History of John Cena in Timeline
John Cena is an American actor and professional wrestler renowned for his career in WWE, where he holds a record 17 world championship reigns, solidifying his status as one of wrestling's all-time greats. Beyond wrestling, Cena has transitioned into acting, starring in films like "The Marine" and "Bumblebee," and leading the TV series "Peacemaker." His success spans both the sports entertainment and acting industries.
April 23, 1977: John Cena's Birth
On April 23, 1977, John Felix Anthony Cena was born. He would later become a professional wrestler and actor.
1998: Training at Ultimate Pro Wrestling
In 1998, John Cena moved to California to train for professional wrestling at Ultimate Pro Wrestling's (UPW) Ultimate University.
1999: Start of Wrestling Career
In 1999, John Cena began his wrestling career, laying the foundation for his future in WWE.
1999: Graduation from Springfield College
In 1999, John Cena graduated from Springfield College with a degree in exercise physiology and kinesiology.
October 10, 2000: WWF Dark Match Debut
On October 10, 2000, John Cena made his unofficial WWF debut in a dark match on SmackDown! as The Prototype.
2000: UPW Heavyweight Championship
In 2000, John Cena, wrestling as The Prototype, held the UPW Heavyweight Championship.
March 2001: Departure from UPW
In March 2001, John Cena departed from Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW).
2001: Signing a Developmental Contract with WWF
In 2001, John Cena signed a developmental contract with WWF and was assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW).
2001: Signing with WWE
In 2001, John Cena signed with WWE, marking a significant step in his professional wrestling career.
2001: Appearance on Go Sick as Bruebaker
In 2001, before his WWE debut, John Cena made an appearance on the webcast Go Sick as Bruebaker, an angry, cursing wrestler.
2001: Involvement in the Manhunt reality show
In 2001, between his training in Ultimate Pro Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling, John Cena was involved in the UPN-produced reality show Manhunt, in which he portrayed Big Tim Kingman, leader of the group of bounty hunters.
June 2002: Main Roster Call-Up
In June 2002, John Cena was called up to the main roster after competing in OVW and WWF dark matches.
June 27, 2002: WWE TV Debut
On June 27, 2002, John Cena made his official WWE TV debut on SmackDown!, answering Kurt Angle's open challenge.
2002: Debut on SmackDown!
In 2002, John Cena debuted on the main roster on SmackDown!, marking his entry into WWE's primary programming.
2002: Villainous run
In 2002, John Cena embarked on a villainous run in his WWE career.
2002: First Make-A-Wish
In 2002, John Cena granted his first wish for a child with a life-threatening illness through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
October 2003: Endorsement of YJ Stinger
In October 2003, John Cena began endorsing the energy drink YJ Stinger, appearing in commercials.
2003: Run as a Face
From 2003, John Cena embarked on a run as a face in WWE, becoming the company's top heroic figure.
2003: Origin of "You Can't See Me" catchphrase
In 2003, John Cena created his catchphrase "You Can't See Me" during the production of his new theme song after being dared by his little brother to do the yayo dance on TV. He modified the dance by waving his hand in front of his face.
2003: First Royal Rumble Appearance
In 2003, John Cena made his first appearance in the Royal Rumble match, where he was eliminated by The Undertaker. He then participated in a number-one contender tournament, ultimately losing to Brock Lesnar at Backlash. Later in the year, Cena turned face after joining Kurt Angle's team at Survivor Series in November.
2003: End of villainous run
John Cena's villainous run that began in 2002 came to an end in 2003.
2004: United States Championship Win
In 2004, John Cena won the United States Championship at WrestleMania XX on March 14, marking his first singles title in WWE. He was later stripped of the title on July 8.
June 6, 2005: Drafted to Raw
On June 6, 2005, John Cena was drafted to Raw, becoming the first pick in that year's draft lottery.
