John Cena was reportedly "rattled" by the publicity he and his ex-fiancée Nikki Bella were attracting prior to their split.

John Cena

John Cena

The professional wrestling couple announced their split last month, just a few weeks before they were due to tie the knot, and sources have now claimed that 41-year-old John was intimidated by how "non-stop wedding publicity" that surrounded their big day.

An insider told People magazine: "The wedding got bigger than the both of them - originally, it was going to be this small, intimate, family-oriented gathering with just the nearest and dearest. Then it blew up in to a televised special and this whole ornate thing and it was just too much.

"You're dealing with a guy who grew up poor, without a dad, and with a history of commitment issues - non-stop wedding publicity and a whole big extravaganza was bound to rattle him, and it did. They got away from what made them work, which is the bond that's just between John and Nicole - not John Cena, WWE Superstar, and Nikki Bella of the Bella Twins. They need to regroup, and they both want to do that."

Despite the 'Blockers' actor wedding worries, it has been claimed by the insider that he still loves the 34-year-old 'Total Bellas' star, and insiders believe the pair will reconcile in the future.

Meanwhile, John himself has previously stated that he's feeling the "sting" of his split from Nikki, whom he still cares deeply for.

He said: "Nicole knows I love her and I miss her, but that is what it is. And I'm still here, still going - and I choose to go. When you love somebody, it stings. That's why musicians write about it. That's why poets write about it."

And on a separate occasion, John noted that he still loves Nikki with "all [his] heart".

He said: "It sucks. There's no other way to say [it]. I love Nicole with all my heart, and that's that."