John Cena and Nikki Bella broke the hearts of WWE fans all over the world when they announced their split [1] in April, just weeks before their May 5 wedding. The couple first began dating [2] in 2012 and got engaged at WrestleMania 33 in April 2017. While John and Nikki have yet to confirm the current status of their relationship, reports seems to suggest that their opposing views on marriage [3] and starting a family are what ultimately caused a rift between them. As we await more details, keep reading to see everything that's unfolded since John and Nikki called it quits.
April 15, 2018
- Nikki and John end their engagement. Just weeks before their May 5 wedding [5], Nikki and John released a joint statement to Us Weekly announcing their split. "While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another," they said. "We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives."
- Nikki speaks outs. Shortly after the news broke, Nikki released a similar statement on her Instagram, writing, "We love you all ❤️."
View this post on Instagram[6] - John speaks out. While the WWE superstar hasn't actually commented on the split, he has been posting cryptic messages on social media. After the news broke, John posted a photo of a shattered heart [8] on Instagram, which he then followed up with a quote by poet Walt Whitman.
Anybody feeling down, check out #WaltWhitman [9] has always been a helpful voice in times of crisis. Beautifully wild thinker, and was certainly onto something with ideas like these. pic.twitter.com/tGl3p9smFl [10]
— John Cena (@JohnCena) April 15, 2018 [11]
But he didn't stop there! John also posted a graphic from The Simpsons that read "Worst day ever!" as well as another series of quotes [12].
Hardship, loss, and humility are extremely difficult waters to navigate, but perseverance thru them builds a strength to withstand anything life throws your way.
— John Cena (@JohnCena) April 16, 2018 [13]
April 17, 2018
- More details emerge. According to People, it was Nikki who called off their nuptials [14]. "He was making it abundantly clear that he was going into this gritting his teeth the whole way. Nikki is an amazing, talented, strong, one-of-a-kind woman. Anyone would be lucky to have her in their life — yet John acted more and more like he was doing her a favor by somehow conceding to go ahead and marry her," a source told the publication. "[Nikki] doesn't need a pity proposal, a pity wedding, a pity husband. She's a phenomenal, tremendous woman."
- Nikki and John reportedly envisioned different futures together. Nikki has always been vocal about wanting to get married and starting a family. John, on the other hand, was married once before and previously told Nikki that kids were not in his future [15]. According to ET, this was the main reason for their split [16]. "Nikki and John truly love each other, but they will never have the same view on a perfect future," an insider said. "Nikki has always dreamt of having a family of her own and John does not want children and that was the main cause of their breakup. They are both dedicated to their careers, but Nikki wants more than just that."
- Long distance may have also played a factor. According to E! News, Nikki and John had been having issues [17] for a while now. "Things have been brewing for a while between them," a source said. "As John got more and more popular, things changed and he got the Hollywood bug. He got more opportunities and he just isn't the same person now that he promised Nikki he'd be for her. Even when he was working long distance, it became an issue; he wasn't giving her what she needed emotionally."
April 18, 2018
- Did the 75-page contract have something to do with it? Prior to their engagement, John had Nikki sign a 75-page contract before she moved into his Florida home. The contract stated that Nikki would have to move out immediately and take all of her belongings with her if they broke up. Given that Nikki previously expressed her concern over the document on her E! show, Total Bellas, fans seem to be wondering if it contributed to their split in any way. Hmm . . .
- A reconciliation may be possible. According to Us Weekly, there's a chance that the couple "could get back together [18] in a year." "Nikki hit a point where she was just exhausted by the relationship," a source told the publication. "She's sad but not devastated. She's in a great place with her career, but needs some time to figure everything out. John is one of the loveliest people, but he is not open-minded. He's controlling about everything in his life . . . work comes first . . . John puts a lot before Nikki." Only time will tell if these two are really done for good.
April 26, 2018
- John opens up about the split. While attending CinemaCon in Las Vegas, John gave E! News an update on how he's coping following the breakup [19]. "'The powerful play goes on and you get to contribute a verse.' I love that Whitman quote. Life is something tough, but it's life and it goes on," he said, quoting Walt Whitman's "O Me! O Life!" poem. "Nicole knows I love her and I miss her, but that is what it is. And I'm still here, still going — and I chose to go."
May 8, 2018
- Nikki speaks out. A month after her breakup with John, Nikki broke her silence on her YouTube channel [20]. She posted a video in which she thanked her fans for all of their love and support during this "tough time" and confirmed that she's currently living with her twin sister [21], Brie.
May 14, 2018
- John has a change of heart. During an appearance on the Today show, the WWE superstar further opened up about his split from Nikki, and surprised everyone when he revealed that he now wants to have a family with her [22].
- Nikki responds to John's emotional Today interview. Even though Nikki hadn't actually watched John's interview yet, Extra's AJ Calloway informed her that John confessed that he's had a change of heart and wants to "be the father of her children." "That's crazy," Nikki responded. She also revealed that she was hesitant about tying the knot [23] with John, which is one of the main reasons she called off the wedding. It's unclear if these two will reconcile in the future, but Nikki did say that she's currently at a point in her life where "I want to find me and work on me."
May 20, 2018
- John and Nikki spotted together for the first time. The former couple was photographed while out for a walk in San Diego [24], sparking rumors that they have rekindled their romance. The TMZ photos came just days after John professed his love for Nikki on live TV, although neither John or Nikki confirmed anything at the time.
May 22, 2018
- Nikki and John are "basically back together." John and Nikki are back on the mend, according to People. "This was never really about ending their relationship — it was about calling off a wedding because something didn't feel right. It was a wedding that was entered into under false pretenses. She was pretending she was okay with not having a kid [and] he was pretending he absolutely couldn't and wouldn't budge on that point."
May 23, 2018
- Nikki reveals why she called off the wedding. In an interview with Life & Style, the 34-year-old wrestling star opened up about her decision to walk away from the relationship [25] just weeks before her big day. "If it doesn't feel right, if there is any type of hesitation, you have to figure it out and [not] be afraid," she told the outlet. "I just didn't want to walk down that aisle and give those vows and have hesitation or have regret." Nikki also admitted that she wants to work on herself first before she says "I do." "The day I give those vows, I truly want to be with that person until death do us part, and I have that hope for John and I. I really do. But right now I just have to deal with the issues that gave me cold feet."
May 31, 2018
- It's official — Nikki and John are back together. Just one month after calling off their wedding, Us Weekly confirmed that the couple has reconciled [26]. In fact, their time apart actually helped strengthen their relationship. "Nikki called off the wedding so she could have more time to make a decision with what she wanted in life," a source told the outlet. "Calling off the wedding was the right decision at the moment and their relationship only grew from it. It didn't mean that any love was lost, or that they lost any feelings for one another, but they both have realized that they love each other and want to be with one another."