John Cena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Cena
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Cena at the 2025 San Diego Comic-Con
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| Born |
John Felix Anthony Cena
April 23, 1977 |
| Alma mater | Springfield College (BS) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1999–2025 (wrestler) 2004–2005; 2014 (rapper) 2006–present (actor) |
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Works
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Filmography |
| Spouse(s) |
Elizabeth Huberdeau
(m. 2009; div. 2012)Shay Shariatzadeh
(m. 2020) |
| Partner(s) | Nikki Bella (2012–2018) |
| Relatives |
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Professional wrestling career
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| Ring name(s) | John Cena Juan Cena The Prototype Mr. P |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Billed weight | 251 lb (114 kg) |
| Billed from | Area 51 Classified Los Angeles, California West Newbury, Massachusetts |
| Trained by | Christopher Daniels Mike Bell Tom Howard Ultimate Pro Wrestling Danny Davis Fit Finlay Jim Cornette Ohio Valley Wrestling |
| Debut | November 5, 1999 |
| Retired | December 13, 2025 |
| Signature | |
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John Felix Anthony Cena (born April 23, 1977) is an American actor and retired professional wrestler. He is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Cena wrestled for WWE for over 20 years and won a record-breaking 17 World Championships. He retired from in-ring competition in December 2025 but continues to work with WWE as a brand ambassador.
Beyond wrestling, Cena is a successful actor known for action movies and comedies like Bumblebee, F9, and the superhero series Peacemaker. He is also famous for his charity work, having granted more than 650 wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which is a world record.
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Early life and education
John Cena was born in West Newbury, Massachusetts, on April 23, 1977. He is the son of Carol and John Joseph Cena. He grew up with four brothers: Dan, Matt, Steve, and Sean. His grandfather, Tony Lupien, was a baseball player.
Cena attended Central Catholic High School and later Cushing Academy. After high school, he went to Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. There, he played college football as a center and was the team captain. He wore the number 54 on his jersey, a number he often used later in his wrestling merchandise. He graduated in 1999 with a degree in exercise physiology. Before becoming a wrestler, he worked as a limousine driver and at a gym.
Professional wrestling career
Early career and debut (1999–2002)
John Cena started training to be a wrestler in 1999 in California. He used a character called "The Prototype," pretending to be half-human and half-robot. In 2001, he signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) and moved to their training school, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW).
Cena made his television debut on the main WWE roster on June 27, 2002. He answered an open challenge from Kurt Angle. Although he lost the match, he impressed the fans and other wrestlers with his "ruthless aggression."
The Doctor of Thuganomics (2002–2005)
Later in 2002, Cena created a new persona for himself. He began dressing in sports jerseys and hats, and he would rap before his matches. This character was known as the "Doctor of Thuganomics." He became very popular for his funny rhymes and confident attitude. During this time, he won the WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania XX in 2004 by defeating the Big Show. This was his first singles title in WWE.
WWE Champion and franchise player (2005–2010)
By 2005, Cena had become one of the most popular wrestlers in the company. At WrestleMania 21, he defeated JBL to win his first WWE Championship. He introduced a unique "spinner" belt that had a spinning logo in the center.
Cena became the "face" of WWE, meaning he was the main hero of the show. He had famous rivalries with wrestlers like Edge, Randy Orton, and Triple H. While many fans loved him, some older fans would boo him, creating a unique atmosphere where the crowd would chant "Let's go Cena!" and "Cena sucks!" at the same time. Cena always embraced the reaction and never gave up.
Record-breaking champion (2010–2017)
Over the next decade, Cena continued to win championships. He had a major feud with The Nexus, a group of rookie wrestlers who attacked him. He also had a historic rivalry with The Rock. They faced each other at WrestleMania XXVIII in 2012 and again at WrestleMania 29 in 2013. Cena won the second match to become WWE Champion again.
In 2015, Cena won the United States Championship again and started the "U.S. Open Challenge." Every week, he would defend the title against a different opponent, which led to many exciting matches and gave new wrestlers a chance to shine. At Royal Rumble 2017, Cena defeated AJ Styles to win his 16th World Championship, tying the record held by Ric Flair.
