John Cena says his portfolio is full of ‘unattractive’ and ‘safe’ investments, but admits he’s made ‘a lot of bad purchases’ – including a fake Lamborghini that cost more than the real thing

Wrestling icon and movie star John Cena embodies a truly self-made success story. Once homeless, Cena lived in his car while working—and showering—at Gold’s Gym. Today, he is a revered figure in both the wrestling world and Hollywood, admired not only for his athletic and acting skills but also for his extensive charitable work.

Given his success both in and out of the ring, Cena reportedly makes a lot of money, with estimates suggesting an annual income of $8.5 million. So how is Cena handling his financial windfall?

In a recent interview on the Club Shay Shay podcast with Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe, Cena admitted that he tends to take a conservative approach when it comes to investing.

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“I try to be careful,” Cena said. “My stuff is the worst shit you’ll ever talk about.”

“You’re going with the Treasury bills, aren’t you?” Sharpe asked. Treasury bills are short-term debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury and are considered one of the safest investment options.

Cena didn’t give a straight yes or no answer, just, “Man, I like this club.”

“Bad idea”

For those interested in high-risk investments, Cena has one piece of advice: consult with a venture capitalist.

“If you want to get rich quick, there’s nothing wrong with that — OK — understand the math behind it, talk to an equity investor and ask him how many of his assets went bust,” he said.

He added that there are risks involved, saying: “A venture capitalist will invest in 400 companies and hope one survives.” Venture capitalists are investors who provide capital to new companies, usually startups with high potential, in exchange for a share of the equity.

“You have to take that $100, somehow put your money on 400 companies and hope that one of them wins,” Cena said, underscoring the grim reality for small investors looking to make quick money. But if you invest in just one, you’re “hooked on that hook, line and sinker.”

He encouraged investors to understand their own risk tolerance and investment style, cautioning against comparing themselves to others. “I think sticking with the person next to you is a bad idea,” Cena warned.

“Don’t have any bad debts”

John Cena is a staunch advocate of financial prudence, emphasizing the importance of living within your means. He warns against spending money you don’t have and recommends spending less than you earn to make it easier to save.

He also criticizes the practice of taking on debt. Price realizes that this perspective is not universally accepted, as some believe in the financial leverage of borrowed money for investments that can potentially yield profits that exceed the cost of debt. However, he avoids such strategies.

“I’m afraid that one day they’ll ask for a security deposit and I won’t have the money, so I don’t want to owe anyone anything,” he explained.

Cena’s philosophy on personal finance is simple and based on responsibility: “Don’t spend more than you have, don’t get into bad debt, and be responsible.”

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“A lot of bad purchases”

Despite his prudent financial strategy, Cena admitted that not all of his purchases were wise, especially when it came to his passion for cars.

“I made a lot of bad purchases,” he confessed. “I lost a lot of money on cars.”

Cena is an avid car enthusiast, especially when it comes to American muscle cars. But his most significant lesson comes not from a high-octane American classic, but from a knockoff Italian supercar.

“I remember when I first started making money, my worst purchase… because I didn’t want to spend money on a Lamborghini, so I bought a fake one,” he said. “That was 2003. I found a company that did that, they put a V12 in it, I was like, ‘Man, that’s the same thing. It looks pretty good; it looks great!’”

Cena explained that the Lambo knockoff had a BMW V12 engine. However, the dream quickly faded away.

“They tried to throw me out of the car. I had to get a couple of friends who knew how to find things to go out and find something,” he recalled. “Then I had to get the title to the car, which I did. The car finally showed up after two years of waiting — it wouldn’t go into gear.

“The engine is held together by the timing of two Chevy V6 engines. So everything is confusing. Nothing works.”

Price sent the car to ten different shops, enduring the protracted saga. “I only got the keys to this car a week ago,” he told Sharpe.

The two-decade experience with the car was not only frustrating, but also expensive. Cena explained that the money he spent on acquiring this fake Lamborghini and making it work was equal to the cost of one and a half real roadsters.

It was a costly lesson for Cena.

“If you cut corners, you get what you pay for.”

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