John Felix Anthony Cena (/ˈsiːnə/SEE-nə; born April 23, 1977) is an Americanprofessional wrestler and actor. He is signed toWWE, where he is the currentWWE Intercontinental Champion in hisfirst reign. He is a record 17-time world champion, holding the most recognized world title reigns in WWE's history,[7] and is widely regarded as one of WWE's greatest professional wrestlers of all time.[8][9][10][11]
Originally pursuing abodybuilding career, Cena began wrestling in 1999 and signed with WWE in 2001 to itsdevelopmental territoryOhio Valley Wrestling (OVW). After debuting on the main roster onSmackDown! in 2002, he rose to prominence as a brash, villainous rapper[12] before becoming the company'sfranchise player from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s.[13][14] He has wrestled on a part-time schedule since 2018, with his retirement match scheduled to take place atSaturday Night's Main Event XLII in 2025. His run as aface from 2003 to 2025 was the longest continuous portrayal of a heroic character in WWE history.[15]
Cena has acted in both comedies and action films, receiving praise for his roles inTrainwreck (2015),Blockers (2018), andThe Suicide Squad (2021). He has also starred in films such asThe Marine (2006),Bumblebee (2018), andF9 (2021), as well as the portrayingthe title character in the superhero seriesPeacemaker (2022–2025). He released the rap albumYou Can't See Me (2005), which peaked at No. 15 on theBillboard 200, and is known for his charity work; he has granted more than 650 wishes for theMake-A-Wish Foundation, the most in the organization's history.[16]
Early life
John Felix Anthony Cena was born inWest Newbury, Massachusetts, on April 23, 1977,[1][17] to Carol (née Lupien) and formerChaotic Wrestling ring announcer John Joseph Cena. He has one older brother named Dan and three younger brothers named Matt, Steve, and Sean.[18] Their maternal grandfather was baseball playerTony Lupien, a son of businessmanUlysses J. Lupien, and the brothers are cousins of computer scientistNatalie Enright Jerger.[19] When Cena was born, hisumbilical cord was wrapped three times around his neck.[1] A childhood fan of wrestling, he would create championship belts out of cardboard for himself and his brothers.[18]
In 1998, Cena moved to California to train for professional wrestling atUltimate Pro Wrestling's (UPW) Ultimate University, operated byRick Bassman.[17] He adopted a semi-robotic persona calledThe Prototype,[25] wrestling at local events and holding the UPW Heavyweight Championship in 2000. His early career was partially featured in theDiscovery Channel documentaryInside Pro Wrestling School.[26] Cena remained with UPW until March 2001.[17][27]
World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE
Cena made his official WWE television debut on June 27, 2002, answeringKurt Angle's open challenge onSmackDown! and declaring he possessed "ruthless aggression."[1] Cena soon feuded with Chris Jericho, defeating Jericho atVengeance in July. After a heel turn, Cena began feuding withBilly Kidman and adopted a rapper persona inspired by a backstage freestyle overheard byStephanie McMahon andPaul Heyman.[30] Debuting the "Doctor of Thuganomics" character, Cena began performing freestyle raps in promos and wore jerseys and hats as part of his gimmick,[12][17] along with the slogan "Word Life".[31] Cena was briefly paired with enforcer B-2 (Bull Buchanan) and thenRed Dogg until Red Dogg was sent to the Raw brand in February.[17]
Cena regained the title by defeatingBooker T in abest of five series that concluded atNo Mercy on October 3, but lost it days later toCarlito Caribbean Cool onSmackDown!.[41][42][43] Their storyline escalated when Cena was (kayfabe) stabbed in a nightclub by Carlito's bodyguardJesús, an angle used to explain his absence while filmingThe Marine.[17] Cena returned atSurvivor Series on November 14 and regained the title on the November 18 episode ofSmackDown!, then defeated Jesús in a street fight atArmageddon on December 12.[44][45][46]
At the2005 Royal Rumble, Cena andBatista were the final two participants and were eliminated simultaneously by one-another. After a restart, Batista won. Cena earned a WWE Championship match atWrestleMania 21 by defeating Kurt Angle atNo Way Out, beginning a feud with championJohn "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL). Although Cena lost his United States Championship toOrlando Jordan on the March 3 episode ofSmackDown!, Cena defeated JBL at WrestleMania to win his first WWE Championship.[47] Cena introduced a customized spinner belt and defeated JBL again in an"I Quit" match atJudgment Day.[48]
Cena was drafted toRaw on June 6, 2005, becoming the first pick in that year's draft lottery.[49] Cena began a feud with General ManagerEric Bischoff, who opposed Cena's refusal to participate in fighting theECW roster atOne Night Stand.[50] AtVengeance, Cena retained his title in a triple threat match againstChristian andChris Jericho. Bischoff backed Jericho as his chosen challenger, but Cena retained his championship atSummerSlam[51] and defeated Jericho again in aYou're Fired match on the August 22 episode ofRaw.[52] Kurt Angle subsequently replaced Jericho as Bischoff's hand-picked contender. Over the next few months, Cena lost to Angle by disqualification atUnforgiven, pinned Shawn Michaels atTaboo Tuesday in a triple threat match involving Angle, and pinned Angle atSurvivor Series.[53][54][55] During this feud, Cena added a submission finisher, theSTFU, in preparation for a triple threat submission match against Angle andChris Masters on the November 28 episode ofRaw.[56]
WWE Champion (2006–2007)
Cena facing off againstEdge at a WWEhouse show in July 2006
