15 Unusual Rules John Cena Used To Make Nikki Bella Follow

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The most surprising headline to come out of 2018 has to be the separation of John Cena and Nikki Bella. After a six year relationship, the two decided to end things due to a difference in opinion regarding starting a family. Now the topic is still a hot issue with John recently expressing his love for Nikki and claiming that he’s open to starting a family. It’s very possible that this breakup was all a work in order to get more eyeballs on the upcoming season of Total Bellas. That’s especially true when you consider that both John and Nikki actually filmed the apparent breakup for the show...

Nonetheless, broken up or not, Cena has made Nikki follow some bizarre rules throughout their six year relationship. In this article, we take a look back at the wacky rules John made his former fiancée follow. From maintaining a clean household to signing a 75 page contract, these are rules you’ll definitely get a kick out of. We take a look at the personal lives of both Cena and Nikki as a couple and what rules Bella was made to follow.

Enjoy folks and like always, be sure to share the article with a friend. Without further ado, here 15 rules John Cena used to make Nikki Bella follow. Let’s get started!

Nikki Regarded As A “Guest”

Just imagine: it’s one of the biggest days in your life, you’re finally moving in with your man in his beautiful home. Then, he makes you sign a contract which clearly states that you’re only regarded as a guest and that you’ll be asked to leave immediately in the event of a breakup... Yeah, sounds pretty harsh, right? Well, that’s exactly one of the clauses written in Cena’s 75 page contract. Due to his tough past with the ladies, Cena ensured his safety in this relationship though some believe that he might have taken things a little too far labeling someone he loves as a guest in his home. In accordance to the agreement,

Nikki Bella left the home following the surprising breakup between the two. She is now living with sister Brie, and her husband Daniel Bryan.

The exact verbiage by Cena himself was just as harsh during an episode of Total Divas, here’s what he had to say regarding the guest situation;

"I do not want there to be any misunderstanding regarding your presence at the home as my guest. In the event that I ask you to vacate the home, you agree to immediately vacate the home and remove any and all items you have brought into the home as soon as possible."

Total Divas & Total Bellas Cameras Can Only Film Him When He Agrees

Unlike everyone else in the cast, John Cena made a clear rule to only be filmed when he wants to be. John has a set number of appearances on the show - so basically, you can’t film whatever he does 24/7, like the rest of them. If you ever wondered why lots of Total Bellas skits include only Brie, Nikki and Daniel Bryan, it’s likely due to the rule put in place by John Cena for the show to respect his privacy. He’s a busy man who also appreciates alone time, this is likely the reason why he was asked not to be filmed on the regular. Given his high powered status with the WWE, these demands were easily met. His appearance on the show is likely appreciated though, even if it’s not on a consistent basis like the others.

Life wasn’t always that prestigious for John Cena. There was a time when the WWE lost faith in his talent and he was relegated to pre-show duty losing matches on Velocity to names like Bull Buchanan. It was actually a rap battle in back of a WWE tour bus that changed everything for Cena. Given his freestyle skills, John was slapped with a new gimmick by Stephanie McMahon and as they say, the rest is history.

Made Nikki Track Her Calories

One big mistake made by Nikki Bella was giving Cena the authority to whip her into shape. Obviously, Nikki’s already in tremendous shape, though following an injury, she wanted to start a strict diet on route to her in-ring return. She made John in charge of her diet and boy, was that not the right decision. Cena was extremely strict with Nikki and almost lost it on her for exceeding her calories at a restaurant. Bella’s calories management throughout the day wasn’t the best and her man let it be known.

Needless to say, Bella would never ask for John’s help again.

Of course, Cena’s still a fitness junkie. It’s remarkable to see how consistent his physique has been throughout the years. You can tell the dude is completely natural, even his strength continues to go up despite the fact that he’s now in his 40s. That’s how you can tell he’s straight up.

John doesn’t train like a bodybuilder and in fact, he hates bodybuilding-types of movements such as bicep curls. He usually just incorporates such exercises into a circuit. He’s all about functional training along with Olympic style lifts. Wisely, he doesn’t rush his workouts and spends 45 minutes stretching prior to the lifts.

