John Cena: Everything you need to know about the WWE superstar including career, net worth, wife, records and achievements
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Everthing you need to know about John Cena || Image credit: WWE/IMAGO/PEOPLE || Collage: Pulse Sports

John Cena: Everything you need to know about the WWE superstar including career, net worth, wife, records and achievements

Faruq Ibrahim 23:00 - 03.07.2024

John Cena is one of the greatest WWE stars of all time. Here is everything you need to know about one of the most famous celebrities in the world.

John Cena is one of the most recognisable celebrities in the world, and he made his fame performing for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He holds the record for the most WWE Championships( 16 titles) and is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. 

Although he still competes in the WWE, it’s only on a part-time basis, as he has since diversified his portfolio. He is now also a successful actor, author, and Television host. 

John Cena profile 

Name: John Felix Anthony Cena

Date of birth: April 23, 1977

Place of birth: West Newbury, Massachusetts, USA

Nationality: American 

Height: 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm)

Weight: 251 pounds (114 kg)

Occupation: Professional wrestler, actor, TV host, author

Wife: Elizabeth Huberdeau (div. 2009–2012). Shay Shariatzadeh (Married since 2020)

Net worth: $80 million 

Instagram: John Cena 

Twitter: JohnCena

John Cena’s age 

John Cena is a millennial. He was born in 1977, which makes him 47 as of June 3rd, 2024.

John Cena’s Zodiac sign

He was born on April 23rd, which makes him a Taurus.

John Cena || Credit: Imago
John Cena || Credit: Imago

John Cena’s parents and siblings 

John Cena's parents are Carol Lupien and John Joseph Cena. His mother Carol is of English and French-Canadian descent. His father has Italian ancestry and used to be a ring announcer for Chaotic Wrestling.

Additionally, John Cena has four brothers named Dan, Matt, Steve and Sean Cena.

John Cena's early life and education 

John Cena was born in West Newbury, Massachusetts. He was the second of four sons by Carol Lupien and John Joseph Cena. 

He grew up in a close-knit family and attended Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, before he transferred to Cushing Academic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. 

Cena took an early interest in sports and he played football and baseball (as his grandfather Tony Lupien did professionally) in high school. He used to be teased and beaten up in school, and at age 12, he asked his parents for a weightlifting bench, which began his journey in physical development. 

John Cena is WWE 2K23 cover star

For college, he attended Springfield, also in Massachusetts. He graduated in 1999 with a degree in exercise physiology and body movement. Cena's interest in sports continued well into college, where he was an NCAA Division III All-American centre and football team captain. His time in the school laid the groundwork for his future profession as a wrestling superstar. 

John Cena's wife and kids

John Cena was first married to Elizabeth Huberdeau. The pair got married on July 11, 2009. The wrestler filed for divorce on May 1st, 2012, and the process was finalised two months later. 

He started dating Nikki “Bella” Garcia later that year. They got engaged in 2017 but called it off in 2018, a month before they were scheduled to marry in May. 

John Cena is currently married to Shay Shariatzedeh, an Iranian electronics engineer. The couple married on October 12, 2020, in a private ceremony. They had a formal wedding two years later, in July 2022, according to Hollywood Life

John Cena and his wife Shay Shariatzedeh || Image credit: People
John Cena and his wife Shay Shariatzedeh || Image credit: People

John Cena and Shay do not have kids and do not want to have any. Cena's decision to not have children caused his split from his long-term girlfriend Nikki Garcia, a former WWE star. 

Who is Shay Shariatzedeh? 

Shay is an Iranian-born Canadian born on September 21, 1989, making her 12 years younger than her superstar husband. 

She attended the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and graduated with an electronics engineering degree, which she now uses to work at Microsoft. 

She and John Cena reportedly met in 2019. They got engaged on Valentine's Day 2020 and got married on October 12, 2020. 

How did John Cena join WWE?

John Cena idolised the legendary Hulk Hogan as a child, and in 1998, he moved to California to pursue a career in bodybuilding. However, he soon switched to professional wrestling. 

He made his professional wrestling debut in 1999 under Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW), where he, with his robotic persona nicknamed The Prototype, won and held the UPW heavyweight championship for 27 days. In 2001, he signed a developmental contract for the World Wrestling  Federation (WWF), which became World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). 

John Cena as The Prototype || Image credit: WWE
John Cena as The Prototype || Image credit: WWE

John Cena at Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW)

After signing for WWW, Cena was sectioned into Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). 

At OVW, he held the Heavyweight Championship for three months and won the OVW Southern Tag Team. Championship. Cena was part of a tremendously successful set at OVW, the class of 2002. Cena, along with Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton and Dave Bautista came to be known as the OVW 4, as they all got called up to the main roster in the same year, 2002. 

John Cena during his time at the OVW || Image credit: WWE
John Cena during his time at the OVW || Image credit: WWE

John Cena’s career in the WWE

Early into his career in the WWE, the 47-year-old fought with his ‘The Prototype’ persona; however, in his television debut in SmackDown 2002, which came about after he accepted a challenge from Kurt Angle, the Peacemaker star used his real name. 