Cena retained the WWE Championship in theElimination Chamber atNew Year's Revolution, but immediately lost it toEdge, who cashed in hisMoney in the Bank contract.[17][57] Cena regained the title at theRoyal Rumble[57] and retained it againstTriple H atWrestleMania 22, Cena's first WrestleMania headlining match.[58] Cena lost the title a few months later toRob Van Dam atECW One Night Stand due to Edge's interference, in a match where the crowd was notably hostile to Cena.[59] Edge later won the title from Van Dam on the July 3 episode ofRaw, leading to a lengthy feud that ended with Cena defeating him in aTables, Ladders and Chairs match atUnforgiven in September to reclaim the championship.[60] Cena returned with his version of the spinner title belt on the next night'sRaw.[61]
On the October 1 episode ofRaw, Cena suffered a legitimate tornpectoral muscle during a match againstMr. Kennedy and was sidelined indefinitely. Cena was stripped of the WWE Championship the following night onECW,[71] ending his 380-day reign. Cena underwent surgery for his injury at St. Vincent's Hospital inBirmingham, Alabama.[72]
World Heavyweight Champion and further world championship reigns (2008–2010)
At the 2008Royal Rumble, Cena made a surprise return as the final participant of the Royal Rumble match, which he won by last eliminating Triple H.[73] Rather than wait forWrestleMania XXIV Cena used his title shot against WWE Champion Randy Orton atNo Way Out but won by disqualification, thus not capturing the title.[74][75] Despite this, Cena was later added to the WrestleMania XXIV title match, making it a triple threat, but was pinned by Orton.[76][77] Following WrestleMania Cena would feud with JBL, defeating JBL atJudgment Day andOne Night Stand in a First Blood match, before losing to JBL in aNew York CityParking Lot Brawl atThe Great American Bash.[78][79][80]
In 2010, after being eliminated by a surprise-returning Edge at theRoyal Rumble, Cena regained the WWE Championship atElimination Chamber but lost it moments later to Batista in an impromptu match.[97] Cena defeated Batista to regain the title atWrestleMania XXVI, and retained the title in subsequent matches atExtreme Rules andOver the Limit, ending their feud.[98][99][100]
Cena being forced to read a public address byWade Barrett while a member ofThe Nexus in November 2010
On the June 7 episode ofRaw, during a match againstCM Punk, Cena was attacked by all eight former contestants of thefirst season ofNXT, withWade Barrett as their leader.[101] This group, later referring to itself asThe Nexus, made Cena lose the WWE Championship to Sheamus atFatal 4-Way on June 20, as well as their steel cage match on July 18 atMoney in the Bank.[102][103] Cena formed an alliance with Edge, Chris Jericho,John Morrison,R-Truth,Bret Hart and former Nexus memberDaniel Bryan to defeat The Nexus atSummerSlam on August 15.[104] AtNight of Champions on September 19, Cena was eliminated by Barrett in a six-pack challenge elimination match for the championship.[105]
AtHell in a Cell on October 3, Cena faced Barrett with the stipulations that if he were to lose, he would join The Nexus, and if he were to win, The Nexus would disband. Cena lost to Barrett and reluctantly joined The Nexus.[106] On October 24, Cena and fellow Nexus memberDavid Otunga defeated Rhodes andDrew McIntyre to win the WWE Tag Team Championship atBragging Rights. Later that night, Cena was forced to help Barrett defeat Orton in a WWE Championship match; Barrett won by disqualification, but not the title.[107][108] The next night onRaw, Cena and Otunga lost the titles to fellow Nexus membersHeath Slater andJustin Gabriel when Barrett ordered Otunga to lie down and lose the titles.[109]
AtSurvivor Series on November 21, Cena officiated another WWE Championship match between Barrett and Orton; per stipulation, if Barrett did not win the championship, Cenawould be "fired" from the WWE. Cena was fired (kayfabe) after Orton retained against Barrett.[110] The next night onRaw, Cena gave a farewell speech before again costing Barrett the title by interfering in his rematch with Orton.[111] A week later, Cena invadedRaw, first as a spectator, but then attacked members of the Nexus, explaining he would still take them down one by one despite not being employed.[112] On the December 13 episode ofRaw, Cena was rehired by Barrett in exchange that he would face him on December 19 atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in achairs match, which Cena won.[113][114]
On the January 17, 2011 episode ofRaw, Cena faced CM Punk, who had assumed leadership of The Nexus and renamed thestable as The New Nexus, in a match which ended in ano contest after Cena was attacked by the debutingMason Ryan, who later joined The New Nexus.[115] Cena competed in theRoyal Rumble match on January 30, which saw Cena eliminate most of the members of The New Nexus, ending their feud. Cena was eliminated by WWE Champion The Miz, who was not part of the match.[116] Cena won the titular match atElimination Chamber on February 20 to face The Miz atWrestleMania XXVII for the WWE Championship.[117]
The next night onRaw, Cena replied in rap form to comments made byThe Rock the previous week, as he returned as the announced guest host of WrestleMania. That night, Cena and The Miz defeated Slater and Gabriel to become WWE Tag Team Champions, but their rematch clause was immediately invoked and they lost the titles after The Miz attacked Cena.[118] After weeks of insults, Cena and The Rock finally met on the March 28 episode ofRaw, where, after a verbal confrontation and brief attack by The Miz andAlex Riley, Cena attacked The Rock with theAttitude Adjustment.[119] At WrestleMania on April 3, Cena and The Miz fought to adouble countout, but The Rock restarted the match and performed aRock Bottom on Cena, allowing The Miz to retain the title.[120] The next night onRaw, Cena, in response to The Rock "screwing" him out of the title, agreed to face him in the main event ofWrestleMania XXVIII, marking the first WrestleMania match set up one year in advance.[121]