August 8, 2005: "Right Now" video premiere on WWE Monday Night Raw
On August 8, 2005, John Cena's music video for the second single, "Right Now", from his debut album, You Can't See Me, premiered on WWE Monday Night Raw.
2005: WWE Championship Win at WrestleMania 21
In 2005, John Cena defeated JBL at WrestleMania 21 to win his first WWE Championship. Earlier that year, at the Royal Rumble, he was a final two participant, simultaneously eliminated with Batista. He earned the title shot by defeating Kurt Angle at No Way Out. He then introduced a customized spinner belt.
2005: Release of You Can't See Me
In 2005, John Cena released his rap album "You Can't See Me", which reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200.
2005: Co-presentation at the Teen Choice Awards
In 2005, John Cena served as a co-presenter with Hulk Hogan at the Teen Choice Awards.
August 2006: Punk'd appearance
In August 2006, John Cena made an appearance on MTV's Punk'd as the victim of a practical joke.
October 10, 2006: Appearance on Opie and Anthony
On October 10, 2006, during his WWE career, John Cena appeared on the CBS and XM versions of Opie and Anthony as part of their "walkover".
October 13, 2006: Release of The Marine
On October 13, 2006, WWE Studios' produced Cena's first movie, The Marine, distributed theatrically by 20th Century Fox America. In its first week, the film made approximately US$7 million at the United States box office.
November 2006: Filming Subway advertisements
In November 2006, John Cena filmed advertisements for Subway with their spokesperson Jared Fogle, which began airing the following January.
2006: Starring in The Marine
In 2006, John Cena starred in "The Marine", marking one of his early leading roles in film.
January 1, 2007: Pinned by Kevin Federline
On January 1, 2007, Kevin Federline pinned John Cena on Raw with an assist from Umaga.
January 2007: Appearance on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
In January 2007, John Cena, Batista, and Ashley Massaro appeared representing WWE on an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, giving the children of the family whose house was being renovated WWE merchandise and eight tickets to WrestleMania 23.
May 2007: Second appearance on Punk'd
In May 2007, John Cena made a second appearance on MTV's Punk'd as the victim of a practical joke.
June 2007: Appearance on Fast Cars and Superstars
In June 2007, John Cena was featured on the ABC reality series Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race, making it to the final round before being eliminated on June 24, placing third in the competition overall.
2007: Endorsement of American Body Builders energy drinks and bars
In 2007, John Cena endorsed two "signature collections" of energy drinks and energy bars sold by American Body Builders.
2007: Interview for CNN's Death Grip documentary
In 2007, John Cena was interviewed for the CNN Special Investigations Unit documentary Death Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling, which focused on steroid and drug use in professional wrestling, leading to a controversy over his comments about steroid use.
February 25, 2008: Filming begins for 12 Rounds
On February 25, 2008, filming began in New Orleans for John Cena's second film, 12 Rounds, which was produced by WWE Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox.
April 9, 2008: Appearance on Idol Gives Back
On April 9, 2008, John Cena, along with fellow wrestlers Triple H and Chris Jericho, appeared on the Idol Gives Back fund-raising special.
October 11, 2008: Hosting the Australian Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards
On October 11, 2008, John Cena hosted the Australian Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards with Natalie Bassingthwaighte in Melbourne.
2008: Gillette's "Young Guns" NASCAR campaign
In 2008, John Cena filmed a commercial as part of Gillette's "Young Guns" NASCAR campaign.
2008: Royal Rumble Win
In 2008, John Cena won the Royal Rumble match as a surprise return, last eliminating Triple H. He later competed for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XXIV, but was pinned by Randy Orton.
March 2009: Appearance on Saturday Night Live and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
In March 2009, John Cena made an appearance on Saturday Night Live during the show's cold opening sequence. On March 7, he was a guest on NPR's quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
March 27, 2009: Release of 12 Rounds
On March 27, 2009, John Cena's second film, 12 Rounds, produced by WWE Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox, was released.