Must Dress Appropriately For Dinner

Another weird family rule, John Cena wants everybody in his household to dress appropriately for dinner. We caught a glimpse of this rule during Total Bellas as even Daniel Bryan was asked to wear a suit during the dinner. Who can forget the hilarious moment of Daniel walking in the house without shoes and wearing the suit? You’ve got to love the guy! Cena maintains the rule with Nikki as well, though the couple typically goes out to eat at a nice restaurant dressed up to a tee.

John’s reasons for doing this has to do with his past. Cena had very little growing up and he wants to fully appreciate what he has today. Even back in his early WWE days, life was still a struggle. Cena was crammed up in a car with five other wrestlers including Ultimo Dragon, Tajiri, the Basham Brothers and Funaki, and he recalled the hilarious moments of Ultimo Dragon sitting in the back and holding two suitcases on his lap. Yeah, times were tough. Even when it came to a hotel, Cena would opt for a $20/night room, as success wasn’t guaranteed back then and the prestigious life he currently lives took a lot of hard work along with a great deal of struggle.

No Personal Photos Of John Cena

Back in 2013 when the show was given the green light, we got a first glimpse of Cena’s weird rules. Nikki was starting to get frustrated during a particular episode that saw John lose his cool because Nikki wanted to surprise him by cooking supper. The neat freak that he is, John began to panic. Something as simple as Nikki putting her wine glass on the marble infuriated John. Bella was clearly frustrated and she voiced her concerns listing some of the more ludicrous Cena rules.

During her rant, she listed not being able to take personal photos of him as another bizarre rule she was none too pleased with.

Despite all the rules, having Cena on the show proved to be a huge positive. Now lots of fans tend to forget but the twins had both left the WWE. They were called to return as the company had plans to launch the reality series. Not only did they gain big time stardom thanks to the show but they were also pushed like a big deal on television. Nikki in particular broke the reign as the longest Divas Champion, a record she might not have been able to break if not for her big reality TV success.

John Protecting His Money From Nikki

One of the biggest reasons for Cena making Nikki sign a contract was due to money. It was the driving factor in signing the contract and lots of fans found it ridiculous that Nikki agreed to such terms. However, Cena did put some clearance on the matter claiming he wanted to protect his assets due to the fact that he was also supporting his siblings and mother. Once again, Nikki was willing to oblige despite the fact that many found this rule to be extremely harsh.

It wasn’t a popular rule, however Susan Winter (who’s an expert on relationships) chimed in on the matter and actually agreed with Cena’s tactic in this instance. Here’s what she had to say;

"Though not sexy or romantic, a contract is practical and realistic — especially for public figures and individuals with high net worth," Winter told INSIDER. "Even if you're both equally matched financially, a contract is a wise choice for the clarification of partnership expectations."

Some also appreciate the fact that Cena instantly laid out the ground work for the relationship, giving Bella a chance to flee earlier on instead of slapping the rules down the road. Nonetheless, all these rules finally got to Nikki as the couple ended things after six years - although many fans aren’t buying the breakup just yet.

Nikki Must Use Different Clothing Hampers

As children (and even as adults), we’re so used to throwing clothes into one hamper. Nikki Bella, like the rest of us, was accustomed to this ritual. However, living with John Cena she was forced to follow yet another bizarre rule that kind of makes sense when you think about it. During an episode of Total Divas,

John once again needed to explain the difference between the two hampers he had in his bathroom. One of them was meant for strictly gym clothes while the other was for fancy clothes. Cena made a joke about it, however it was another rule Nikki was none too pleased with.

Living with John isn’t the easiest and we saw that during the first season of Total Divas, as well as the first season of Total Bellas.

Like John, Nikki struggled on route to her current success. She moved to LA in search of fame and even spent some time working as a waitress for Hooters. She got an audition for the Diva Search that would change her life forever. Although Nikki and sister Brie didn’t get a spot on the show they instead got something even greater, WWE developmental contracts. After a tough start, they would turn into household names thanks to Total Divas.