AtExtreme Rules on May 1, Cena defeated The Miz and Morrison in a triple threat steel cage match to become WWE Champion.[122] Cena retained the title against The Miz on May 22 atOver the Limit in an "I Quit" match,[123] and R-Truth on June 19 atCapitol Punishment.[124] After CM Punk announced he was leaving the company due to his contract expiring afterMoney in the Bank on July 17, he defeated Cena for the WWE Championship, leaving with the title.[125][126]Dave Meltzer of theWrestling Observer Newsletter awarded the matchfive stars, Cena's first five star match.[127] On July 25, afterRey Mysterio won the title in a tournament, Cena challenged and defeated him for the title later that night, only to be interrupted by Punk, who alsoclaimed to be champion.[128] Cena lost to Punk atSummerSlam on August 14 in achampionship unification match.[129] AtNight of Champions on September 18, Cena defeatedAlberto Del Rio for his tenth WWE Championship, but lost it back to Del Rio atHell in a Cell on October 2 in a triple threat Hell in a Cell match also involving Punk.[130][131] Cena lost his rematch to Del Rio atVengeance on October 23 in a Last Man Standing match due to interference byThe Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth).[132] After weeks of them attacking Cena and employees, Cena was allowed to choose his partner to face them on November 20 atSurvivor Series. He chose The Rock as his partner, and they defeated Miz and Truth; after the match, The Rock gave Cena aRock Bottom.[133][134]
Cena briefly feuded withKane, who he fought to a double countout atRoyal Rumble on January 29, 2012, and defeated in anAmbulance match on February 19 atElimination Chamber.[135][136][137] On March 19, Cena was involved in a three-car accident inPhiladelphia, but suffered no severe injuries.[138] At WrestleMania XXVIII on April 1, Cena lost to The Rock in the main event after attempting to hit thePeople's Elbow on The Rock, who countered with aRock Bottom for the pinfall.[139]
Brock Lesnar faces off with Cena after his return in April 2012
The following night onRaw SuperShow, Cena invited The Rock to the ring to congratulate him on his victory, however, his call was answered instead by the returningBrock Lesnar, who attacked Cena with anF-5.[140] Raw and SmackDown General ManagerJohn Laurinaitis revealed that he signed Lesnar to bring "legitimacy" to the WWE and for him to become its "new face".[141] AtExtreme Rules on April 29, Cena defeated Lesnar in anExtreme Rules match.[142] AtOver the Limit on May 20, Big Show helped Laurinaitis defeat Cena, but he was fired atNo Way Out on June 17 after Cena defeated Big Show in a steel cage match with both their jobs on the line.[143][144] Cena won the WWE Championship Money in the Bank ladder match atMoney in the Bank on July 15, earning a contract for a shot at the WWE Championship anytime within a year.[145] AtRaw 1000 on July 23, Cena cashed in his contract on Punk and won by disqualification after Big Show interfered, becoming the first person to cash in a Money in the Bank contract and not win a title.[146] Cena failed to win the title from Punk in a triple threat match involving Big Show atSummerSlam on August 19, and fought him to a draw atNight of Champions on September 16.[147][148] After being sidelined with a legitimate arm injury, Cena was pinned by Punk in a triple threat match involvingRyback atSurvivor Series on November 18.[149][150] He then feuded withDolph Ziggler over an alleged relationship withAJ Lee and lost to Ziggler in a ladder match atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 16 for his World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank contract, after AJ turned on Cena.[151] Cena defeated Ziggler on the January 7 and 14 episodes ofRaw despite interferences from AJ andBig E Langston, ending the feud.[152][153]
On January 27, 2013, Cena won his secondRoyal Rumble match, announcing that he would pursue the WWE Championship atWrestleMania 29.[154][155] AtElimination Chamber on February 17, Cena, Ryback and Sheamus lost toThe Shield (Dean Ambrose,Roman Reigns andSeth Rollins).[156] On the February 25 episode ofRaw, Cena defeated Punk to retain his number one contendership to the WWE Championship.[157] At WrestleMania on April 7, Cena defeated The Rock in their rematch to win his eleventh WWE Championship.[158] Cena then began a rivalry with Ryback and suffered a legitimateachilles tendon injury, but retained the title in a Last Man Standing match (which ended in a no contest) atExtreme Rules on May 19 and aThree Stages of Hell match on June 16 atPayback.[159][160][161] He defeatedMark Henry via submission to retain the title on July 14 atMoney in the Bank.[162] AtSummerSlam on August 18, Cena lost the WWE Championship to Daniel Bryan with Triple H as thespecial guest referee, ending his reign at 133 days.[163] The following night onRaw, Cena announced he would undergo surgery for a triceps tear and would be out for four to six months.[164]
World championship pursuits and reigns (2013–2015)
Cena returned atHell in a Cell on October 27, defeating Del Rio to win his third World Heavyweight Championship.[165] He retained the title against Del Rio on November 24 atSurvivor Series.[166] Cena next challenged then-WWE Champion Randy Orton to unify their respective championships, leading to a Tables, Ladders and Chairs title unification match atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 15, which Cena lost.[167] Cena failed to win the now-unified WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Orton atRoyal Rumble on January 26, 2014, and in the Elimination Chamber match at thetitular event on February 23 after being distracted byThe Wyatt Family.[168][169]
I know how John Cena feuds tend to work. He loses one match, then wins the next two or three. Look atRusev andBray Wyatt as examples. These feuds don't really help talent. They're established... as definitively below Cena. This is a running theme in WWE booking.[Kevin] Owens is... worse off than he would have been if he had never had the second and third matches with Cena.
