney Raymond Rafool revealed that she had been blindsided by the petition. In the same month, she petitioned the court to dismiss the divorce case, claiming that Cena failed to bring a proper dissolution of marriage action against her. A June report by TMZ also revealed that the couple's marriage dissolution was caused in part by a house remodel.
Later in the month, the American tabloid reported accusations of infidelity on Cena's part. Rafool, Elizabeth's lawyer, said, "We're definitely following up on every lead relative to his being unfaithful before and after the separation."
A.J. Lee (2012)
A.J. Lee and John Cena made headlines as part of a romantic WWE storyline in 2012. Their on-screen romance began in October 2012 when Raw General Manager Vickie Guerrero accused Lee of fraternising with Cena. Their in-ring romance played out intensively in November 2012, when Cena and Lee shared passionate kisses during WWE matches in front of live audiences.
Their first kiss came on 19 November 2012 during an episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. The pair locked lips again in celebration after Cena defeated Dolph Ziggler during a Monday Night Raw fight on 26 November 2012. On 16 December 2012, A.J. Lee turned heel, betraying Cena during his WWE Tables, Ladders, & Chairs match against Dolph Ziggler, ending their romantic storyline.
Mickie James (2007–2008)
John Cena and Mickie James shared an in-ring and real-life romance between 2007 and 2008. On screen, fans were treated to sweet interactions, including one on 5 December 2006 when Mickie James asked John Cena out on a date after he defended her family.
Lisa Marie Varon (2002)
According to Wrestling Inc, Lisa Marie Varon revealed that she had dated Cena in 2002. She also refuted claims that she was Cena's road girlfriend. Her statements came after former WWE star Kenn Doane had implicated Lisa Marie Varon as John Cena's extramarital affair partner. In an apology shared on X (Twitter), Doane said, "Never wanted Lisa to be involved obviously; I was wrong 4 hinting towards her since she is the sweetest person ever. So for that I'm sorry."
Frequently Asked Questions About John Cena's Relationships
Does John Cena have a wife or kids? At the time of this writing, John Cena does not share any children with his wife, Shay Shariatzadeh.
How did Shay meet John Cena? The couple met in a Vancouver bar on 3 February 2019.
How old is John Cena's wife, Shay? Born in 1989, Shariatzadeh is 37 years old.
What does John Cena's wife do for work? Shay Shariatzadeh is a trained electrical and electronics engineer who has worked as a software testing engineer and a product specialist.
How many times has John Cena been married? The retired WWE wrestler has been married twice.
Who was John Cena's first wife? John Cena was previously married to Elizabeth Huberdeau.
Why did John Cena leave his first wife? Divorce filings of the couple's three-year marriage described their union as irretrievably broken.
Did John Cena and Nikki Bella date in real life? John Cena and Nikki Bella started dating in 2012 and ended their engagement in April 2018.
Was John Cena married to Nikki Bella? The WWE wrestlers planned to get married on 5 May 2018, but they called off their engagement weeks before the date.
What happened between John Cena and Nikki Bella? The pair shared conflicting desires around marriage and having children.
Over the decades, John Cena has navigated high-profile public romances alongside his entertainment career. His early relationships include on-screen storylines with Lisa Marie Varon, Mickie James, and A.J. Lee. Today, John Cena remains married to Shay Shariatzadeh.