Pets Not Tolerated

With John Cena on the road, Nikki thought it would be a good idea to bring a dog home. A little Frenchie (Winston) joined the house briefly, however after biting John Cena and creating havoc around the house, Nikki was forced to let go of the dog. Here’s what Cena had to say about the matter;

“I know I cannot handle raising a child. It’s like with the dog. My biggest thing to Nicole about the dog was: Love dogs, but I can’t contribute to taking care of one. I don’t have the time.”

Cena also lost his cool following a bite from Josie, Bryan and Brie’s dog; “You should call animal control, and they should come out and take the dog away.”

John once again got his way due to the fact that Nikki’s living as a guest in his house.

The dog was given to Bryan and Brie, and Daniel addressed the matter via The Bellas YouTube channel;

“Nicole’s a very busy human being who may or may not have enough time for a Frenchie as needy as Winston, so with me retired and Brie retired, we have taken over the reins of Winston,” Brie’s husband Daniel Bryan explained in a video posted to the sisters’ YouTube channel.

Must Keep A Neat House At All Times

During Cena’s first appearance on Total Divas, we knew he was extremely strict when it came to keeping his house neat. Every little thing irritated John, he even lost his cool with Nikki for dropping a smidgen of water on the kitchen floor. John cleaned the kitchen like a mad man following Nikki’s surprise dinner – again, Nikki was none too pleased and even at that point she was second-guessing her decision of moving in.

We were reintroduced to his wacky self during Total Bellas. Cena had lots of rules when Brie and Bryan entered the house, one of which was to keep things neat at all-times due to the fact that they’re guests. Bryan was shocked that he had to take his shoes off at all-times, not to mention entering the home with dirty feet. Bryan recently opened up about the Cena household rules during the Chris Jericho Podcast. He explained that the rules were very much real and rules he had to follow like the rest of the cast. Bryan explained that Cena ran things a lot more different compared to his household rules with Brie. It was like walking on eggshells for Bryan while shooting the season of Total Bellas.

Never Speak Ill About The WWE

This one isn’t a rule Cena and Nikki discussed on the show but more of an unwritten rule. John has huge loyalty when it comes to the WWE. John has admitted in past interviews that he loves the company itself more than anything else. Similar to Vince McMahon, Cena wants to see it grow internationally as they step foot in places they never thought possible. A recent event in Saudi Arabia was a clear example of that vision. Many compare Cena’s business mind to Vince McMahon's, hence why the two have such a fantastic relationship together. Heck, Vince was the only person on the planet that knew John was proposing to Nikki at WrestleMania; this showed just how close the two really are.

Clearly, Nikki has the same approach and it wouldn’t surprise us one bit if John gave her a pep talk about the importance of representing the company and never speaking ill about it. Like John, Nikki is typically used by the company for promotional work, she’s great with the media and a terrific ambassador. The company still uses her on the regular (despite her limited in-ring appearances over the last year). Like Cena, you won’t hear Bella state anything negative pertaining to the WWE as a company.

Evening Fire Outside

Another bizarre rule Nikki and the other house guests were asked to follow during Total Bellas was an evening fire in the backyard. After a long day's work, the group got together prior to the supper and discussed their day while sipping on some wine, surrounding a lovely fire. This was one of the few rules Bella actually appreciated as it strengthened the bond of the group.

Thankfully, conformable clothing was acceptable for this ritual, though the same couldn’t be said for Cena’s cigar lounge ritual in which the men were told to wear suits. The look on Daniel Bryan’s face during that ritual was truly hilarious and something he likely never wants to do again.

A forgotten fact at that point was Bryan not being in a good place. Not only was he forced to follow all these rules but his career was also over with (at that point). Bryan had already planned for life after WWE, he even applied to a University and was actually given a full scholarship. However, his schooling aspirations quickly changed when the company came calling asking Bryan to serve as a color commentator for the Cruiserweight Classic. Following the gig, he was selected as the GM of SmackDown Live. Oh, what a turn of events as he’s now back in the ring after being given the medical clearance.