—Pro Wrestling Dot Net analyst Will Pruett in July 2015[170]
Following the event,Bray Wyatt accepted Cena's challenge for a match atWrestleMania XXX on April 6 to prove that Cena's heroic act was a façade characteristic of "this era of lies" and turn Cena into a "monster".[171][172] At WrestleMania, Cena defeated Wyatt despite interference fromLuke Harper andErick Rowan.[173] The feud continued based on the story that Wyatt was capturing Cena's fanbase, exemplified by Wyatt leading a children's choir to the ring on the April 28 episode ofRaw, where they later donned sheep masks.[174] AtExtreme Rules on May 4, Wyatt defeated Cena in asteel cage match after repeated interference from the rest of the Wyatt Family members and a demonic child.[175] AtPayback on June 1, Cena defeated Wyatt in a Last Man Standing match after burying him under multiple equipment cases, ending their feud.[176]
AtMoney in the Bank on June 29, Cena won the ladder match for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship.[177] He retained the title atBattleground on July 20 in a fatal four-way match against Orton, Kane and Reigns.[178] AtSummerSlam on August 17, Cena lost the title to Lesnar in asquash match after sixteensuplexes and twoF-5s, ending his reign at 49 days.[179] In their rematch atNight of Champions on September 21, he failed to regain the title after Rollins attacked him, causing a disqualification.[180] AtHell in a Cell on October 26, Cena defeated Orton in a Hell in a Cell match to become the number one contender for the championship.[181]
The next night onRaw, Cena rejectedThe Authority's offer to join forces, resulting in a5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination tag match between Team Cena (Cena, Ziggler, Rowan, Big Show and Ryback) and Team Authority (Rollins, Kane, Harper, Henry and Rusev) atSurvivor Series on November 23.[182] Big Show turned on Cena, causing his elimination, but Ziggler won the match for Team Cena with the interferingSting's help. Per the stipulation, The Authority were stripped from power and only Cena could bring them back.[183] AtTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 14, Cena defeated Rollins in a tables match to retain his number one contendership to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and face Lesnar for the title atRoyal Rumble.[184] On the December 29 episode ofRaw, Rollins and Big Show held guest host Edge hostage, forcing Cena to reinstate The Authority, who added Rollins to his title match and "fired" Ziggler, Ryback and Rowan for joining Team Cena. He won their jobs back by defeating Rollins, Big Show and Kane in ahandicap match.[185][186][187] At Royal Rumble on January 25, 2015, Cena was unsuccessful in capturing the title.[188]
Cena after defeatingRusev for the United States Championship atWrestleMania 31 in March 2015
United States Champion (2015–2016)
Cena then began feuding with United States ChampionRusev and failed to win the title atFastlane on February 22, when he passed out from Rusev's submission, theAccolade, after Rusev hit Cena with alow blow following a distraction by his managerLana.[189] Cena challenged Rusev to a rematch, which was declined, and Stephanie McMahon decreed that Cena would not compete atWrestleMania 31 unless Rusev agreed to a rematch.[190] On the March 9 episode ofRaw, Cena attacked Rusev, refusing to release theSTF submission hold, causing Lana to grant Cena the match.[191] Cena defeated Rusev at WrestleMania on March 29 to win his fourth United States Championship, marking Rusev's first pinfall loss in the main roster.[192] He issued weekly open challenges for the title, culminating in successful defenses against the likes of Dean Ambrose,[193] Stardust,[194] Bad News Barrett,[195] Kane,[196]Sami Zayn,[197]Neville,[198]Zack Ryder[199] andCesaro.[200] He retained his title against Rusev in aRussian Chain match on April 26 atExtreme Rules, and an "I Quit" match on May 17 atPayback, ending their feud.[201][202] The following night onRaw, Cena was attacked by then-NXT ChampionKevin Owens, setting up aChampion vs. Champion match atElimination Chamber on May 31, which Owens won.[203][204] Cena defeated Owens atMoney in the Bank on June 14 and atBattleground on July 19 to retain the United States Championship and end their feud.[205][206]
Cena resumed his feud with then-WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, with Rollins refusing Cena's challenges for the title. On the July 27 episode ofRaw, The Authority forced him to defend the title against Rollins, successfully doing so despite suffering a legitimatebroken nose.[207] AtSummerSlam on August 23, Cena lost to Rollins in a "Winner Takes All" match for both the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the United States Championship after guest hostJon Stewart attacked him with a steel chair, ending his reign at 147 days.[208] He won his fifth United States Championship from Rollins on September 20 atNight of Champions (a record in the WWE ownership era of the title), defeating him to retain the title the next night onRaw and in a steel cage match on October 3 atWWE Live from Madison Square Garden.[209][210][211] Cena also resumed his open challenges for the title, which he lost to the returning Alberto Del Rio atHell in a Cell on October 25.[212][213][214][215] He underwent shoulder surgery on January 7, sidelining him for an undisclosed length of time.[216]
Feud with AJ Styles (2016–2017)
Cena returned atWrestleMania 32 on April 3, 2016, helping The Rock fend off The Wyatt Family.[217] Cena made his full return on the Memorial Day edition ofRaw on May 30, four months earlier than had been expected for his type of injury.[218] He was confronted byAJ Styles, who betrayed Cena when he joined his formerThe Club teammatesLuke Gallows andKarl Anderson in attacking him.[219] On June 19, atMoney in the Bank, Cena lost to Styles after interference from Gallows and Anderson.[220] AtBattleground on July 24, Cena,Enzo Amore and Big Cass defeated The Club in a six-man tag team match after Cena pinned Styles.[221] During the2016 WWE draft on July 19, Cena was drafted to the SmackDown brand.[222] AtSummerSlam on August 21, Cena again lost to Styles.[223] With Styles later winning the renamed WWE World Championship, Cena challenged him and Dean Ambrose in a triple threat match for the title on October 9 atNo Mercy, but lost after being pinned by Styles, which came after Ambrose and Cena simultaneously made Styles submit, therefore restarting the match.[224][225] Cena took a sabbatical from WWE to filmAmerican Grit season 2.[226]
