John Cena facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Cena
Cena in 2024
Born	John Felix Anthony Cena (1977-04-23) April 23, 1977 (age 48) West Newbury, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma mater	Springfield College
Occupation	Actor professional wrestler rapper
Years active	1999–present (wrestler) 2002–2005, 2014 (rapper) 2006–present (actor)
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Huberdeau ​ ​ (m. 2009; div. 2012)​ Shay Shariatzadeh ​ ​ (m. 2020)​
Relatives	Ulysses J. Lupien (great-grandfather) Tony Lupien (grandfather) Tha Trademarc (cousin) Natalie Enright Jerger (cousin)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	John Cena The Prototype Juan Cena Mr. P
Billed height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Billed weight	251 lb (114 kg)
Billed from	"Classified" West Newbury, Massachusetts Los Angeles, California
Trained by	Ultimate Pro Wrestling Christopher Daniels Mike Bell Tom Howard Fit Finlay
Debut	November 5, 1999
Signature

John Felix Anthony Cena (born April 23, 1977) is a famous American actor, rapper, and professional wrestler. He is known for his time in WWE, where he has been a part-time performer since 2018. John Cena is considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever. He has won a record 16 world championships in WWE. He plans to retire from wrestling at the end of 2025.

Early Life and Education

Cena after winning the United States Championship in 2015.

John Cena was born in West Newbury, Massachusetts. This was on April 23, 1977. His parents are Carol and John Cena Sr. He is the second oldest of five brothers. Their names are Dan, Matt, Steve, and Sean.

Cena went to Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Later, he moved to Cushing Academy, a private boarding school. He then studied at Springfield College in Massachusetts. There, he was a star player on the college football team. He played as a center and was the team captain.

In 1999, he graduated from Springfield College. He earned a degree in exercise physiology. This means he studied how the body moves and works during exercise.

Amazing Wrestling Career

Cena in March 2018.

In 1998, Cena moved to California to become a bodybuilder. He then started professional wrestling in 1999. His first wrestling matches were with Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW). In 2001, he joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which is now WWE. He trained in their special school, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). He won championships there, too.

When he joined WWE SmackDown in 2002, he became very popular. He played a character who was a trash-talking rapper. In 2005, he won the WWE Championship. After that, he changed his character. He became a clean-cut hero, like a "Superman". For the next ten years, he was the main star of WWE.

Cena at WWE Tribute to the Troops in 2010.

John Cena has won 16 world championships. This is a record in WWE. He won the WWE Championship 13 times. He also won the WWE United States Championship five times. He is a four-time world tag team champion. Cena has won the Royal Rumble twice. He also won the Money in the Bank once. He has been the main event at many big WWE shows, including WrestleMania five times.

On July 15, 2024, Cena announced he would retire from wrestling. He said WrestleMania 41 would be his last WrestleMania. However, he will keep wrestling until the end of 2025.

His Wrestling Legacy

Cena filming 12 Rounds.

Many people in wrestling say John Cena is the greatest professional wrestler ever. These include Kurt Angle and Paul Heyman.

Bleacher Report also called Cena one of the top 10 WWE wrestlers of all time. In 2012, WrestleMania 28 was a huge success. The main match was John Cena against The Rock. It became the highest-earning WWE event at that time. It made $8.9 million.

Acting Career

Movies

Cena with members of the United States Marine Corps at The Marine premiere in 2006.

John Cena's first movie was The Marine in 2006. He later received praise for his acting in movies like Trainwreck (2015) and Ferdinand (2017). He also starred in Blockers and Bumblebee (both 2018).

He played Jakob Toretto in F9 (2021) and Fast X (2023). He also played Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad (2021). He continued this role in the TV show Peacemaker (2022–present).

Television Shows

Cena signing autographs for a young fan.

In 2001, John Cena was on a reality show called Manhunt. He played a character named Big Tim Kingman. In 2007, he was on Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race. He finished third in the competition.

Cena hosted the Australian Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in 2008. He also appeared on TV shows like Psych and Hannah Montana Forever.

Cena in 2008.

He guest co-hosted Today several times in 2015 and 2016. Cena hosted two seasons of American Grit on Fox. This was a reality TV show where teams competed for a $1 million prize. He also hosted the ESPN ESPY Awards in 2016. On December 10, 2016, Cena was the guest host of Saturday Night Live (SNL).

