John Cena Explains His Decision to Not Have Kids

John Cena is doubling down on the reasons he doesn’t want to have children.

During an appearance on the Wednesday, August 21, episode of the “Club Shay Shay” podcast, Cena, 47, elaborated on his decision to stay child-free.

“I don’t want them,” the professional wrestler told host and former NFL player Shannon Sharpe after he asked Cena where he stood on the matter. “I have a certain curiosity about life, and I also know the investment that it takes.”

He continued, “And my biggest fear is, as someone who’s driven – many times stubborn, and selfish – I try to approach the world with kindness and curiosity, but I don’t think I’m personally ready, nor will I ever be, to invest the time it needs to be a great parent because I want to live life for all it is. And I still have a lot to do. And I still want to do a lot. I have a wonderful partner I do it with. We’ve had open conversations about this. We share the same values.”

The Jackpot! actor went on to tell Sharpe, 56, that not wanting kids is a “tough subject” to talk about because “it immediately puts you in a category,” and people “can’t help but judge.”

“[It’s] human nature. We’re all judgmental. I’d like to believe that I operate under the construct that everyone’s okay living their life,” he explained before noting that he’s felt confident in his decision since he was a teen. “My opinions only hit that gray area during emotionally difficult times. And I’m very happy with where I stand. I have a lot of joy and fulfillment in my life. And that’s pretty much where I stand on it.”

Cena previously dated WWE star Nikki Garcia from 2012 to 2018. The pair called off their engagement weeks before their wedding.

While speaking on Maria Menounos‘ “Better Together” show in 2020, Garcia, 40, opened up about how their differing opinions on starting a family ultimately ended their relationship.

“Overall, we did have such an incredible relationship, it was just two people that wanted two different lives. We were trying so hard to make it one,” she said at the time. “Even in the end when he was willing to give me kids, I could just tell, it’s not what we wanted.”

After their split, Garcia moved on with her Dancing With the Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev. Together they share son Matteo, whom they welcomed in July 2020.

Cena, meanwhile, began dating Shay Shariatzadeh in 2019. He popped the question on Valentine’s Day in 2020, and the two tied the knot in a private, intimate ceremony in October that year, Us Weekly confirmed. The couple held a second wedding ceremony in July 2022.

“John and Shay didn’t have a proper ceremony the first time out, it was a deliberately private affair because they wanted to do it with the minimum of attention of fuss,” a source told Us one month after their nuptials. “This time was different though, they booked out a beautiful place and made it a very special occasion … They’re just so in love and grateful to have found each other.”