Seven years after their highly publicized split, the breakup between WWE icons John Cena and Nikki Bella is once again under scrutiny, with new claims challenging the established narrative. While the reality show Total Bellas portrayed Nikki Bella as the one who called off their wedding in 2018, a former WWE personality is now suggesting a different story, putting John Cena at the center of the breakup decision.
Jonathan Coachman, a former WWE commentator and personality who traveled extensively with John Cena during his wrestling career, has recently stirred the pot by claiming that Cena never intended to marry Nikki Bella. Speaking on the Behind The Turnbuckle: The Last Word podcast, Coachman stated his long-held belief that Cena was the one who ultimately ended the engagement.
“I’ve always said I traveled with Cena for a while, I would say. And I’ve told him this, I was honest, I said, ‘I cannot believe a) you make her sign a 62-page thing just to live in your house,’ and then he called off the wedding. I mean, there were guys that would cut off their left leg to marry Nikki Bella. [Didn’t she call it off?] No, no, no, no, no. [I don’t know, I watched Total Bellas.] Yeah, Total Bellas did tell the story… He called it off. It was never gonna happen. It was never gonna happen,” Coachman asserted.
This account directly contradicts the narrative presented on Total Bellas and in subsequent interviews where Nikki Bella detailed her reasons for ending the engagement. According to Bella’s previous statements, the primary point of contention was their differing views on having children. Bella explained that while she had initially accepted Cena’s stance on not wanting children, her feelings evolved as their wedding date approached.
In a 2018 interview, Bella recounted her emotional journey, stating, “I called my wedding off a few months ago and that’s pretty much what she’s talking about [Brie]. I think what people don’t tell you about wedding planning is that it makes you face the rest of your life because you are about to commit permanently forever. As I was starting to go through this process, ‘Oh, wait, I’m not going to be a mom’ and I promised him that I would never argue about it or bring it up. When I make those promises, I’m like, ‘Okay, that’s it.’ I won’t talk about it or discuss it and so I started to just get this anxiety but instead of just like going a different way — one day I just woke up and I go ‘I think I’m okay with being by myself’ and that’s it. So I told him, ‘Look, I’m not going to beg you and I get it fully. You deserve to be with someone that doesn’t want to have kids but I want it and I just need to end this.’ Oh yeah, try to find it and he was just like, ‘WHAT?’ So we went our separate ways.”
Adding another layer of complexity to the story, Nikki Bella later revealed that John Cena had a change of heart and expressed his willingness to have children in a desperate attempt to salvage their relationship. This dramatic turn of events was even captured on Total Bellas, showing Cena’s emotional plea to Bella.
Bella described this period as incredibly confusing and emotionally taxing. “When he came to me that was the last thing I was expecting, like when he was willing to be a dad. I was like, ‘Did you say willing/not willing? Because I’ve heard ‘not’ the whole relationship. I’m confused.’ And he’s like ‘I’m willing’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t even know what to say.’ He started crying and I was like, ‘Um, I’m sorry I just feel numb right now’ and I felt numb for a week. I even had to go to my therapist to be like, ‘I think I’m still numb’ and she’s like ‘you definitely are.’ And I’m like ‘Okay.’”
These resurfaced claims and conflicting narratives arrive at an interesting juncture in both John Cena and Nikki Bella’s lives. Both recently made in-ring comebacks at the 2025 Royal Rumble, reminding fans of their significant contributions to WWE. Nikki Bella, entering the Women’s Royal Rumble at number 30, made a surprise appearance, while John Cena participated in the Men’s Royal Rumble, showcasing his enduring presence in the wrestling world.
Looking ahead, John Cena is set to compete in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, signaling his continued ambition to chase a record-breaking 17th world championship and potentially main-event WrestleMania 41 before his anticipated farewell tour. Meanwhile, Nikki Bella is navigating a new chapter in her personal life following her divorce from Artem Chigvintsev. She has openly discussed the “shocking” experience of her divorce and her focus on building a “stronger” future, even stating she is unlikely to marry again.
As John Cena and Nikki Bella continue to navigate their individual paths, the renewed discussion surrounding their breakup highlights the complexities of their past relationship. Whether Jonathan Coachman’s claims hold weight or not, the public narrative surrounding the John Cena and Nikki Bella split remains a topic of fan speculation and debate. Did John Cena truly call off the wedding, or was the breakup a mutual decision driven by differing life goals, as Nikki Bella has consistently stated? The differing accounts leave fans to ponder the true story behind one of wrestling’s most talked-about relationships.