In 2017 and 2018, Nickelodeon announced that Cena would host the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. He also became an executive producer for the game show Keep It Spotless. In 2018, he voiced Baron Draxum in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In 2019, he hosted a new version of Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader. In 2021, Cena co-hosted the TV game show Wipeout.

Music Career

Besides wrestling, John Cena is also a rapper. His first album, You Can't See Me, was made with his cousin, Tha Trademarc.

Discography

Studio albums

• You Can't See Me (2005)

Giving Back to the Community

Cena posing with children.

John Cena has granted over 650 wishes for children. These children have serious illnesses. He does this through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This is the most wishes granted by anyone in Make-A-Wish history. His first wish was granted in 2002. The Guinness World Records confirmed this amazing achievement.

From 2011 to 2012, Cena wore a "Rise Above Hate" T-shirt. This promoted WWE's "Be a Star" anti-bullying campaign. In 2012, he wore pink and black. This was to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It was part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In 2016, Cena appeared in a public service announcement. It was called "We Are America". This was part of the "Love Has No Labels" campaign. In June 2020, Cena donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter.

Personal Life

Cena with Nikki Bella in 2018.

John Cena lives in Land o' Lakes, Florida. He has often said he does not want to have children. He feels he would be away too much because of his busy career.

He married Elizabeth Huberdeau in 2009. They later divorced in 2012. In 2018, Cena lived in China for five months. He was working on a movie called Project X-Traction with Jackie Chan. On October 12, 2020, Cena married Shay Shariatzadeh. They had a private ceremony in Tampa, Florida.

Interesting Facts About John Cena

• Cena has a mixed background. His family comes from English, French-Canadian, and Italian roots.
• As a child, he loved wrestling. He would make championship belts out of cardboard.
• He was teased in school. At age 12, he asked for a weightlifting bench.
• After college, he worked as a limousine driver. He also worked at Gold's Gym.
• Cena is a big fan of anime. His favorite anime film is Fist of the North Star.
• He also loves Star Wars and the first two Smokey and the Bandit movies.
• He enjoys playing video games. His favorite series is Command & Conquer.
• He supports sports teams from his hometown. These include the Boston Bruins and Boston Red Sox. He also supports the English soccer team Tottenham Hotspur FC.
• He owns over 20 muscle cars. Some of them are very rare.
• In 2016, Cena started learning Mandarin Chinese. This was to help WWE grow in China. He even spoke Mandarin at a press conference there.
• In 2018, he also shared that he learned to play the piano.

John Cena's Famous Quotes

• "A man's character is not judged after he celebrates a victory, but by what he does when his back is against the wall."
• "If you don't learn from your mistakes, then they become regrets."
• "Never quit, never backdown."
• "Nobody remembers second place."

Movies and TV Shows

Awards and Recognitions

Championships and Accomplishments

Cena has held the WWE Championship a record 13 times.

Three reigns as World Heavyweight Champion bring Cena's total to 16 world championships.

As a Five-time United States Champion, Cena has the most reigns under the WWE banner.

Professional Wrestling Achievements

• Ohio Valley Wrestling
  • OVW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rico Constantino
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Feud of the Year (2006, 2011)
  • Match of the Year (2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016)
  • Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (2004, 2005, 2007, 2012)
  • Wrestler of the Year (2006, 2007)
  • Ranked No. 1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2006, 2007 and 2013
• Ultimate Pro Wrestling
  • UPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE
  • WWE Championship (13 times)
  • World Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
  • WWE United States Championship (5 times)
  • WWE Tag Team Championship (2 times)
  • World Tag Team Championship (2 times)
  • Money in the Bank (2012 – WWE Championship contract)
  • Royal Rumble (2008, 2013)
  • Slammy Award (10 times)
    • Game Changer of the Year (2011)
    • Hero in All of Us (2015)
    • Holy $#!+ Move of the Year (2010)
    • Match of the Year (2013, 2014)
    • Superstar of the Year (2009, 2010, 2012)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Best Box Office Draw (2007)
  • Best Gimmick (2003)
  • Best on Interviews (2007)
  • Feud of the Year (2011)
  • Match of the Year (2011)
  • Most Charismatic (2006–2010)
  • Wrestler of the Year (2007, 2010)
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)

Other Awards and Honors

• NCAA Division III All-American
• Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame inductee (2015)
• Make-A-Wish Foundation Chris Greicius Celebrity Award
• Make-A-Wish Foundation Special Recognition Award (for granting 300 wishes)
• 2018 Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award
• 2024 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award

See Also

In Spanish: John Cena para niños