July 11, 2009: Marriage to Elizabeth Huberdeau
On July 11, 2009, John Cena married Elizabeth Huberdeau.
2009: Gillette's "Be A Superstar" campaign
In 2009, John Cena expanded his relationship with Gillette by introducing a new online campaign called "Be A Superstar" featuring himself alongside fellow WWE wrestlers Chris Jericho and Cody Rhodes. The campaign features motivational videos.
2009: Chris Greicius Celebrity Award
In 2009, John Cena received the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award for his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
September 10, 2010: Limited release of Legendary
On September 10, 2010, John Cena's third film, Legendary, produced by WWE Studios, began playing in selected theaters for a limited time.
September 2010: Fred: The Movie airs on Nickelodeon
In September 2010, John Cena starred in the children's film Fred: The Movie, a film based on Lucas Cruikshank's YouTube videos of the same name, playing Fred's imaginary father. The movie was first aired on Nickelodeon.
2010: WWE Championship Reign
In 2010, John Cena regained the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber, lost it to Batista, and then defeated Batista at WrestleMania XXVI to regain the title.
January 17, 2011: Match against CM Punk
On January 17, 2011, John Cena faced CM Punk in a match that ended in a no contest after Cena was attacked by Mason Ryan, who later joined The New Nexus.
January 29, 2012: Double Countout against Kane
On January 29, 2012, John Cena fought Kane to a double countout at Royal Rumble.
May 1, 2012: Filing for divorce from Elizabeth Huberdeau
On May 1, 2012, John Cena filed for divorce from Elizabeth Huberdeau.
October 2012: "Rise Above Cancer" campaign
In October 2012, John Cena wore pink and black apparel with the phrase "Rise Above Cancer" in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
2012: WrestleMania XXVIII sets WWE records
In 2012, WrestleMania XXVIII, headlined by John Cena vs. The Rock, became the highest drawing event in WWE history with 1,217,000 buys. The event also held the record for the highest-grossing live event in WWE history in 2012, grossing $8.9 million.
January 27, 2013: Royal Rumble Win
On January 27, 2013, John Cena won his second Royal Rumble match and announced he would pursue the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29.
2013: Appearance on Fruity Pebbles cereal box
In 2013, after Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson called John Cena "Fruity Pebbles" during their feud, in reference to Cena's colorful merchandise, Cena appeared on the box of Fruity Pebbles cereal.
January 26, 2014: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match
On January 26, 2014, John Cena failed to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Randy Orton at Royal Rumble.
October 2014: Feature on WWE 2K15 soundtrack
In October 2014, John Cena was featured on two songs with rapper Wiz Khalifa, "All Day" and "Breaks", as part of the soundtrack for the WWE 2K15 video game.
January 25, 2015: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match at Royal Rumble
On January 25, 2015, at Royal Rumble, John Cena competed in a match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship but was unsuccessful in capturing the title.
August 17, 2015: Guest co-hosting Today on NBC
On August 17, 2015, John Cena guest co-hosted Today on NBC.
2015: Cena appears in multiple comedy films
In 2015, John Cena made appearances in the comedy films Trainwreck, Sisters, and a cameo in Daddy's Home.
2015: Role in Trainwreck
In 2015, John Cena received praise for his role in the comedy film "Trainwreck".
2015: "Unexpected John Cena" Internet meme
In mid-2015, John Cena became the subject of the Internet meme "Unexpected John Cena", also known as "Unexpected Cena" or "IT'S JOHN CENA".
April 3, 2016: WrestleMania 32 Appearance
On April 3, 2016, at WrestleMania 32, John Cena returned to help The Rock fend off The Wyatt Family.
April 14, 2016: American Grit premiere on Fox
On April 14, 2016, American Grit, a reality television series hosted by John Cena, premiered on Fox. The finale of season 1 aired on June 9.