On January 29, 2017, Cena defeated Styles atRoyal Rumble to win the WWE Championship and tieRic Flair for the most recognized world title reigns at 16.[227][a] He lost the title in an Elimination Chamber match at thetitular event on February 12 toBray Wyatt, and failed to regain it two nights later onSmackDown Live in a triple threat match also featuring Styles.[229][230] Cena then began a feud with The Miz, with The Miz accusing Cena of being a hypocrite because of his movie commitments, while Cena accused The Miz of stealing other wrestlers' moves and personalities. The Miz's wifeMaryse then slapped Cena before Cena and his girlfriendNikki Bella sent The Miz and Maryse retreating.[231][232][233] Cena and Bella defeated them in a mixed tag team match atWrestleMania 33 on April 2, after which Cena proposedmarriage to Bella, which she accepted.[234]
Free agent (2017–2019)
Cena in March 2018
In July 2017, WWE dubbed Cena a "free agent" during theSuperstar Shake-up, meaning he could work for both the Raw and SmackDown brands.[235] Cena defeated Rusev in aflag match atBattleground on July 23,Baron Corbin atSummerSlam on August 20, and lost to Roman Reigns on September 24 atNo Mercy.[236][237][238] Cena returned to SmackDown the next month after CommissionerShane McMahon named him as the final member of Team SmackDown for the men's 5-on-5 elimination match against Team Raw atSurvivor Series on November 19; Cena was eliminated by Kurt Angle and Team SmackDown was defeated.[239]
Cena returned to WWE television on the January 1, 2019 episode ofSmackDown, where he andBecky Lynch defeatedAndrade Cien Almas andZelina Vega in a mixed tag team match.[247] On the January 14 episode ofRaw, Cena lost toFinn Bálor in a fatal four-way match also involvingDrew McIntyre and Corbin to determine the number one contender for the Universal Championship atRoyal Rumble.[248] Cena was scheduled to compete in the Royal Rumble on January 27, but was taken out due to an in-storyline ankle injury supposedly suffered during the match.[249]
Part-time performer (2019–2024)
He appeared atWrestleMania 35 on April 7 in his "Doctor of Thuganomics" persona and interrupted Elias' concert, performing his finisher on Elias (calling it by its original name of the F-U) after insulting him.[250] On the July 22 episode ofRaw titledRaw Reunion, he engaged in a rap battle withThe Usos.[251]
Cena returned to WWE again on the February 28, 2020 episode ofSmackDown, seemingly announcing his retirement before he was confronted by "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, who challenged him to a match atWrestleMania 36, which Cena accepted.[252] On Night 2 of WrestleMania on April 5, rather than a traditional wrestling match, the two fought in a surrealcinematic-style match called a Firefly Fun House match, showcasing moments from Cena's and Wyatt's history. Wyatt ultimately defeated Cena, after which his motionless body vanished from the middle of the ring.[253]
Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, Cena was unable to appear atWrestleMania 37, marking the first time he missed a WrestleMania in nearly 20 years, as he had wrestled or appeared at the event every year since his first appearance in2003. At the time, Cena was in Canada filming theHBO Max seriesPeacemaker and couldn't travel toTampa, Florida for WrestleMania 37 without facing a two-week quarantine, which would have shut down production on the series.[254] He made his return to WWE programming atMoney in the Bank on July 18, 2021, confronting Roman Reigns after the latter retained hisUniversal Championship against Edge in the main event.[255] After initially being scheduled to faceFinn Bálor for the title, Cena hijacked a contract signing on the July 30 episode ofSmackDown so he would challenge Reigns atSummerSlam on August 21,[256][257] where Cena failed to win the title.[258]
Cena returned on the June 27, 2022 episode ofRaw, which marked the 20th anniversary of his main roster in-ring debut. He cut a promo recalling all his memories and thanking the fans for their support, also making appearances backstage withThe Street Profits,Ezekiel,Theory, Seth "Freakin" Rollins, andOmos.[259] On the December 30 episode ofSmackDown, in his firstSmackDown match since January 2019, Cena andKevin Owens defeatedThe Bloodline's Reigns andSami Zayn.[260] On the March 6, 2023 episode ofRaw, Cena accepted Theory's challenge for a United States Championship match atWrestleMania 39.[261] On Night 1 of WrestleMania on April 1, Cena lost to Theory.[262] AtMoney in the Bank on July 1, Cena made a surprise appearance and was confronted byGrayson Waller after Cena stated that WrestleMania should come to the United Kingdom. Waller then attacked Cena, who retaliated by hitting theAttitude Adjustment on Waller.[263]
AtPayback on September 2, Cena served as the host and special guest referee for the match betweenLA Knight andThe Miz.[264] On the September 15 episode ofSmackDown, Cena was attacked on The Grayson Waller Effect byJimmy Uso and his Bloodline partnerSolo Sikoa, beforeAJ Styles saved Cena.[265] They were set to sign a contract for a tag team match atFastlane on October 7, but Styles was left unable to compete after a backstage assault from the Bloodline.[266] Knight eventually signed a contract to join Cena in the match at Fastlane, which they won.[267][268] Cena made his first appearance onWWE NXT on October 10, being inCarmelo Hayes' corner during Hayes' match againstBron Breakker.[269] On the October 20 episode ofSmackDown, Cena teased retirement before calling out anyone to face him, leading to Sikoa coming out and brawling with Cena, setting up a match between the two atCrown Jewel on November 4, which Cena lost after nine Samoan Spikes.[270][271] On Night 2 ofWrestleMania XL on April 7, 2024, Cena appeared during the main event betweenCody Rhodes and Roman Reigns to aide Rhodes and take out both Sikoa and Reigns with theAttitude Adjustment. Afterwards,The Rock appeared and performed aRock Bottom on Cena.[272] The next night onRaw, Cena competed in his first match onRaw since January 2019, where he teamed with Raw Tag Team ChampionsAwesome Truth (The Miz andR-Truth) to defeatThe Judgment Day members Finn Bálor,JD McDonagh, andDominik Mysterio.[273]
Retirement tour (2024–present)
Cena participated atRoyal Rumble, his last Royal Rumble match
Cena made a surprise appearance atMoney in the Bank on July 6, 2024, to announce his retirement from in-ring action at the end of 2025.[274]
