Nikki Bella and John Cena may have ended their relationship years ago, but wrestling fans clearly haven’t forgotten about the famous former couple.
This week, the exes unexpectedly appeared in the same arena for the first time in nearly eight years, and it sparked an emotional moment that got fans buzzing online.
A Humiliating Reunion on WWE Raw
Both Nikki Bella (who now goes by Nikki Garcia) and John Cena returned to WWE this year, and their paths crossed again during Monday night’s episode of Raw.
The 41-year-old star was walking backstage after Stephanie Vaquer defended her WWE Women’s Championship against Raquel Rodriguez when the crowd began chanting: “Cena left you!”
Garcia didn’t flinch, she confidently flipped her hair and strutted away from the ring, refusing to let the taunts rattle her.
Fans React: “This Crowd Is Diabolical!”
The moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans expressing shock and disapproval of the audience’s comments.
“This crowd is diabolical!” one wrestling fan account posted on X.
Others were quick to defend Nikki, reminding viewers that she was actually the one who ended things with Cena back in 2018.
“Well, Nikki left Cena and he was asking for her back on live TV,” one fan wrote. Another added, “She broke up with him twice, how’s he gonna leave somebody who left him first?”
A third fan noted: “She ended things because John didn’t want to have kids.”
A Look Back at Nikki and John’s Relationship
Garcia and Cena began dating in 2012 and got engaged five years later at WrestleMania 33, when Cena proposed in front of a roaring crowd.
But just weeks before their scheduled May 2018 wedding, Nikki called it off, a moment captured on her reality show, Total Bellas.
At the time, Cena appeared heartbroken and even went on The Today Show to declare his love, saying he wanted to marry her and start a family, a surprising reversal given that his earlier reluctance to have children had been a key reason for their split.
Reuniting Years Later
Earlier this year, Nikki recalled crossing paths with Cena for the first time since their breakup during the 2025 Royal Rumble.
Speaking on the Let's Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari podcast, she said their exchange was brief but respectful. “He came over, shook everyone’s hand, including mine,” Garcia recalled. “It was just, ‘Good to see you, it’s been a while.’ He’s a married man, so it was out of respect.”
Cena married Shay Shariatzadeh, an engineer, in 2020. Nikki described the encounter as “nice” and said it helped “break the ice” between them.
Their Love Story and Why It Ended
Despite their strong connection, Nikki later revealed that their different views on marriage and family ultimately tore them apart.
In her 2020 memoir, Incomparable, she admitted she had “stuffed” her desire for children because she was afraid of losing him. “He made it clear kids weren’t on the menu,” she wrote. “The more I loved him, the more I wanted it all.”
Cena and Bella in 2017. Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer / MTV1617 / Getty Images.
Cena, meanwhile, reportedly had Nikki sign a 75-page contract before moving in with him, outlining conditions such as her being a “guest” in his home and maintaining a shared morning routine.
Their final split came in July 2018 after an attempt to reconcile. “We tried to work on our relationship,” Nikki told Us Weekly at the time. “But after much soul-searching, we decided to officially part ways.”
Nikki’s Life After Cena
Following their breakup, Nikki found love again with Artem Chigvintsev, her former Dancing With The Stars partner. The couple welcomed their son Matteo in 2020 and married in 2022. However, their relationship later ended in divorce after a reported domestic dispute, though no charges were filed, per E! Online.
Despite the ups and downs, Nikki has continued to thrive in her career and personal growth, embracing motherhood and maintaining a successful entertainment career.
And as her confident response to WWE hecklers proved, Nikki Bella has clearly moved far beyond her past, and isn’t letting anyone drag her back.