How To Meet Nikki Bella

Exes John Cena and Nikki Bella's lives turned upside down after they split up in April 2018 — just weeks before they were supposed to get married.

The couple, who were together for a total of six years, reconciled after calling off their engagement but ended things for good in July of that year. Since then, both Nikki and John have moved on. The Total Bellas star is now engaged to Dancing With the Stars alum Artem Chigvintsev, and they welcomed their first child, son Matteo, on July 31.

The new mama is all about her bundle of joy and fiancé these days. "I can't even begin to describe to all of you how happy I am!" Nikki gushed via Instagram in January 2020 while announcing her pregnancy. "I'M GOING TO BE A MOM!! It's something I have wanted to be my whole life." She also gushed over Artem and said she believes he is going to make a great dad.

On the other hand, John secretly married Shay Shariatzadeh in October during a ceremony in Tampa, Florida, Life & Style confirmed. "Shay isn't after his money … She's not that kind of girl and loves him for who he is," a source exclusively told Life & Style after the duo took their romance public in 2019, adding she brings out his "softer side."

Like Nikki and Artem, Shay and John's relationship seems to be going strong. John "spoils her with sweet gifts," including flowers, jewelry and sports cars, a second insider previously told Life & Style. "In John's eyes, Shay is the whole package … She's beautiful, intelligent, kind, independent and family-orientated and there's rarely any drama between them."

Despite not being together, Nikki still wishes John the best in his new relationship. "He's one of the people who's made me an amazing person," Nikki shared on her "The Bellas Podcast" in April 2019. "But because of how sad and how much I hurt him, when I saw the big smile on his face, I felt happy for him. I am very happy for him. As long as John is happy, I'm happy. But let me tell you, she breaks his heart? Wow. I will rack attack her in a heartbeat. I'm still protective of that man."

Thankfully, everyone seems happy! Keep scrolling to see Nikki Bella and John Cena's relationship timeline.

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2012

John asked Nikki out for a first date. "The first opening line was, 'Hey, do you want to go to dinner with me?' and I was kind of like, 'What? With me?'" she later told TribLive Radio. "It just kind of started out like a dinner date, and I have to admit, we were friends for so many years, but then when you make it romantic, I couldn't even say a word to him."

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2013

Nikki moved in with John … after signing a lengthy contract. "Having been through that process, here is how I view it," John later explained to Nikki's twin sister, Brie Bella. "It is like buying a handgun for home defense. It gives you a sense of security, and it gives you a failsafe in case something happens … I had to have your sister sign an agreement to live in the house. It wasn't a one-page [agreement], it's a 75-page agreement."

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Nikki Bella John Cena Relationship Timeline

May 29, 2014

A clip from Total Divas showed John finding out Nikki has been married before — and hearing the news from someone other than Nikki — at Brie's wedding.

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September 7, 2014

John and Nikki clashed over their plans for the future in an episode of Total Divas. "I'm trying to be a realist," John said. "I've told you that I don't want to get married and I don't want to have kids, and you do want to get married and you do want to have kids. So I feel like this is a time-bomb over my head."

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Fox Upfront Presentation, New York, USA - 15 May 2017

September 29, 2015

Nikki's ex, wrestler Dolph Ziggler, told her he could give her marriage and children. Nikki eventually came clean to John about Dolph's advances, as viewers saw in a January 2016 episode of Total Divas.

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April 2, 2017

John proposed to Nikki at Wrestlemania 33 — getting down on bended knee in front of "75,000 of their closest friends" — after they defeated married couple The Miz and Maryse in the wrestling ring.

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September 27, 2017

John refused to give Nikki power of attorney in case he is ever put on life support during an episode of Total Bellas. He told her she's "not even on the list."

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April 3, 2018

At the premiere of his film Blockers — two weeks before their breakup — John raved about his and Nikki's relationship, saying, "I think the best thing about me being able to ask her hand in marriage was she doesn't need to question my commitment to our relationship. I am with her to death do us part."

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April 5, 2018

A teaser for season 3 of Total Bellas showed Nikki in tears over her relationship with John. "I'm not sure we should go through with this," he told her in the promo.

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April 8, 2018

On Instagram, Nikki posted an animated re-enactment of John's proposal just one week before their breakup. "What a moment, still get chills and tears every time," she wrote. "Honestly feel like the luckiest girl in the world."

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April 15, 2018

Nikki announced her split from John — less than one month before their wedding date. "While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another," Nikki wrote on Instagram. "We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives."

