Cena began professional wrestling in 1999 and signed with the World Wrestling Federation in 2001 (renamed WWE in 2002), where he began in its then-developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). After debuting on the main roster on WWE SmackDown! in 2002, he rose to prominence as a brash heel rapper, before becoming the company's franchise player from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s.
He wrestled on a part-time schedule from 2017 until his retirement in 2025. His run as a face from 2003 to 2025 was the longest continuous portrayal of a heroic character in WWE history.
Cena held numerous championships and accomplishments in WWE, including the WWE Championship a record 14 times and the World Heavyweight Championship three times. He is the 35th Triple Crown and 25th Grand Slam champion, won the Royal Rumble match twice, the Elimination Chamber match four times, the Money in the Bank match once, and headlined multiple major WWE pay-per-view and livestreaming events.
Cena's full-time career received mixed critical and audience reception, with praise for his character work and promotional skills but criticism for his perceived over-representation and on-screen dominance relative to other wrestlers. In contrast, his later career was more positively received.
Cena began acting in 2006 and has done both comedy and action films, receiving praise for his roles in Trainwreck (2015), Blockers (2018), and The Suicide Squad (2021). He has also starred in films such as The Marine (2006), Bumblebee (2018), and F9 (2021), as well as portraying the title character in the superhero series Peacemaker (2022โ2025).
In music, he released the rap album You Can't See Me in 2005, which peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. Cena is also known for his charity work, granting more than 650 wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the most in the organization's history.
Early life
John Felix Anthony Cena was born in West Newbury, Massachusetts, on April 23, 1977, to Carol and John Joseph Cena. He has four brothers named Dan, Matt, Steve, and Sean. Cena's maternal grandfather was baseball player Tony Lupien, a son of businessman Ulysses J. Lupien, and he is cousins with computer scientist Natalie Enright Jerger.
Cena was educated at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, before moving to Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. He then attended Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he was an NCAA Division III All-American center and football team captain. After graduating in 1999 with a degree in exercise physiology and kinesiology, he pursued a bodybuilding career and worked as a limousine driver. He also worked at Gold's Gym.
Professional wrestling career
Ultimate Pro Wrestling (1999โ2001)
In 1998, Cena moved to California to train for professional wrestling at Ultimate Pro Wrestling's (UPW) Ultimate University, operated by Rick Bassman. He adopted a semi-robotic persona called "the Prototype", wrestling at local events and holding the UPW Heavyweight Championship in 2000. His early career was partially featured in the Discovery Channel documentary Inside Pro Wrestling School. Cena remained with UPW until March 2001.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment/WWE (2000โpresent)
Ohio Valley Wrestling (2000โ2002)
On October 10, 2000, Cena made his unofficial World Wrestling Federation (WWF) debut in a dark match on WWE SmackDown! as the Prototype. He signed a developmental contract in 2001 and was assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), WWF's developmental territory, where he held the OVW Heavyweight Championship and the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship with Rico Constantino.
While competing in OVW, Cena also wrestled in WWF dark matches and house shows before being called up to the main roster in June 2002. He continued to appear in OVW until September and made a final appearance there in November under the name Mr. P.
Doctor of Thuganomics (2002โ2004)
Cena made his official WWE television debut on June 27, 2002, answering Kurt Angle's open challenge on SmackDown! and declaring he possessed "ruthless aggression". Even though he lost the match against Angle, Cena was praised for his efforts in the match. Cena soon feuded with Chris Jericho, defeating Jericho at Vengeance on July 21.
On the October 24 episode of SmackDown!, Cena attacked Billy Kidman after losing to him, turning heel for the first time in his WWE career. After the heel turn, Cena adopted a rapper persona inspired by a backstage freestyle overheard by Stephanie McMahon and Paul Heyman. Debuting the "Doctor of Thuganomics" character, Cena began performing freestyle raps in promos and wore jerseys and hats as part of his gimmick, along with the slogan "Word Life".
Cena was briefly paired with enforcer B-2 and then Red Dogg until Red Dogg was sent to the Raw brand in February. At the Royal Rumble on January 19, 2003, Cena made his first appearance in the Royal Rumble match but was eliminated by the Undertaker. Cena then entered a number-one contender tournament for the WWE Championship, defeating Eddie Guerrero, the Undertaker, and Chris Benoit before losing to champion Brock Lesnar at Backlash on April 27.
Cena continued high-profile feuds with the Undertaker, losing to him at Vengeance on July 27, and Angle, losing to him at No Mercy on October 19. He eventually turned face on the November 6 episode of SmackDown!, joining Angle's team at Survivor Series on November 16, where Team Angle defeated Team Lesnar (Brock Lesnar, A-Train, Big Show, Matt Morgan, and Nathan Jones).
