Nikki Garcia Details Reuniting with Ex John Cena 7 Years After Split
Originally appeared on E! Online
There's no animosity in this elimination chamber.
Over a month after WWE star Nikki Garcia (a.k.a. Nikki Bella) briefly ended her retirement to return to the 2025 Royal Rumble in February, she recently shared how it felt to be back in the ring—and reuniting with ex John Cena.
'It was very quick,' Nikki told Kristin Cavallari during the New York stop of her Let's be Honest podcast tour on March 13, per People. The 41-year-old, who split with John in July 2018 after six years of dating, noted that it's been 'seven [or] eight years' since they saw each other. 'I was in a circle talking to people. He came to [shake] everyone's hand. He shook my hand.'
Nikki—who shares 4-year-old son Matteo with ex-husband Artem Chigvintsev—didn't share if she and the Suicide Squad actor, 47, spoke to each other, but the people surrounding them had a notable reaction to their reunion.
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'When he walked away, all the girls were like, 'Oh my gosh,'' she continued, adding she wanted to 'respect' John's space as he's now married to wife Shay Shariatzadeh. 'And that was it. It was great because [we were] breaking the ice and we both happened to be back at [WWE] at the same time. It's a good feeling.'
According to Nikki, this experience was more pleasant than their previous run-in at the same event in 2018. At the time, Nikki said the moment—which was captured on her and her sister Brie Garcia's former E! show, Total Bellas—was 'hard' to go through, as she was trying to put on a brave face for the Royal Rumble crowd.
'Because of all the John stuff, I feel like I've been on such an emotional roller coaster,' Nikki said at the time. 'And today has been like double that. I'm going to be a part of this major historic moment, but I can't help but have all this John stuff on my mind.'
Now that she and John appear to be on decent terms, Nikki's focused on the next chapter in her life: finding a new partner that can keep up with her. Nearly three months after she and Artem finalized their rocky divorce, the retired wrestler shared she's not interested in dating or 'training younger men.'
'I want to be owned,' she told her sister on the Feb. 18 episode of their self-titled podcast. 'I want my body rocked.'
Keep reading to see more friendly celebrity exes….Sarah Silverman & Jimmy KimmelChris Pratt & Anna FarisTarek El Moussa & Christina Hall
Lady Gaga & Taylor Kinney
Michael C. Hall & Jennifer Carpenter
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