Morning Discussions

Cena quickly laid down the law... Here’s another rule he enforced on his former partner Nikki and the house guests;

“Every morning we will have morning coffee together, we will have an evening fire outside. If you guys are gonna be up late, please text me or tell me. Do you have any questions?"

Yup, it was like being at a boot camp class; Cena set up some strict rules. It doesn’t get more terrifying than having to contact Cena for not being able to make a morning coffee routine or a late afternoon campfire. Morning coffee was another one of Cena’s routines; he would typically discuss his day with partner Nikki during the daily ritual.

Of course, John lives a busy life. He discussed his hectic mornings which usually consist of coffee and a protein shake. John work’s out in the morning, stretching for an hour at the gym and training for 90 to 120 minutes. Cena also admitted that he doesn’t answer his phone calls or texts unless it’s an emergency during that time. Responding to someone other than a loved one can pull his schedule back. Given how busy he is, answering random calls or texts would only eliminate valuable minutes from his day.

The Power Of Attorney Struggle

Another big time struggle features John Cena’s thoughts on the power of attorney. Nikki wanted Cena to hold such a right while John wasn’t willing to do the same for Nikki.

He also refused to serve as Nikki’s power of attorney, claiming it was a responsibility he wanted no part of. Bella was furious at John’s reaction, and things got even more heated between the two when John refused to tell Nikki who he had chosen for the responsibility. It was another dispute that put a damper on the relationship.

Now separated, both are also gone from the WWE. Cena has admitted he’ll be a part of the company forever, though we won’t see him for quite some time. The only rumored match featuring Cena is a sequel to his WrestleMania bout against The Undertaker. As for Nikki, she also hasn’t been featured in quite some time. The rumor mill believes she’s also close to returning with the new season of Total Bellas upon us. A rumored scenario links Nikki to joining the IIconics, which features new SmackDown Live stars Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. Nikki’s involvement with the two would only elevate the duo along with adding even more depth to the already thriving SmackDown women’s division.

Sign A 75-Page Contract To Live With Him

Aside from the number one entry, this was the most problematic part of the relationship. However, Cena did explain that Nikki signing the contract meant a lot to him;

“Just some sort of thing where I would be protected in case of a disaster…. She [signed it], totally without question, and it made me feel super bad, which I should have, but it also made me realize – and this was early on in our relationship – it made me realize ‘this is one young woman I should not let get out of my life.’ Because when she says ‘I’m with you because I love you, here’s proof I would still like to be here.'”

John also discussed the fact that he’s a changed man compared to the other days;

“I asked Nicole to move in with me, simply because we both were living busy lives and I wanted to show her I was ready to be more serious.

Now when I look at what I had done then as to what I would do now, I just wish I had asked her to marry me then.

I guess I wasn’t [ready], but I was ready for her to live in the space I call mine and share everything and do all that…. That didn’t start out like that. I was very abrasive and stern and she had to sign this huge, crazy agreement to come in the front door. So since then I’ve kind of softened.”

No Kids

In a shocking breakup, Cena and Nikki ending things after six years of being together, the biggest reason for the split was John’s unwillingness to start a family with his soon-to-be wife. Having the time to raise a child was a big reason for the difference of opinion, however Nikki felt otherwise, here’s what she had to say;

"What's hard at times, what people don't realize about my relationship is I'm alone a lot," Nikki admits in this exclusive clip. "And I'm alone in these big beautiful homes which you're like, ‘Gosh, these homes are unreal.' But to be honest, since we've gotten engaged, John and I have probably shared our bed together maybe 30 days total out of like six months. Or 40 days."

Nikki continues, "So hearing Brie and Lauren and JJ and Bryan all talk about their family stuff and their kids, it makes it like just sink in a little bit more of how lonely it will be and how lonely it gets."

The difference in opinion caused the split, however according to a recent interview, Cena was quoted with saying that he wants to start a family. It’s very possible that this was all done to put more emphasis on Total Bellas. It’ll be interesting to see how this one plays out. If they do get back together, we hope John reconsiders a couple of these rules...