Nikki Garcia encountered her ex-fiancé John Cena at the Royal Rumble 2025, leading to a mix of emotions and an insightful reflection on their past.
At a Glance
- Nikki Garcia and her ex-fiancé, John Cena, had their first face-to-face meeting in seven years at the WWE Royal Rumble event in February 2025.
- The encounter backstage was brief and respectful, consisting of a simple handshake and hello.
- Both have moved on since their 2018 breakup: Cena is married to Shay Shariatzadeh, and Garcia is recently divorced from Artem Chigvintsev.
- Garcia noted the encounter was “awkward” but emphasized her respect for Cena’s marriage.
A Brief Reunion at Royal Rumble
Nikki Garcia had an unexpected and “awkward” reunion with her former fiancé, WWE superstar John Cena, at the Royal Rumble event in February 2025. The brief backstage encounter marked the first time the two had seen each other since their high-profile engagement ended in 2018.
Speaking about the moment on her podcast, Garcia explained that it was a simple and respectful exchange. “It was very quick,” she said, according to Yahoo Entertainment. “Out of respect, I was in a circle talking to people. He came to [shake] everyone’s hand. He shook my hand.” She added, “We just said, ‘Hello, good to see you.'” I think last time we were engaged. I don’t know; it’s been a while.”
A Look at Their Shared Past
Garcia and Cena’s six-year relationship was heavily documented on the reality shows Total Divas and Total Bellas. After a famous in-ring proposal at WrestleMania 33 in 2017, the couple shockingly called off their engagement just weeks before their scheduled wedding in 2018. The primary reason for the split was their differing views on starting a family, with Cena at the time not wanting to have children.
Life After a High-Profile Split
In the seven years since their breakup, both have moved on. John Cena married engineer Shay Shariatzadeh in 2020. Nikki Garcia began a relationship with her former Dancing with the Stars partner, Artem Chigvintsev. They had a son, Matteo, in 2020 and married in 2022.
However, Garcia’s marriage recently ended in divorce in 2024. As she revealed to the Daily Mail, the divorce settlement required her to pay Chigvintsev $200,000 in spousal support, a fact she noted with pride in her own financial success.
Despite the awkwardness of the reunion, Garcia has been clear that she has no intention of rekindling a romance with her ex. “Respect, he’s a married man, of course,” she stated, as reported by Page Six. She is now focused on co-parenting her son and says that while she is not actively looking for love, her heart remains open to the future.
