- In full:
- John Felix Anthony Cena, Jr.
- Born:
- April 23, 1977, West Newbury, Massachusetts, U.S. (age 49)
John Cena
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Who is John Cena?
John Cena (born April 23, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and author. Cena's wrestling career began in 2000, and he quickly rose to fame with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) organization. During his time with WWE, he won more than 15 world championships and gained nicknames such as "the Perfect Man" and "the Doctor of Thuganomics". Besides wrestling, Cena has also had success in action movies like The Marine (2006), The Suicide Squad (2021), and F9: The Fast Saga (2021). In 2018, he released his first children’s book, Elbow Grease, and in 2005, he released a rap album with his cousin, Tha Trademarc, called You Can’t See Me.
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What is John Cena best known for?
John Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, and author. He is known for his career in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he gained fame and won more than 15 world championships. Cena also obtained nicknames such as "Perfect Man", "the Doctor of Thuganomics", and "the Chain Gang Soldier". Besides wrestling, Cena has also starred in action movies such as The Marine, 12 Rounds, The Reunion, F9: The Fast Saga, and The Suicide Squad.
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What wrestling organization did John Cena become famous in?
John Cena initially gained recognition in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). His wrestling journey began in 2000, and by 2001, he'd secured the Ultimate Pro Wrestling heavyweight title, drawing WWE's attention.
Subsequently, Cena joined Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), a WWE training academy, and won the OVW heavyweight championship in 2002. He then transitioned to WWE events, starting in the SmackDown division. By 2005, he moved to the Raw division after winning the WWE championship. During his career, Cena secured over 15 WWE world championships and became one of the organization’s most popular wrestlers.
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What are some of John Cena’s most famous catchphrases or signature moves?
John Cena is known for his quick rise to the top of wrestling. He secured more than 15 WWE world championships and many nicknames, including "Perfect Man," "the Doctor of Thuganomics," and "the Chain Gang Soldier".
His signature moves include the spinebuster, where he lifts, spins, and drops his opponent, and the attitude adjustment, where he hoists and flips his opponent headfirst onto their back.
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How did John Cena transition from wrestling to acting?
John Cena, an American professional wrestler, author, and actor, initially became famous with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Cena's transition into acting occurred simultaneously with his wrestling career. He gained recognition for his roles in action movies such as The Marine (2006), 12 Rounds (2009), and The Reunion (2011). Over time, Cena continued to expand his acting career, taking on roles in other popular franchises, such as the Transformers series with Bumblebee (2018), Fast & Furious with F9: The Fast Saga (2021), and The Suicide Squad (2021).
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What are some movies or television shows in which John Cena has acted?
John Cena is an American professional wrestler and actor who began acting while still wrestling. He gained recognition for action movies such as The Marine (2006), 12 Rounds (2009), and The Reunion (2011). In 2018, Cena played a military officer in Bumblebee, a prequel in the Transformers series, and in 2021, he joined the Fast & Furious franchise, appearing in F9: The Fast Saga (2021) and Fast X (2023). Other action films from this time include The Suicide Squad, which centres on a group of DC Comics superheroes.
Cena has also starred in comedies such as Trainwreck (2015), Blockers (2018), Playing with Fire (2019), Vacation Friends (2021), and Barbie (2023).
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John Cena (born April 23, 1977, West Newbury, Massachusetts, U.S.) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and author who first gained fame with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) organization and later had success in movies and books. His notable films include Trainwreck (2015), F9: The Fast Saga (2021), and The Suicide Squad (2021). He is also known for fulfilling more than 500 Make-a-Wish requests (granted to children suffering from critical illnesses). Cena officially retired from all professional competitive wrestling in December 2025, calling time on a WWE career that lasted 24 years.
Early life
Cena began lifting weights while a preteen and later decided to pursue a career in bodybuilding. In 1998 he received a degree in exercise physiology from Springfield College in Massachusetts. After moving to California, he was encouraged to take wrestling classes. Cena had grown up watching professional wrestling, and his father, taking the name Johnny Fabulous, was an announcer for the entertainment sport in Massachusetts. In 2000 Cena began his professional wrestling career under the name “The Prototype.”
