As the internet buzzes over Nikki Bella's dating rumor with Eagles' CB, Cooper DeJean, fans are looking back at the WWE Hall of Famer's heartbreaking past with her ex-fiance, John Cena.
It’s no news that the internet loves an unexpected crossover moment, and this time, it has brought together two key branches of sports: wrestling and football! Yes, the hot buzz of the hour is that WWE star Nikki Bella, age 42, is reportedly dating 22-year-old Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean. The alleged new flame has now blown up into a dating frenzy, with fans claiming the signs were there all along, from featuring in each other’s Instagram stories and night outs to Nikki’s recent locker room photo.
Rumor or not, the link-up has surely sent the internet spiralling, with fans revisiting Nikki’s past romances and split-ups, especially her iconic love story with WWE legend John Cena. From PDA-filled red-carpet moments to reality TV confessionals to a memorable proposal inside the ring, their split in 2018 still gets people talking. Here’s what went wrong between the former WWE couple.
Nikki Bella and John Cena began dating in 2012 and quickly became a power couple in the wrestling world. As soon as they transitioned from wrestling colleagues to friends and eventually to lovers, they kept their fans informed. From travelling together to appearing side by side on the reality show, Total Divas, the two later starred in their own spinoff show, Total Bellas.
Unlike most celebrity relationships, theirs played out rather publicly. Through reality TV, fans got near real-time insight into their lives, seeing not just the highlights but also the arguments, compromises, and difficult moments behind the scenes. Nikki had admitted to being smitten with Cena from day one. She once shared with the WWE:
"On my best first date, there was a very big, handsome man with an amazing smile and dimples. Even though we were both out of town, he came to my hotel and picked me up as if we were in the same city, and took me to a nice steakhouse. We just talked and chatted for hours. That first one went into the second one, where we just had an amazing dance in the middle of the restaurant. No one’s ever done that with me, and yes, that was John. So he’s awesome."
However, despite the open nature of their relationship, cracks had begun to form early in their seemingly strong bond. And some of those signs were too evident to ignore, even at the beginning of their romance.
One of the most talked-about moments from the former couple’s reality show was when John Cena handed Nikki a rather detailed agreement before she moved into his home. The 75-page-long cohabitation contract laid out strict terms and conditions for Bella’s living arrangements at Cena’s Tampa residence, along with a section named the “Immediate Eviction Clause”. Though surprised, Bella had signed the contract and moved in with the pro wrestler.
Structure was at the very core of the agreement. Nikki and John, both wrestlers and active fitness enthusiasts, sought an ideal lifestyle, but for Nikki, it was all about flexibility. However, Cena’s well-known commitment to health extended into the home, with calorie-tracking guidelines requiring detailed meal logging and strict morning and evening schedules built around fitness, work, and rest.
Another notable condition that irked many viewers was the restriction on pets. The cohabitation deal specified which types of pets were allowed in the house. While the restrictions were likely made to accommodate John Cena’s busy schedule for Bella, a known animal lover, this was a difficult compromise.
The contract also addressed privacy and security clauses, focusing on both stars’ data protection, household security, and the prevention of unauthorized disclosures. This meant Bella couldn’t randomly invite people inside the house when she lived with John. Regardless, the contract also emphasized financial independence, with clear boundaries set around expenses and shared responsibilities.
Beyond reality TV, Cena and Bella appeared together regularly on WWE television. On April 2, 2017, at WrestleMania 33, John Cena and Nikki Bella faced The Miz and Maryse and emerged victorious. Moments after the glorious win, the 25-time WWE champion dropped to one knee in the middle of the ring and proposed to Nikki Bella as the entire arena watched. Nikki said, “Yes!” as John put the ring on her finger. The match victory that day became one of the most unforgettable games in WWE history as the world celebrated the newly engaged couple.
Besides the strict agreement, another life-defining question haunted most of Cena and Bella’s relationship: children. John Cena had been clear from the start that he didn’t want to be a father. While Nikki initially agreed, believing that simply loving would be enough, as their wedding got closer, her feelings changed. The former wrestler realized she wanted a family and didn’t want to give up the bliss of motherhood.
A no-pets rule might be manageable, but differing views on children are often a true deal-breaker. That was exactly the case for John Cena and Nikki Bella. Their opposing views on parenthood became a fundamental difference in how they each envisioned their future. The issue played out openly and painfully on Total Bellas, with both trying, and ultimately failing, to find a compromise. Cena was firm that he didn’t want to become a parent, while Nikki couldn’t bring herself to give up something that mattered so deeply to her. In the end, love alone wasn’t enough to bridge that gap.
In April 2018, just weeks before their scheduled wedding, Nikki Bella and John Cena called it off, and shortly after, their 6-year-old relationship was officially over. Despite brief reconciliation rumors, the split ultimately became permanent. Years later, Nikki revealed that she was the one who made the final decision to leave. She told Entertainment Tonight:
"You almost wish it was bad, because it’s so much easier to walk away. It's so much harder to walk away when it's loving. I think a lot of women get into this situation when it's like, 'I love this person, but I don't know if it's right for my life,' and that's a hard thing. Sometimes we meet amazing people, but we're just meant to live a different life."
Recently, Nikki Bella (real name Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace) grabbed the limelight after being romantically linked with Eagles’ CB Cooper DeJean, especially after the wrestling star shared Instagram stories from inside the stadium, including a clip taken near Cooper DeJean’s locker. Later that night, she was spotted celebrating at a Philadelphia bar where DeJean was also present. Within minutes, fans were zooming in, screen-recording stories, and comparing timelines.
Earlier this year, Nikki was photographed at Eagles training camp wearing custom team gear and posing with DeJean on the field. Around the same time, DeJean attended WWE RAW in Philadelphia. On-air, wrestler Grayson Waller casually mentioned that the NFL rookie was there to see Nikki, a comment that went largely unnoticed until now.
With a glaring 20-year age gap between Nikki and Cooper, the rumours have split the internet and set the sports world buzzing. This unexpected crossover has already become one of the year’s biggest pop culture talking points.
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