April 2016: ESPN reporter comments on Cena's recovery abilities
In April 2016, ESPN reporter David Shoemaker commented on John Cena's remarkable recuperative abilities, comparing his recovery scale to "German platelet-rich plasma therapy and Deadpool".
July 2016: Public Service Announcement: "We Are America"
In July 2016, John Cena appeared in a public service announcement titled "We Are America", sponsored by the Ad Council as part of its "Love Has No Labels" campaign.
October 13, 2016: Debut as voice of Ernie the Elephant for Wonderful Pistachios
On October 13, 2016, John Cena made his debut as the voice of Ernie the Elephant in a new commercial campaign launched by Wonderful Pistachios. He was named to Adweek's "Creative 100" and received praise for his performance.
January 24, 2017: Hosting the 2017 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards
On January 24, 2017, Nickelodeon announced that John Cena would host the 2017 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards ceremony on March 11.
April 2, 2017: Engagement to Nikki Bella
On April 2, 2017, John Cena became engaged to Nikki Bella at WrestleMania 33, where he proposed to her.
July 2017: Dubbed a "free agent" by WWE
In July 2017, WWE dubbed John Cena a "free agent" during the Superstar Shake-up, allowing him to work for both the Raw and SmackDown brands.
December 2017: Lawsuit from Ford Motor Company
In December 2017, the Ford Motor Company sued John Cena for breach of contract related to the sale of his 2017 Ford GT shortly after receiving it.
2017: Cena stars in war drama and animated films
In 2017, John Cena starred in the war drama The Wall and lent his voice for the animated films Surf's Up 2: WaveMania and Ferdinand. He also appeared in Daddy's Home 2.
January 11, 2018: Hosting the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards again
On January 11, 2018, it was announced that John Cena would be hosting the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards ceremony again on March 24, becoming the third host to host the ceremony in back to back years.
January 28, 2018: Royal Rumble Loss
On January 28, 2018, John Cena failed to win the Royal Rumble.
April 2018: End of Relationship with Nikki Bella
In April 2018, John Cena ended his relationship with Nikki Bella.
June 19, 2018: Settlement with Ford Motor Company
On June 19, 2018, John Cena settled the lawsuit with the Ford Motor Company. Cena agreed to apologize, and Ford agreed to donate the settlement amount to charity.
November 2018: Filming Hidden Strike in China
From July to November 2018, John Cena lived in Yinchuan, China, to work with Jackie Chan on the film Hidden Strike. While there, he also created a show on WWE's YouTube channel.
2018: Reduced Schedule in WWE
From 2018, John Cena began working a reduced schedule in WWE, balancing his wrestling career with other ventures.
2018: Role in Blockers
In 2018, John Cena received praise for his role in the comedy film "Blockers".
2018: Cena stars in Blockers and Bumblebee
In 2018, John Cena starred in the comedy Blockers and had a leading role in the Transformers spin-off prequel, Bumblebee.
2018: Starring in Bumblebee
In 2018, John Cena starred in the movie "Bumblebee".
January 1, 2019: Mixed Tag Team Match on SmackDown
On January 1, 2019, John Cena returned to WWE television on SmackDown, where he and Becky Lynch defeated Andrade Cien Almas and Zelina Vega in a mixed tag team match.
February 14, 2019: Hosting revival of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader
On February 14, 2019, it was announced that John Cena would host a revival of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader on Nickelodeon, which premiered on June 10.
2019: Cena stars in Playing with Fire
In 2019, John Cena starred in Playing with Fire, playing the role of smokejumper superintendent Jake Carson.
2019: Cena cast in F9
In 2019, John Cena was cast in Justin Lin's F9, playing Jakob Toretto, the brother of Vin Diesel's character Dominic Toretto.
2019: Beginning Relationship with Shay Shariatzadeh
In early 2019, John Cena began dating Shay Shariatzadeh, whom he met during the production of his film Playing with Fire.