At theRaw premiere on Netflix on January 6, 2025, he announced that he would compete at theRoyal Rumble on February 1 in the eponymous match, where he was the last man eliminated byJey Uso.[275][276] Cena won the Elimination Chamber match at thenamesake event on March 1 by last eliminatingCM Punk, tyingTriple H's record for the most Elimination Chamber victories at four and earning anUndisputed WWE Championship match against Cody Rhodes atWrestleMania 41. Following the match, Cena viciously attacked Rhodes and aligned himself with The Rock andTravis Scott, turningheel for the first time since 2003.[277] In subsequent appearances, Cena criticized the fans for their treatment of him over the years, vowing to "ruin" wrestling and retire as champion.[278][279][280] In the main event of Night 2 of WrestleMania 41 on April 20, Cena defeated Rhodes with help from Travis Scott to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, becoming a record 17-time world champion.[7]
During his retirement tour, Cena wrestled past rivals, likeRandy Orton atBacklash
On theRaw after WrestleMania 41, Cena was attacked by Randy Orton, setting up a title match atBacklash on May 10, where Cena defeated Orton to retain the title after interference from R-Truth.[281][282] At the post-show press conference, Cena hit R-Truth with an Attitude Adjustment when the latter interrupted him,[283] setting up a match between them atSaturday Night's Main Event XXXIX on May 24, which Cena won after a low blow. He later interfered in the main event between Jey Uso andLogan Paul for theWorld Heavyweight Championship, which Uso won with an assist from a returning Rhodes, setting up a tag team match between Cena and Paul against Uso and Rhodes atMoney in the Bank on June 7, which Cena and Paul lost after interference from R-Truth.[284][285] He lost to R-Truth via disqualification on the June 20 episode ofSmackDown after hitting him with the title belt.[286][287] AtNight of Champions on June 28, Cena defeated CM Punk to retain the title after interference fromThe Vision (Seth Rollins,Bronson Reed andBron Breakker).[288]
On the August 1 episode ofSmackDown, Cena reverted back to a face after the 2025King of the Ring tournament winner Cody Rhodes attacked Cena, and forced Cena to sign the contract for aStreet Fight for the title atSummerSlam after Cena had tried to back out of the match.[289][290] On Night 2 of the event on August 3, Cena lost the title to Rhodes, and was subsequently confronted and attacked by a returningBrock Lesnar.[291] His match with Rhodes marked Cena's second five star match, as rated by Dave Meltzer.[292] On August 31 atClash in Paris, Cena defeated Logan Paul.[293] In Cena's finalSmackDown appearance as an in-ring performer on September 5, he challengedSami Zayn for the United States Championship; the match would end in a no-contest after Lesnar appeared and attacked both of them.[294] AtWrestlepalooza on September 20, Cena lost to Lesnar.[295] On September 23, it was announced that Cena would face AJ Styles atCrown Jewel on October 11, where he won in what was his 100th win at a WWE PPV and livestreaming event.[296][297][298]
Cena performing his finishing move, afireman's carry slam known as the "Attitude Adjustment", onKane in January 2012
Cena's original gimmick, known as the "Doctor of Thuganomics", portrayed a white rapper who wore jerseys, backwards hats, and a chain with apadlock around his neck.[12] First as "The Prototype", and later under his real name, Cena sometimes used underhanded tactics to score victories, occasionally using his chain as a weapon behind the referee's back. He often rapped before his matches, insulting his opponents, events that happened in the media and the crowd.[17] He also performed "rap battles", where he and his opponent took turns rapping on each other.[302] In 2006, shortly after his debut film,The Marine, his wrestling character shifted from that of a rapper to a young military upstart, wearing dog tags and cargo shorts to the ring and also performing a salute to the crowd. Cena said in a 2011 interview with WWE.com that "every night when I do that salute, it's also a sign of respect to the men and women that don the uniform of the Armed Forces."[303]
DuringWWE's change from TV-14 to TV-PG in mid-2008, the name of Cena's finishing move, the "FU", was changed to the "Attitude Adjustment" and his finishing submission move, the "STFU", was renamed the "STF" to fit with WWE's new policies.[20] During his career, he has been known for ending his matches with a sequence of moves, dubbed the "Five Moves of Doom". The moves typically go in the following order: two flying shoulder blocks, protobomb, "Five Knuckle Shuffle", and "Attitude Adjustment".[304]
Cena has portrayed a heroic character throughout his WWE career, except for a villainous run from 2002 to 2003,[12] and his heel turn atElimination Chamber in 2025.[277] Despite the initial reception to his heel turn, the execution of his villainous character had negative reception.[305][306][307] Cena himself labeled his heel work as a failure.[308] His signature ring gear includes jean shorts, sneakers, wristbands, and armbands.[18] He also wears a variety of T-shirts and baseball caps, which commonly include one of his catchphrases: "Never Give Up", "You Can't See Me", "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect", and "Respect. Earn it".[24][309][20] He has a history of returning from both real and scripted injuries much sooner than expected. ESPN reporter David Shoemaker said in April 2016, "Never underestimate Cena's recuperative abilities. He's somewhere on the recovery scale between Germanplatelet-rich plasma therapy andDeadpool".[310] Fellow wrestlerBig Show said he felt most stable being lifted by Cena, despite Cena being over 200 lbs lighter and almost a foot shorter—a testament to Cena'sfunctional strength.[311]
Fashion
Cena's T-shirt (left) next toThe Miz's ring gear (right) in 2012
During his WWE career, Cena has used his attire in an attempt to reflect the most current fashions and styling within thehip hop culture that hischaracter represents. Cena started out wearing "throwback jerseys" andReebok pumps until WWE produced specific Cena merchandise which he began wearing.[12][309] While Cena was a member of theSmackDown brand, one of his WWE-produced T-shirts bore the suggestivespoonerism "Ruck Fules". Whenever it appeared on television, the image was censored, not by the network, but by WWE to sell more shirts under the premise that it was "too hot for TV".[312] He also wore a chain with a large padlock, occasionally using it as aweapon,[313] until WrestleMania 21, when it was replaced with achromed and diamond studded "Chain Gang"spinner medallion matching his spinner title belt.