Retirement tour and final match (2024–2025)
In July 2024, Cena announced that he would retire from wrestling in 2025. He went on a "retirement tour," wrestling his final matches against old rivals and new stars. At WrestleMania 41 in April 2025, he defeated Cody Rhodes to win the Undisputed WWE Championship. This victory made him a 17-time World Champion, setting a new all-time record.
Cena wrestled his final match on December 13, 2025, at an event called Saturday Night's Main Event XLII. He lost to Gunther via submission. After the match, he officially retired from in-ring competition, ending a legendary 26-year career. He signed a contract to stay with WWE as an ambassador for the future.
Acting and television career
Movies
John Cena began acting in movies in 2006. His first major role was in the action movie The Marine. He later starred in 12 Rounds and the children's movie Fred: The Movie.
As his wrestling schedule became lighter, he took on more movie roles. He showed his comedic skills in films like Trainwreck and Playing with Fire. He also starred in big action franchises. He played a leading role in the Transformers movie Bumblebee (2018) and joined the Fast & Furious family as Jakob Toretto in F9 (2021) and Fast X (2023).
Cena is also known for playing the superhero Peacemaker. He first played the character in The Suicide Squad (2021) and then starred in his own TV series, Peacemaker.
Television hosting
Cena has hosted several television shows. He was the host of the reality competition American Grit and the game show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?. He also co-hosted the obstacle course show Wipeout. He has hosted the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards multiple times.
Music and books
In 2005, Cena released a rap album titled You Can't See Me. The album included his famous entrance theme song, "The Time is Now." The album reached number 15 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Cena is also an author. He wrote a series of children's picture books called Elbow Grease. The books are about a small monster truck who learns that it is okay to be different and that he can achieve great things with determination.
Charity and community work
John Cena is very dedicated to helping others. He is famous for his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a charity that grants wishes to children with critical illnesses. Cena has granted over 650 wishes, which is more than anyone else in the history of the organization. In 2009, he received a special award for his dedication.
He also supports anti-bullying campaigns. For a long time, he wore merchandise with the slogan "Rise Above Hate" to encourage people to be kind and stand up against bullying. He has also supported breast cancer awareness by wearing pink wrestling gear during the month of October.
Personal life
John Cena lives in Land o' Lakes, Florida. He enjoys learning languages and started learning Mandarin Chinese in 2016 to help WWE grow in China. He can speak the language well enough to hold press conferences. He also plays the piano.
Cena was previously married to Elizabeth Huberdeau from 2009 to 2012. He was later in a long relationship with fellow wrestler Nikki Bella. In 2020, he married Shay Shariatzadeh, an engineer he met while filming a movie in Canada.
In March 2025, Cena shared that he had been treated for skin cancer, reminding fans to take care of their health.
Championships and accomplishments
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John Cena is one of the most decorated wrestlers in history. His major achievements include:
- WWE
- WWE Championship (14 times)
- World Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- WWE United States Championship (5 times)
- WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
- WWE Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- World Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- Royal Rumble winner (2008, 2013)
- Money in the Bank winner (2012)
- Elimination Chamber winner (2006, 2010, 2011, 2025)
- Other Awards
- Make-A-Wish Foundation Chris Greicius Celebrity Award
- Guinness World Records for most wishes granted
- Slammy Award winner (11 times), including Superstar of the Year
Images for kids
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Cena at WWE Tribute to the Troops in December 2010
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Cena facing off against Edge at a house show in 2006.
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Cena being forced to read a public address by Wade Barrett while a member of the Nexus in November 2010.
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Cena after defeating Rusev for the United States Championship at WrestleMania 31 in April 2015.
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Cena in March 2018.
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Cena face-to-face with the Rock at WrestleMania XL in April 2024.
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Cena entering his last Royal Rumble match at the Royal Rumble in February 2025
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Cena facing Randy Orton at Backlash in May 2025
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Cena with Cody Rhodes after their match at SummerSlam in August 2025
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Cena performing his finishing move, the "Attitude Adjustment", on Kane in January 2012
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Cena's T-shirt (left) next to the Miz's ring gear (right) in 2012
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Cena filming on the set of 12 Rounds in March 2008
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Cena in December 2008
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Cena with then-fiancée Nikki Bella in March 2018
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Cena signing merchandise for a young fan
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See also
In Spanish: John Cena para niños
