Nikki Bella 'Wasn't Invited' to John Cena's WWE Retirement

The former couple had a high-profile relationship and engagement that ended in 2018.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 6:55am

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Hall of Famer Nikki Bella has addressed her reaction to John Cena's recent retirement from WWE, revealing that she was not invited to attend his final match where he lost to Gunther. Bella, who dated Cena from 2012 to 2018 and was briefly engaged to him, said she was 'sad' about his retirement but was 'having a lot of fun at the Flyers game' instead of being present for his sendoff.

Why it matters

Cena and Bella were one of the most popular couples in WWE history, with their relationship and engagement drawing significant media attention. Bella's absence from Cena's retirement match has sparked questions about the current state of their relationship and whether there is still lingering tension following the end of their engagement.

The details

In a recent interview on Logan Paul's ImPaulsive podcast, Bella revealed that she 'wasn't invited' to Cena's retirement match on December 13, 2025, where he lost to Gunther. Bella said she was 'sad' about Cena's retirement but was attending a Flyers game in Philadelphia at the time, as the Eagles were playing the next day.

  • On December 13, 2025, John Cena retired from professional wrestling after losing a match to Gunther.
  • Nikki Bella appeared on the ImPaulsive podcast in early 2026 to discuss her reaction to Cena's retirement.

The players

Nikki Bella

A Hall of Fame wrestler and former fiancée of John Cena.

John Cena

A legendary WWE wrestler who recently retired after losing a match to Gunther.

Gunther

The wrestler who defeated John Cena in his final match, leading to Cena's retirement.

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What they’re saying

“I guess I didn't have an emotion to it. Meaning, I was sad at the fact that he was retiring, but I was having a lot of fun at the Flyers game too. That I got a lot of s**t for. People acted as if I was invited to his last match and I denied the request. I wasn't invited.”

— Nikki Bella

The takeaway

Cena and Bella's relationship and engagement captivated WWE fans, and Bella's absence from Cena's retirement match suggests there may still be lingering tensions between the former couple, raising questions about the current state of their relationship.