John Cena is one of the most successful professional wrestlers of his era. Cena, has multiple world championships to his name, has started in both movies and television shows and is active with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which gives everyone a reason to celebrate him. Cena is also married to Shay Shariatzadeh, although the two keep their relationship fairly private.
Cena has said over the years that he doesn’t want children, but he seems to have found love with Shariatzadeh. So, who is Shariatzadeh and what is she like? Here’s what you need to know about John Cena’s wife, Shay Shariatzadeh.
#1: She is an Engineer
Shariatzadeh has beauty and smarts. According to Life and Style magazine, “Not only did she earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, but she also secured a job in Vancouver. Shay is a product manager at Avigilon, a Motorola Solutions Company.”
“I have always enjoyed math and physics,” she told Motorola Solution’s subsidiary Avigilon in March 2019. “My brother studied engineering in school, and I remember one day he came home with a project, and it was an autonomous car — and that was it!” It would be interesting to hear the brainy conversations these two have at the dinner table.
#2: She’s Iranian and Azerbaijani
According to the BBN Times, “Shay Shariatzadeh was born on September 17, 1989, in Vancouver, Canada. Raised in a multicultural environment, Shay’s family background reflects a blend of Iranian and Azerbaijani heritage.”
So, Shariatzadeh was likely exposed to plenty of different cultures growing up and had some stories to share when she first met Cena.
#3: Her Mom is a Big Inspiration to Her
Her mom is a surgeon and is a big inspiration and influence to her. “The strongest and most hard-working woman I know is my mother,” she explained in Avigilon’s International Women’s Day feature. “The biggest lesson she taught me was to be independent and fight for the things I want in life.”
In that same interview, she added, “While she was at the peak of her career, she gave it all up to move her family to Canada to give us a better future. She is the reason I fight to be the best version of myself, to be kind and to never give up.”
#4: She and Cena Met in a Random Way
She met Cena at a restaurant where she was eating with friends. In February 2024, Cena told “The Howard Stern Show” how they met and said that he was at the restaurant the Super Bowl when one of her friends asked him for a photo.”
“So I got a picture with her, and then she brought by my wife-to-be over, we have our first fan photo, which we hang proudly where we hang our hats. It’s awesome,” he said on the show. “I asked her for her number and she gave me her number, and I didn’t wait like the two days [to reach out].”
#5: He Made the First Move, But She Facilitated It
Also speaking on the “The Howard Stern Show,” Cena said that after meeting her, “I left the restaurant and on my walk home I [texted], ‘It was so nice to meet you, you’re beautiful. I’d like to get to know you more if you have any free time coming up I’ll make time for you.’ She’s like, ‘You want to go out this weekend?’ I said, ‘Sure.’”
So, that’s the story behind how these two met and fell in love.