John Cena Open To Having Children, Nikki Bella's Reported Reaction

Veteran WWE Superstar John Cena has indicated that he's more open to becoming a father these days, and WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella is reportedly happy for him.

After dating Bella from 2012 until April 2018, Cena met a woman named Shay Shariatzadeh in 2019, while filming "Playing with Fire" in Vancouver, where she works as an engineer. They started dating in early 2019, and then got married on October 12, 2020. Cena had stated in numerous media interviews, while with Bella, that he did not want to have children, mainly because he didn't want to be an absent parent while focusing on his work. Not wanting kids is one of the main reasons Cena and Bella split up, ending a one-year engagement.

Cena has apparently changed his mind. The actor and wrestler recently spoke with The U.S. Sun to promote F9, and talked about how important family is to him. He has now changed his mind on becoming a father.

"I'm a little bit older, a bit wiser. I'm realizing there is life and life exists and it's beautiful — and I think part of that is being a parent, so we'll see," Cena said.

A source close to Cena told HollywoodLife that Bella had nothing but well wishes for Cena and his wife. The source added, "No matter what decisions John makes, that is his and Shay's business. Nikki is happy for him and wishes him all the best, she's happy living her own life."

The source also said Nikki realizes people change in life, and that they make the best decisions based on where they're at during that point in time. Nikki reportedly thinks becoming a father is an "amazing blessing" that would bring joy to Cena. Nikki began dating former Dancing With The Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev in January 2019. They have been engaged since January 3, 2020, and welcomed their first child, a boy named Matteo, on July 31, 2020.

Cena is said to be at a different point in his life these days and now that he is married and has his foothold in Hollywood, he is reportedly thinking more about starting a family. When Cena was with Nikki, he was at a crossroads as his full-time WWE career was coming to an end, and he was trying to secure more of a presence in the world of TV and movies.

While Cena is considering a family, it does not sound like he and Shay are actively trying to make that happen. The source close to Cena noted that right now he's only having general thoughts about being a family man, and that the happy couple is not actively trying to get pregnant. It's believed that it would likely still be a few years down the line before that happens, according to the person close to Cena.

Cena has been away from WWE since losing to "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36 in 2020, but is expected to return soon to challenge WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at SummerSlam on August 21. Bella was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame earlier this year, and has teased a return to the ring with sister Brie Bella in the near future.

Stay tuned for more.