John Cena, who ended his WWE in-ring career in December 2025, made a very personal revelation about his relationship with his family, admitting that he struggles to stay close to his relatives.
In a recent interview with JUCA while promoting Matchbox The Movie, which was released Friday on Apple TV, the 17-time world champion was asked who can still see him as an ordinary person, away from all the fame that surrounds him.
Cena, who grew up with four brothers in Massachusetts, admitted that he has not been able to be the brother, son and uncle he would like to be.
“I say all those things because they sound nice. Every year, I seem to come up short. So, my relationship with my blood-related family is strained, and that’s my choice.”
Cena also acknowledged that his excessive dedication to work has been one of the main reasons for that distance.
“I always hide under the guise of work. I might be a little bit of a workaholic, but I’m trying to work through that.”
Despite the difficulties, Cena stays in touch with his brothers. In June, he told Extra that they get together several times a year. On the other hand, Cena revealed that he has a very tight circle of friends, made up of about eight people, whom he considers essential to his life.
“Well, the bride is the closest. She’s the tip of the pyramid.”
Cena added that he and those friends constantly push each other to grow.