John Felix Anthony Cena (/ˈsiːnə/; born April 23, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, actor, television presenter, philanthropist, and former rapper. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is currently signed to WWE.
Born and raised in West Newbury, Massachusetts, Cena moved to California in 1998 to pursue a career as a bodybuilder. He transitioned to professional wrestling in 1999 when he debuted for Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW). He signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 2001, where he was initially assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). He gained fame in the WWE after adopting the persona of a trash-talking rapper. He won his first singles title, the United States Championship, in 2004. The next year, he won the WWE Championship for the first time, and his character subsequently transitioned into a clean-cut "Superman-like" hero. He then led the company as its franchise player and public face for the next decade.
Cena is a five-time United States Champion, four-time world tag team champion, and a 16-time world champion. He is tied with Ric Flair for the most world championship reigns in WWE history, including 13 with the WWE Championship, a record for the title. He is also a two-time Royal Rumble match winner, a one-time Money in the Bank winner, and has headlined several major WWE pay-per-view events, including their flagship event, WrestleMania, five times.
Cena has been met with mixed critical and fan reception during his career. He has been praised for his character work and promotion skills but criticized for his supposed over-representation and victories over rising stars, which are deemed "burials". He is thus regarded as one of the most polarizing professional wrestlers of all time.
Cena first starred in The Marine (2006), and gained praise for his performances in Trainwreck (2015), Ferdinand (2017), Blockers, and Bumblebee (both 2018). He starred in F9 and will portray Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad (both 2021), and in an eponymous television series. He also released a rap album called You Can't See Me (2005), which went platinum. Outside his work in entertainment, Cena is known for his involvement in numerous charitable causes, namely with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where he has granted the most wishes, at over 650.
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