At the Royal Rumble on January 25, 2004, Cena participated in the Royal Rumble match and was eliminated by Big Show, and then lost a Triple Threat match to determine the number one contender to the WWE Championship to Angle (also involving Big Show) No Way Out on February 15. At WrestleMania XX on March 14, Cena defeated Big Show to win the United States Championship, his first singles title in WWE.
Cena retained the title at Judgment Day on May 16 against Renรฉ Duprรฉe, and then at The Great American Bash on June 27 against Booker T, Rรฉne Duprรฉe, and Rob Van Dam, before being stripped of it on the July 8 of SmackDown! after accidentally knocking over Angle, who had become General Manager, during his title defense against Booker T.
Cena regained the title by defeating Booker T in a best of five series that began at SummerSlam on August 15, and concluded at No Mercy on October 3, but Cena lost the United States Championship days later to Carlito Caribbean Cool on the October 7 episode of SmackDown!. Their storyline escalated when Cena was (kayfabe) stabbed in a nightclub by Carlito's bodyguard Jesรบs, an angle used to explain his absence while filming The Marine.
Cena returned at Survivor Series to team with Eddie Guerrero, Big Show, and Rob Van Dam to defeat Angle, Luther Reigns, Mark Jindrak, and Carlito in a Survivor Series match on November 14, and regained the title on the November 18 episode of SmackDown!, then defeated Jesรบs in a street fight at Armageddon on December 12.
WWE Champion (2005โ2007)
At the Royal Rumble on January 30, 2005, Cena and Batista were the final two participants and were eliminated simultaneously by one another. After a restart, Batista won. Cena defeated Kurt Angle at No Way Out on February 20 in the finals of a tournament to determine the number one contender for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21 on April 3, beginning a feud with champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL).
Although Cena lost his United States Championship to Orlando Jordan on the March 3 episode of SmackDown!, Cena defeated JBL at WrestleMania to win his first WWE Championship. Cena introduced a customized spinner belt and defeated JBL again in an "I Quit" match at Judgment Day on May 22.
As part of the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery on the June 6 episode of WWE Raw, Cena was drafted to the Raw brand by becoming the first pick. Cena began a feud with General Manager Eric Bischoff, who opposed Cena's refusal to participate in fighting the ECW roster at ECW One Night Stand on June 12. At Vengeance on June 26, Cena retained his title in a triple threat match against Christian and Chris Jericho.
Bischoff backed Jericho as his chosen challenger, but Cena retained his championship against Jericho at SummerSlam on August 21, and defeated Jericho again in a "You're Fired" match on the August 22 episode of Raw. Angle subsequently replaced Jericho as Bischoff's hand-picked contender. Over the next few months, Cena lost to Angle by disqualification at Unforgiven on September 18, pinned Shawn Michaels at Taboo Tuesday on November 1 in a triple threat match involving Angle, and pinned Angle at Survivor Series on November 27.
During this feud, Cena added a submission finisher, the STF, in preparation for a triple threat submission match for the WWE Championship against Angle and Chris Masters on the November 28 episode of Raw.
Cena retained the WWE Championship in an Elimination Chamber match against Carlito, Chris Masters, Shawn Michaels, Kane, and Angle at New Year's Revolution on January 8, 2006, but immediately lost it to Edge, who cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. Cena regained the title by defeating Edge at the Royal Rumble on January 29, and retained it against Triple H at WrestleMania 22 on April 2, Cena's first WrestleMania headlining match.
Cena lost the title a few months later to Rob Van Dam at ECW One Night Stand on June 11 due to Edge's interference, in a match where the crowd was notably hostile to Cena. Edge later won the title from Van Dam in a Triple Threat match involving Cena on the July 3 episode of Raw, leading to a lengthy feud that ended with Cena defeating Edge in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at Unforgiven on September 17 to reclaim the championship.
Cena returned with his version of the spinner title belt on the next night's Raw. Cena was involved in a Champion of Champions match at Cyber Sunday on November 5 against Big Show and King Booker. Kevin Federline interfered and cost Cena the match, leading to the duo feuding. In the new year, Federline pinned Cena on the January 1, 2007 episode of Raw with an assist from Umaga.
Cena then defended his championship against Umaga twice at New Year's Revolution on January 7, and in a Last Man Standing match at the Royal Rumble on January 28.
The night afterwards on Raw, Cena teamed with Shawn Michaels to win the World Tag Team Championship from Rated-RKO (Edge and Randy Orton) before defeating Michaels at WrestleMania 23 on April 1 to retain the WWE Championship. Michaels turned on Cena the night after, costing the pair the World Tag Team Championship in a battle royal.
