Nikki Bella Rehashes Her Split From Ex-Fiance John Cena: ‘He Didn’t Want to Be a Father’
Speaking her truth! Nikki Bella got incredibly candid about her 2018 split from ex-fiancé John Cena after six years together. “We wanted different things,” the Total Bellas star recalled to Lisa Vanderpump during a Tuesday, December 1, episode of her podcast.
“I really wanted to be a mom and he didn’t want to be a father,” Nikki, 37, who welcomed son Matteo with fiancé Artem Chigvintsev in July, continued. “In the end, he was like, ‘Look, I will give you a kid,’ but I knew deep down in his heart it’s not what he wanted. And I was so afraid that years down the road he would just have regrets and resent me for making him a father.”
John’s reservations about starting a family were hardly a secret. The former WWE wrestler, 43, made it clear on a number of occasions — to Nikki and their fans — that fatherhood wasn’t part of his plan. “I know I cannot handle raising a child. And just because everyone else is happy with children doesn’t mean that’s how I have to live,” John told Rolling Stone in 2016.
“I’ve been upfront about this. I just have things I need to get done. It’s not negotiable. We’ve been to therapy over it,” the Blockers actor added. “I don’t think it will ever be over with. I’m stubborn as f–k and extremely selfish, as well. I don’t want kids; I don’t want marriage. That’s me just saying, ‘Hey, this is my life and this is how I’m going to live.'”
Since the former flames called it quits, John has moved on with Shay Shariatzadeh. Life & Style confirmed that the Massachusetts native and the beautiful engineer got married in a private ceremony in Tampa, Florida, on October 12.
While Nikki admittedly harbors no resentment toward John, she never formally congratulated the pair on their nuptials. “Are there rules? Am I supposed to? Should I send flowers?” the Incomparable coauthor joked with Lisa. With that, the Bravo personality, 60, encouraged Nikki to speak her piece on the radio.
“John, congratulations on your wedding,” she concluded. “I’m very, very happy for you.”