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May 8, 2018

Nikki told fans she has moved in with her sister and has been "just kind of been hiding out." She also thanked her fans for their love and support.

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May 14, 2018

On Today, John said he "still would love to marry Nicole" and "still would love to have a family with Nicole." He reveals their relationship ended because of an "unfortunate set of circumstances."

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May 27, 2018

In the wake of John's statement on Today, Nikki told Life & Style exclusively there's hope for the relationship. "It's definitely not too little, too late," she says. "There's definitely hope. Right now, I'm just focusing on me and working on myself because a healthy me is a healthy us. And hopefully John's and [my] paths come back together in a happily-ever-after."

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May 31, 2018

A source revealed to Us Weekly that John and Nikki got back together. "Calling off the wedding was the right decision at the moment and their relationship only grew from it," the insider explained at the time. "It didn't mean that any love was lost, or that they lost any feelings for one another, but they both have realized that they love each other and want to be with one another."

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June 4, 2018

Nikki clapped back at a fan for accusing the pair of "faking their split" to garner better TV ratings. "Sad that my breakup has to be 'good' timing for all of you," she wrote on Instagram. "I forgot I'm not allowed to just live my life. What blows my mind is that people like you would even think I would do this for ratings or show," she continued. "Don't you think a wedding would have done a much better job? So unreal. Done with the hate! So happy I have a Bella Army on here that is so loving and supportive," Nikki concluded.

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July 3, 2018

Nikki confirmed that she and John are no longer romantically involved. "Because I am a reality star, and I do have a reality show … I feel like I have to kinda say what's the update on John and I, but right now we're just friends," Nikki revealed on her vlog, which was posted on July 1, and filmed on June 26. She prefaced that by saying, "I think it's hard for people to understand because we film and then things get shown a few months after."

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October 30, 2018

Nikki confessed she's still adjusting following the split. "It feels like, you know, when you get married and the next day people are like, 'When are you having kids?' and it's like, 'I just got married.' I feel like it's the same thing. When you become single, it's like, 'Oh, are you dating?!' Honestly, I'm so not interested. I'm just not ready yet," she said at the WWE Evolution on October 28.

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January 15, 2019

Nikki gave fans an update on her friendship with John. "He and I are friendly," she explained. "I have given him the heads up on everything because I have so much respect for him. So I told him like, 'Hey! I'm going on a date with this guy, just want you to know,'" the professional wrestler continued. "I love him, I have respect for him — he's just such a good friend of mine."

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March 27, 2019

After months of speculation, Nikki finally confirmed that she and her former DWTS partner, Artem Chigvintsev, are an item. "Artem and I are dating. We are not engaged, we are not married, we're not boyfriend and girlfriend, we don't say 'I love you,'" Nikki confessed during an episode of "The Bellas Podcast," before adding,"Yeah, we make out. What else? He's a great kisser."

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March 30, 2019

Just days after Nikki said it would "kill her" to see John move on, he was spotted with new girl Shay Shariatzadeh on his arm. "John and his new girlfriend have been out in the public multiple times," Nina Safai, a Canadian blogger, explained to Life & Style. "I've seen them together four times now. It started on March 3, and I've been running into them once or twice a week since then. I first saw them at Thierry dessert shop — it seemed like their first or second date."

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April 2019

As of April 2019, the former flames have officially moved on and are focusing on new romantic relationships. In fact, on April 22, a year following the pair's split, Nikki shared an empowering message on Instagram. "I woke up this morning smiling, said 'thank you, God, and universe,' out loud. Never have done that. Feels so good! So happy! Trust the journey! I love you all!"

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Nikki Bella and John Cena Relationship Timeline

October 2019

John and Shay made their red carpet debut at the 'Playing with Fire' film premiere.

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Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev Engagement Selfie

November 2019

Artem popped the question in France. They kept the news low-key for a few months.

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Artem Chigvintsev Cradles Nikki Bella's Baby Bump

January 2020

On January 3, Nikki shared the news of her engagement to Artem. Later that month, she revealed the pair were expecting baby No. 1 together.

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February 2020

Shay and John sparked engagement rumors after she seemed to be wearing a diamond ring on her left ring finger during an outing in San Diego, California.

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Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella Are Teaching Son First Words

July 2020

Nikki and Artem officially became a family of three with the birth of Matteo.

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John Cena out and about, Los Angeles, USA - 14 Jan 2020

October 2020

Down the aisle! John and Shay took a huge step in their relationship by tying the knot in October.

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Nikki Bella Rehashes Her Split From Ex-Fiance John Cena: 'He Didn't Want to Be a Father'

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