In the summer, Cena also defeated The Great Khali at Judgment Day on May 20 by submission, and then at One Night Stand on June 3 by pinfall, defeated Bobby Lashley, King Booker, Mick Foley, and Randy Orton in a five-pack challenge at Vengeance: Night of Champions on June 24, and successfully defended his title against Lashley at The Great American Bash on July 22.
He then began a feud with Randy Orton, retaining the title against Orton at SummerSlam on August 26, followed by another win at Unforgiven on September 16. On the October 1 episode of Raw, Cena suffered a legitimate torn pectoral muscle during a match against Mr. Kennedy and was sidelined indefinitely. Cena was stripped of the WWE Championship the following night on ECW, ending his 380-day reign. Cena underwent surgery for his injury at St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama.
World Heavyweight Champion (2008โ2010)
At the Royal Rumble on January 27, 2008, Cena made a surprise return as the final participant of the Royal Rumble match, which he won by last eliminating Triple H. Rather than wait for WrestleMania XXIV on March 30, Cena used his title shot against WWE Champion Randy Orton at No Way Out on February 17 but won by disqualification, thus not capturing the title.
Despite this, Cena was later added to the title match at WrestleMania XXIV, making it a triple threat, but was pinned by Orton. Following WrestleMania, Cena feuded with JBL, defeating JBL at Judgment Day on May 18, and at One Night Stand on June 1 in a First Blood match. Cena later unsuccessfully challenged Triple H for the WWE Championship at Night of Champions on June 29, before losing to JBL in a New York City Parking Lot Brawl at The Great American Bash on July 20.
On the August 4 episode of Raw, Cena and Batista won the World Tag Team Championship by defeating Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase. Cena and Batista lost the titles back to Rhodes and DiBiase on the August 11 episode of Raw. At SummerSlam on August 17, in a loss to Batista, Cena suffered a legitimate neck injury, which sidelined him until his return at Survivor Series on November 23 following surgery, where he defeated Chris Jericho to win his first World Heavyweight Championship.
While retaining the title first against Jericho at Armageddon on December 14, and then against JBL at the Royal Rumble on January 25, 2009, Cena lost the title to Edge at No Way Out in an Elimination Chamber match. Cena regained the title at WrestleMania 25 on April 5 in a triple threat match involving Big Show but lost it back to Edge at Backlash on April 26 in a Last Man Standing match after Big Show chokeslammed Cena through a spotlight.
Cena then began a feud with Big Show, first defeating him at Judgment Day on May 17, and then at Extreme Rules on June 7 in a Submission match, and ended a brief feud with The Miz, which began on the April 27 episode of Raw, at The Bash on June 28.
Cena competed against Randy Orton and Triple H in a Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship at Night of Champions on July 26, but lost. On the July 27 episode of Raw, Cena became the number one contender for Orton's WWE Championship at SummerSlam on August 23, where he was again unsuccessful, but captured the title at Breaking Point on September 13 by defeating Orton in an "I Quit" match.
Cena further traded the championship with Orton several times over the year, losing it to Orton a month later at Hell in a Cell on October 4, and regaining it at Bragging Rights on October 25 in a 60-minute iron man match under Anything Goes rules. Cena successfully defended the title against Shawn Michaels and Triple H in a Triple Threat match at Survivor Series on November 22, before losing it to Sheamus at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 13 in a tables match.
After being eliminated by a surprise-returning Edge at the Royal Rumble on January 31, 2010, Cena regained the WWE Championship by defeating Triple H, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Ted DiBiase, and Randy Orton in an Elimination Chamber match at Elimination Chamber on February 21 but lost it moments later to Batista in an impromptu match.
Cena defeated Batista to regain the title at WrestleMania XXVI on March 28, and retained the title in a Last Man Standing match at Extreme Rules on April 25, and then in an "I Quit" match at Over the Limit on May 23, ending their feud.
Storyline with the Nexus (2010โ2011)
On the June 7 episode of Raw, during a match against CM Punk, Cena was attacked by all eight former contestants of the first season of NXT, with Wade Barrett as their leader. This group, later referring to itself as the Nexus, made Cena lose the WWE Championship to Sheamus at Fatal 4-Way on June 20, as well as their steel cage match on July 18 at Money in the Bank.
Cena formed an alliance with Edge, Chris Jericho, John Morrison, R-Truth, Bret Hart, and former Nexus member Daniel Bryan to defeat the Nexus at SummerSlam on August 15. At Night of Champions on September 19, Cena was eliminated by Barrett in a six-pack challenge elimination match for the WWE Championship.