February 28, 2020: SmackDown Appearance and WrestleMania Challenge
On February 28, 2020, John Cena returned to WWE on SmackDown, where he was confronted by "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, who challenged him to a match at WrestleMania 36, which Cena accepted.
June 2020: $1 Million Donation to Black Lives Matter
In June 2020, John Cena donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter as part of the #MatchAMillion initiative popularized by the K-pop band BTS.
October 12, 2020: Marriage to Shay Shariatzadeh
On October 12, 2020, John Cena married Shay Shariatzadeh in a private ceremony in Tampa, Florida.
2020: Partnership with Honda
In 2020, John Cena and Honda announced a partnership, with Cena becoming the new voice of Honda.
2020: Cena voices Yoshi in Dolittle
In 2020, John Cena voiced Yoshi, a polar bear, in the adventure comedy film Dolittle.
May 10, 2021: Promotion of Fast & Furious 9 and "Bing Chilling" meme
On May 10, 2021, John Cena posted a video on his Weibo account promoting the film Fast & Furious 9. In the video, he spoke Mandarin and sang into an ice cream cone, which inspired the creation of the meme "Bing Chilling".
July 18, 2021: Return at Money in the Bank
On July 18, 2021, John Cena made his return to WWE programming at Money in the Bank, confronting Roman Reigns after Reigns retained his Universal Championship.
2021: Co-hosting Wipeout
In 2021, John Cena co-hosted the TV game show Wipeout.
2021: Role in The Suicide Squad
In 2021, John Cena received praise for his role in the action film "The Suicide Squad".
2021: Starring in F9
In 2021, John Cena starred in "F9", adding to his list of film appearances.
June 27, 2022: 20th Anniversary Celebration on Raw
On June 27, 2022, John Cena returned on Raw to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his main roster in-ring debut, delivering a promo and interacting with various WWE stars.
2022: Guinness World Record
By mid-2022, the Guinness Book of World Records confirmed that John Cena had granted over 650 wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which was more than anyone else, with the second-highest number being fewer than 200 wishes.
2022: Starring in Peacemaker
In 2022, John Cena began starring in the television series "Peacemaker" as the lead character.
2022: Piano rendition of "Home Sweet Home" for Peacemaker
In 2022, John Cena performed a piano rendition of Mötley Crüe's "Home Sweet Home" for the Peacemaker soundtrack, playing it onscreen as his Peacemaker character.
March 6, 2023: Acceptance of WrestleMania 39 Challenge
On March 6, 2023, John Cena accepted Theory's challenge for a United States Championship match at WrestleMania 39 on Raw.
2023: Cena's roles in Fast X and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
In 2023, John Cena reprised his role as Jakob Toretto in Fast X, which premiered in theaters on May 19. He was also the voice of Rocksteady in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which was released on August 2.
March 2024: Appearance at the 96th Academy Awards
In March 2024, John Cena appeared onstage at the 96th Academy Awards to present the award for best costume design in reference to a streaker interrupting the ceremony in 1974.
April 7, 2024: WrestleMania XL Appearance
On April 7, 2024, during Night 2 of WrestleMania XL, John Cena aided Cody Rhodes in his match against Roman Reigns, taking out Solo Sikoa and Reigns with the Attitude Adjustment.
January 6, 2025: Royal Rumble Announcement on Netflix Raw
On January 6, 2025, at the Raw premiere on Netflix, John Cena announced that he would compete at the Royal Rumble on February 1.
March 31, 2025: Revelation of skin cancer diagnosis
On March 31, 2025, John Cena revealed that he had previously had skin cancer.
2025: End of Run as Face
In 2025, John Cena concluded the longest continuous portrayal of a heroic character in WWE history.
2025: Heel turn at Elimination Chamber
In 2025, John Cena executed a heel turn at Elimination Chamber, although the execution of the villainous character received negative reception. Cena himself labeled his heel work as a failure.
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