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Cena and Bella split days before their wedding

He says he still wants to marry her

CNN  — 

It looks like John Cena and Nikki Bella’s love story may not be as over as it appeared to be.

The WWE stars ended their relationship last month shortly before they were set to head down the aisle.

The couple were together for six years and in April 2017 Cena popped the question at WrestleMania 33.

Bella posted news of their split on her official Instagram account.

“While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another,” she wrote. “We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives.”

John Cena and Nikki Bella end engagement

But during an appearance Monday on “Today,” Cena said he had his “heart broken out of nowhere” and has been “incredibly reflective” since their breakup.

“I still love Nicole, I still would love to marry Nicole, I still would love to have a family with Nicole,” he said. “There was an unfortunate set of circumstances where our relationship ended.”

Cena said speculation that he is enjoying the single life is wrong and he’s merely been trying to get out of the house and be social.

The wrestler said he has hopes they might work things out.

“I don’t want anybody else,” Cena said. “I love Nicole and I’m really trying to support her in her trying to find whatever it is she wants that made this fall apart in the first place.”

The couple were featured in the E! reality show “Total Bellas,” which centered around their relationship and that of Bella’s twin sister Brie and her husband, wrestler Daniel Bryan.

Part of Cena’s and Bella’s issues as publicly documented had been his reticence to have children.

He said during his “Today” appearance that had been his attitude in the past when he was more “selfish.”

For her part, Bella told Entertainment Tonight Monday that Cena “is such an amazing man. He really is the love of my life.”

“I truly hope one day that we can work it out and get back together,” she said. “I think there is hope.”