WWE
Cena’s rise to the top tiers of wrestling was quick. In the same year as his debut, he won the Ultimate Pro Wrestling heavyweight championship and gained the attention of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF; now known as the WWE). He subsequently signed with the Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) organization, which was then a training academy for the WWF. After capturing the OVW heavyweight championship in 2002, Cena started to participate in WWE events. At first he performed in the SmackDown division. After winning the WWE championship in 2005, he joined the Raw division, which not only profiles the more popular wrestlers but also develops more detailed story lines.
During his wrestling career, Cena won 17 WWE world championships and became one of the organization’s most popular wrestlers. He obtained many nicknames, including the “Perfect Man,” “the Doctor of Thuganomics,” and “the Chain Gang Soldier.” His signature moves included the “spinebuster,” in which he would pick up his opponent, spin him around, and drop him. In the “attitude adjustment,” Cena would pick up his opponent and flip him headfirst onto his back.
In July 2024 Cena announced that he would retire from in-ring wrestling after participating in a final WWE tournament titled The Last Time Is Now. He fought the last bout of the special series in December 2025 against Austrian professional wrestler Walter Hahn (popularly known by the stage name Gunther). Cena lost the bout after tapping out (a signal commonly seen in wrestling and mixed martial arts bouts that indicates concession of the match). This was the first time Cena had tapped out during a match in 20 years. Ahead of his last bout, he signed a five-year deal with the WWE to stay on as a brand ambassador.
Acting career
Action movies
Simultaneously with his wrestling career, Cena began acting, and he first gained attention for such action movies as The Marine (2006), 12 Rounds (2009), and The Reunion (2011). In 2018 he played a military officer in Bumblebee, a prequel in the Transformers series. Three years later he joined another popular franchise, the Fast & Furious. Cena appeared in F9: The Fast Saga (2021) and was also cast in the sequel Fast X (2023). His other action films from this time include The Suicide Squad, which centers on a group of DC Comics superheroes. In 2024 he joined an all-star cast—which included Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, and Catherine O’Hara—for Argylle, about a novelist whose current spy novel comes to life.
Comedies
Cena also proved adept at comedy. In 2015 he had a memorable supporting role in Trainwreck, which was directed by Judd Apatow and starred Amy Schumer. He later appeared inBlockers (2018) and Playing with Fire (2019). In 2021 he starred in Vacation Friends, about two couples who begin an unlikely friendship while on a trip to Mexico; he reprised his role in the 2023 sequel. Cena also appeared in the blockbuster Barbie (2023), a coming-of-age tale of the famed doll that was directed by Greta Gerwig. Cena later starred with Awkwafina in Jackpot! (2024), directed by Paul Feig. The action-comedy centers on a Grand Lottery, in which winners must survive until sundown as others attempt to kill them and claim the money. He was also cast a secondary antagonist’s role in the live-action/animated comedy Coyote vs. Acme, screened at the San Diego Comic Con on July 25, 2026, and slated for worldwide release in August. Despite completing production on the film, Warner Bros. had shelved the project in 2023 as part of a financial strategy. Faced with criticism from fans and industry experts over the decision, the studio sold all rights to the movie to independent production and distribution company Ketchup Entertainment in 2025.
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Animated films and TV
Cena lent his voice to characters in such movies as Ferdinand (2017), Dolittle (2020), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023). He also starred as the title character in the TV series Peacemaker (2022– ), a spin-off of The Suicide Squad. In 2024 Cena had a cameo in the popular show The Bear.
Other activities
In 2018 Cena released his first children’s book, Elbow Grease, about a monster truck. He followed that up with several more books in the series, including Elbow Grease vs. Motozilla (2019) and Fast Friends (2020). In 2021 he published the self-help books Be a Work in Progress: And Other Things I’d Like to Tell My Younger Self and Do Your Best Every Day to Do Your Best Every Day: Encouraging Words from John Cena, the latter of which was for younger readers.
In addition, Cena and his cousin Tha Trademarc released a rap album, You Can’t See Me, in 2005. It debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 15.