Around the timeThe Marine was released, Cena began wearing more military related attire, includingcamouflage shorts,dog tags, aMarine soldier cap, and a WWE produced shirt with the legend "Chain Gang Assault Battalion".[314] Shortly after WrestleMania 23, when promotion forThe Marine ended, the military attire diminished and was replaced with apparel bearing his new slogan "American Made Muscle" along with denim shorts, not seen since he was a member of theSmackDown roster.[315] He then wore shirts that promoted Cenation and his trademark line "You Can't See Me".[309]
In 2012,WrestleMania XXVIII, headlined by the John Cena vs. The Rock main event, became the highest drawing event in WWE history with 1,217,000 buys.[322] The event held the record for the highest grossing live event in WWE history in 2012, grossing $8.9 million,[323][324] before being surpassed byWrestleMania 29 the following year, also headlined by Cena vs. Rock.[325]
WWE Studios, a division of WWE which produces and finances motion pictures, produced Cena's first movie—The Marine, which was distributed theatrically by20th Century Fox America beginning on October 13, 2006. In its first week, the film made approximately US$7 million at the United States box office.[326] After ten weeks in theaters, the film grossed $18.7 million.[326] Once the film was released on DVD, it fared better, making $30 million in rentals in the first twelve weeks.[326]
His second film, also produced by WWE Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox was12 Rounds.[327] Filming began on February 25, 2008, in New Orleans;[327][328] the film was released on March 27, 2009.[329]
Cena co-starred in his third film produced by WWE Studios, titledLegendary, which was played in selected theaters beginning on September 10, 2010, for a limited time.[330][331] It was released on DVD on September 28.[332] That same year, Cena starred in the children's filmFred: The Movie, a film based onLucas Cruikshank's YouTube videos of thesame name, where he plays Fred's imaginary father.[333] The movie was first aired onNickelodeon in September 2010.[334]
In 2019, Cena was cast inJustin Lin'sF9, playing Jakob Toretto, the brother ofVin Diesel's characterDominic Toretto.[346] During the film's promotional tour in 2021, Cena referred toTaiwan as "a country". He subsequently posted an apology on social media as China considersTaiwan a part of China.[347]
In January 2007, Cena,Batista, andAshley Massaro appeared representing WWE on an episode ofExtreme Makeover: Home Edition, giving the children of the family whose house was being renovated WWE merchandise and eight tickets to WrestleMania 23.[360][361] Two months later, he andBobby Lashley appeared on theNBC game showDeal or No Deal as "moral support" to longtime WWE fan and front row staple, Rick "Sign Guy" Achberger.Edge andRandy Orton also appeared as antagonists.[362] On April 9, 2008, Cena, along with fellow wrestlersTriple H andChris Jericho, appeared on theIdol Gives Back fund-raising special.[363] In March 2009, Cena made an appearance onSaturday Night Live during the show's cold opening sequence.[364] On March 7, he was a guest onNPR's quiz showWait Wait... Don't Tell Me! in a Not My Job sequence titled "Sure, pro wrestling is a good gig, but when you win, do they throw teddy bears into the ring?".[365]
Television
In 2001, between his training in Ultimate Pro Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling,[21] Cena was involved in theUPN produced reality showManhunt, in which he portrayed Big Tim Kingman, leader of the group ofbounty hunters who chased down the contestants who acted as fugitives. The show, however, was mired in controversy when it was alleged that the portions of the show were rigged to eliminate certain players, scenes were re-shot or staged to enhance drama and contestants read from scripts.[366][367]
In 2007, Cena was interviewed for theCNN Special Investigations Unit documentaryDeath Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling, which focused on steroid and drug use in professional wrestling. When asked if he had taken steroids, he was heard to reply, "I can't tell you that I haven't, but you will never prove that I have".[370] The day after the documentary aired, WWE accused CNN of taking Cena's comments out of context to present a biased point of view, backing up their claim by posting an unedited video of Cena answering the same question – filmed by WWE cameras from another angle – in which he is heard beginning the same statement with "absolutely not".[371] A text interview on the website with Cena later had him saying the news outlet should apologize for misrepresenting him,[372] which CNN refused, saying they felt the true answer to the question began with the phrase "my answer to that question".[373] However, they did edit the documentary on subsequent airings to include the "absolutely not".[373]
Cena hosted two seasons ofAmerican Grit onFox, a reality television series with 10 episodes. 16 men and women were split into four teams, where challenges were given. A US$1 million prize was given to the winning team.American Grit premiered on Fox on April 14, 2016, and the finale of season 1 aired on June 9.[379]
Cena hosted theESPNESPY Awards on July 13.[380] On December 10, Cena was the guest host ofSaturday Night Live on NBC.[381]
On January 24, 2017, Nickelodeon announced that Cena would host the 2017Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards ceremony on March 11.[382] On January 11, 2018, it was announced that he would be hosting the awards ceremony again on March 24, becoming the third host behindWhitney Houston andRosie O'Donnell to host the ceremony in back to back years. Two days later, the game showKeep It Spotless premiered with Cena as an executive producer. In addition, he was cast onRise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as the voice of the villain Baron Draxum.[383][384] On February 14, 2019, it was announced that Cena would host a revival ofAre You Smarter than a 5th Grader on the network, which premiered on June 10.[385]
In addition to his wrestling career, Cena is a rapper. He performed his fifth WWEtheme song, "Basic Thuganomics", and it was featured on the WWE soundtrack albumWWE Originals. He also recorded a song, "Untouchables", for the company's next soundtrack albumWWE ThemeAddict: The Music, Vol. 6. He was featured on the remix forMurs's song "H-U-S-T-L-E", appearing in the video clip.[388]
Cena's debut album,You Can't See Me, was recorded with his cousinTha Trademarc. It features, among other songs, his entrance theme, "The Time is Now", and the single "Bad, Bad Man" alongsideBumpy Knuckles, for which a music video was made that parodied 1980s culture, notably the television showThe A-Team. A video was also made for the second single, "Right Now", that premiered onWWE Monday Night Raw on August 8, 2005.[389] Cena and Tha Trademarc were later featured on a track bythe Perceptionists called "Champion Scratch". Cena was featured onT-Boz's postponed album,Still Cool.[390]
In October 2014, Cena was featured on two songs with rapperWiz Khalifa, "All Day" and "Breaks", as part of the soundtrack for theWWE 2K15 video game.[391]