Although he lost the fight to the older colleague, Cena fought with heart, earning praise from more seasoned wrestlers at the time, and instantly turning himself into a fan favourite. 

Cena fought as part of a tag team early on, but the partnership with Billy Kidman went awry. Weeks later, he soon developed a new persona, one of a rapper, which was called “The Doctor of Thuganomics.”

He made his first attempt for the WWE championship at the time it was held by Brock Lesnar. According to Wikipedia, he upset the likes of Undertaker, Eddie Guerreiro, and Chris Benoit at the backlash to become the number one contender for the title; however, he failed to beat Brock. 

John Cena and The Rock were rivals in the WWE || Image credit: Imago
John Cena and The Rock were rivals in the WWE || Image credit: Imago

John Cena became WWE champion for the first time in 2005 when he defeated John “Bradshaw’ Layfield. 

Until 2006, Cena fought under SmackDown, before he became the first wrestler to be selected in Raw's draft lottery. 

He went on to have a successful career in the WWE, dominating the division for most of his stay there. He enjoyed high-profile rivalries with the likes of The Rock, Brock Lesnar, Nexus, Randy Orton and CM Punk. 

He won multiple world championships and tag team trophies, cementing his status as one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time

WWE legend John Cena || Image credit: Imago
WWE legend John Cena || Image credit: Imago

How many WWE World Championships has John Cena won? 

John Cena won 16 World Championships, the most in WWE's history. 

John Cena’s WWE titles

  • 16-time WWE World Champion, holding the record for most WWE Championship reigns

  • 5-time WWE United States Champion

  • World Heavyweight Championship three times

  • 2-time WWE Tag Team Champion

  •   Two-time Royal Rumble winner

  • WWE Money in the Bank winner (2012)

  • WWE Superstar of the Year (2009, 2010, 2012)

John Cena's WWE achievements 

  • Headlined multiple WWE pay-per-view events, including WrestleMania

  • Set the record for most WWE Championship reigns (16)

  • The first wrestler to win the WWE Championship and WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the same year (2013).

John Cena’s finishing moves

  • Attitude Adjustment (formerly called The FU): a Death Valley Driver-like manoeuvre, according to the Sportster.

JOHN CENA delivers an Attitude Adjustment to Bray Wyatt during their match during Wrestlemania 30 at the BMW Super Dome.  || Image credit: Imago
JOHN CENA delivers an Attitude Adjustment to Bray Wyatt during their match during Wrestlemania 30 at the BMW Super Dome. || Image credit: Imago
  • STF (Stepover Toehold Facelock): a submission hold where he twists the opponent's ankle and pulls back on their head.

  • Five Knuckle Shuffle: a fist drop onto the opponent's head, often used to stun them and rile up the crowd.

Meanwhile, his first finishing move was the Protobomb, also called the spin-out powerbomb 

John Cena's “You Can't See Me”

You Can't See Me is a famous catchphrase associated with John Cena. Cena uses the phrase, accompanied by a hand gesture where he waves a stretched palm across his face before pulling off a move. 

John Cena gesturing "You Can't See Me" || Image credit: WWE
John Cena gesturing "You Can't See Me" || Image credit: WWE

The phrase was the title of John Cena's 2005 rap album, and it was commercially successful. The phrase has gone on to have significant pop culture relevance and has birthed several memes. 

John Cena's acting career 

John Cena's acting debut came in the 2006 WWE franchise movie The Marine, where Cena played John Triton, a lead character. 

He has gone on to play lead or supporting roles in several movies and TV shows, most of which have come in the last four years since his appearances on WWE reduced. 

Some of the biggest movies he has been on are Barbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fast and Furious, and Suicide Squad. 

John Cena as Peacemaker || Image credit: Imago
John Cena as Peacemaker || Image credit: Imago

He has also been on successful TV shows like The Bear and Peacemaker, in which he played the lead character. 

How much has John Cena made from movies? 

John Cena has been involved in a number of blockbusters since he ventured into acting. 

He reportedly made $5 million as Jakob Toretto, Dominic’s brother, in the Fast and Furious franchise. He is also claimed to have earned $7 million as Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad. The subsequently anonymously named series on streaming service reportedly earned him $4 million. 

John Cena's net worth 

John Cena is reportedly worth around $80 million. He amassed his wealth through his wrestling performances and merchandise sales, as well as his acting, entertainment gigs, and various businesses. 

John Cena is one of the richest wrestlers in the world in 2024
John Cena is one of the richest wrestlers in the world in 2024

John Cena's salary 

According to The Street, John Cena reportedly earns $8.5 million annually in his WWE contract. Additionally, he is said to be paid $500,000 for every main event appearance. He also earns 5% from the sale of his merchandise, according to the report. He also has various endorsement deals.

John Cena's social media 

As one of the biggest celebrities in the world, John Cena enjoys a massive social media following. On Instagram (@johncena), he currently has 20.7 million followers, and on X (JohnCena), he is followed by 14.3 million.

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