Cena is a self-taught pianist, starting to learn the instrument in 2016.[392] In 2022, he performed a piano rendition ofMötley Crüe's "Home Sweet Home" for thePeacemaker soundtrack, playing it onscreen as his Peacemaker character in a poignant scene to close the episode "Murn After Reading".[392]
Before his professional wrestling career, Cena appeared in an advertisement forGold's Gym. As a wrestler, he has endorsed theenergy drink YJ Stinger,[393] appearing in commercials beginning in October 2003, andSubway, for whom he filmed advertisements with their spokespersonJared Fogle in November 2006 that began airing the following January.[394] In 2007, he also endorsed two "signature collections" of energy drinks andenergy bars sold by American Body Builders.[395]
In 2008, Cena filmed a commercial as part ofGillette's "Young Guns"NASCAR campaign.[396] In 2009, Cena expanded his relationship with Gillette by introducing a new online campaign called "Be A Superstar" featuring himself alongside fellow WWE wrestlers Chris Jericho andCody Rhodes. The campaign features motivational videos.[397] AfterDwayne "The Rock" Johnson called Cena "Fruity Pebbles" during their feud, in reference to Cena's colorful merchandise, Cena appeared on the box of Fruity Pebbles cereal in 2013.[24][398]
He was thepace car driver for the58th annual Daytona 500.[399] On October 13, 2016, Cena made his debut as the voice of Ernie the Elephant in a new commercial campaign launched by Wonderful Pistachios. He was named toAdweek's "Creative 100" and received praise for his performance.[400] In 2020, Cena andHonda announced a partnership, with Cena becoming the new voice of Honda.[401]
Philanthropy
Cena posing with children
Cena has granted over 650 wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses through theMake-A-Wish Foundation—the most in Make-A-Wish history,[402][403] with his first wish dating back to 2002.[16] TheGuinness Book of World Records confirmed that not only had Cena granted this many wishes by mid-2022, but that second place was fewer than 200.[16] In 2009, Cena received the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award.[404]
From late 2011 until WrestleMania XXVIII, Cena wore a black "Rise Above Hate" T-shirt promoting WWE's "Be a Star" anti-bullying campaign. In September and October 2012, Cena wore pink and black with the phrase "Rise Above Cancer" in partnership withSusan G. Komen for the Cure as part ofBreast Cancer Awareness Month.[309][405]
In July 2016, Cena appeared in a public service announcement, "We Are America", sponsored by theAd Council as part of its "Love Has No Labels" campaign.[406]
Cena made a $1 million donation toBlack Lives Matter in June 2020 as part of the #MatchAMillion initiative made popular byK-pop bandBTS.[407]
Books
Cena also wrote a children's book called "Elbow Grease", with illustrations by Howard McWilliam.[408]
In popular culture
His catchphrase "You Can't See Me" originates from 2003 when Cena was producing his new theme song, during which he was dared by his little brother to do theyayo dance on TV, which consists of moving your head while looking into the palm of your hand. Cena accepted the dare, but did it in reverse by waving his hand in front of his face instead to make it look more visible to his brother. Over time, this evolved into his signature catchphrase "You Can't See Me".[409] In mid-2015, Cena was the subject of theInternet meme "Unexpected John Cena", also known as simply "Unexpected Cena" or "IT'S JOHN CENA".[410] He has also been the subject of many memes due to his "You can't see me" catchphrase, such as being invisible in photos.[411]
On May 10, 2021, Cena posted a video on hisWeibo account, in which he sat in a car and ate ice cream while promoting the upcoming filmFast & Furious 9. In the video, Cena speaksMandarin and sings into the ice cream cone as if it were a microphone. The video was viewed by millions of users and inspired the creation of the meme "Bing Chilling", a mishearing ofbīngqílín (冰淇淋), which means ice cream and is said repeatedly in the video.[412]
While promoting his 2009 film12 Rounds, Cena announced his engagement to Elizabeth Huberdeau.[418][419] They were married on July 11, 2009. Cena filed for divorce on May 1, 2012,[420] which was finalized on July 18.[421] Later that year, he began dating fellow wrestlerNikki Bella.[422] They became engaged on April 2, 2017, when Cena proposed to her atWrestleMania 33,[234] but ended their relationship in April 2018;[422] they had been planning to marry the following month, on May 5.[423]
Cena began dating engineer Shay Shariatzadeh in early 2019, and they were married on October 12, 2020, in a private ceremony inTampa, Florida. The two had met during the production of Cena's 2019 filmPlaying with Fire, which was filmed inVancouver, where Shariatzadeh was working.[424][425]
Cena started learningMandarin Chinese in 2016 to help the WWE expand its reach, and he spoke in Mandarin at a press conference in China.[426]
In December 2017, theFord Motor Company sued Cena for breach of the contract under which he had bought his 2017Ford GT. Ford alleged that he had sold it for a profit shortly after receiving it, instead of keeping the car for at least two years as agreed.[427] Ford and Cena settled the dispute on June 19, 2018. While most of the settlement's details were not disclosed, it was reported that Cena had agreed to apologize to Ford, and that Ford had agreed to donate the amount they had received in the settlement to charity.[428]
From July to November 2018, Cena lived inYinchuan, China, to work withJackie Chan on the filmHidden Strike. While there, he also created a show on WWE's YouTube channel in which he highlighted his trips to local markets and other stores.[429]
On March 31, 2025, Cena revealed he previously hadskin cancer.[430]
Insult of the Year (2012) –"You're the exact opposite. One enjoys eating a lot of nuts and the other is still trying to find his" (toDolph Ziggler andVickie Guerrero)[464]
^Although Ric Flair has won more world championships, several of these reigns are unrecognized by WWE, with the number 16 having been called "WWE mythology".[228]
^Both the WWE Championship and the 2002–2013 version of the World Heavyweight Championship are recognized as world titles in WWE, making Cena a record-breaking 17-time world champion under the company’s banner.
^Known as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship during his 12th reign and as the Undisputed WWE Championship during his 14th reign.
^"Finlay".WWE. Archived fromthe original on April 14, 2019. RetrievedJune 7, 2025.By 2005, Finlay had tired of teaching the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton to fight and decided that he had lots of fight left himself.
^Zeigler, Zack (June 26, 2006)."Inside WWE's New Magazine".WWE.Archived from the original on February 23, 2008. RetrievedJune 20, 2025.Who would have guessed John Cena was once a limo driver
^"Icon and Legend face to face".WWE. August 8, 2005. Archived fromthe original on January 27, 2007. RetrievedJune 4, 2025.Cena fans also were treated to the world premiere of his new music video. The Champ always dreamed of being a WWE Superstar. His new music video, "Right Now," told that story Monday night.
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