John Cena appeared naked on the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at Sunday’s  96th Academy Awards in a bit with host Jimmy Kimmel.

And fans think his ex-fiancée Nikki Bella – who was in the audience of the awards shows – must have not been happy.

‘She must have been cringing,’ wrote one fan on social media while another snipped: ‘I am sure it was a reminder of why she dumped him.’

Nikki – who now goes by her birth name Nikki Garcia – looked incredible in a plunging gold gown with her black hair in a long bob.

The former professional wrestlers were friends before they started dating in 2012. They got engaged five years later, but split in April 2018.

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

They got back together again then split for good in July 2018.

John Cena, 46, appeared on the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at Sunday's 96th Academy Awards in a bit with host Jimmy Kimmel, 56
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And fans think his ex-fiancée Nikki Bella - who was in the audience of the awards shows - must have not been happy
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John Cena appeared naked on the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards in a bit with host Jimmy Kimmel. And fans think his ex-fiancée Nikki Bella – who was in the audience of the awards shows – must have not been happy

'She must have been cringing,' wrote one fan on social media while another snipped: 'I am sure it was a reminder of why she dumped him'
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‘She must have been cringing,’ wrote one fan on social media while another snipped: ‘I am sure it was a reminder of why she dumped him’

Nikki - who now goes by her birth name Nikki Garcia - looked incredible in a plunging gold gown with her black hair in a long bob
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Nikki – who now goes by her birth name Nikki Garcia – looked incredible in a plunging gold gown with her black hair in a long bob

Nikki left comments about the show and her outfit on her Insta Stories, but did not mention John’s nudity.

Cena’s naked stint was odd.

The WWE star-action film staple, 46, was summoned by Kimmel, who referenced the 50-year anniversary of a streaker named Robert Opel running onto the stage at the ceremony, interrupting late actor-presenter David Niven.

Kimmel, whose jokes about Robert Downey Jr. earlier in the evening landed flat, sought to summon the squared circle star onto the stage with the line, ‘Can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today?’

‘I said, can you imagine if – a nude man ran across the stage today? Wouldn’t that be crazy?

Cena backstage then said: ‘Psst! Psst, Jimmy! Come here.’

Kimmel said: ‘I can’t come there – do the thing! Excuse me for a second. What’s going on? You’re supposed to run across the stage’ as Cena said: ‘Yeah, I – changed my mind. I don’t want to do the streaker bit.’

‘I just don’t feel right about it. It’s an elegant event, you know, you should feel shame right now for suggesting such a tasteless …’

Kimmel said: ‘You wrestle naked, why not?’ as Cena said of his trademark ring attire: ‘I don’t wrestle naked, I wrestle in jorts!’

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He actually had on a nude jock strap with no sides to cover up his manhood; his sandals were brown

This person thought it was strange too and wrote, 'LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO'
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This person thought it was strange too and wrote, ‘LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO’

Cena walked sideways onto the stage with the envelope for Best Costume Design covering his genitals. He said, ‘Costumes – they are so important – maybe the most important thing there is.’

He acknowledged that he was unable to open the envelope, at which point Kimmel took over.

Cena – who defended embattled former WWE boss Vince McMahon earlier this month – later covered up with a gold toga to conclude the presentation.

Kimmel earlier in the evening roasted Robert Downey Jr’s manhood and past drug use in his bombshell opening monologue. The host, returning for the fourth time, left the A-listers grinning and cringing in equal measure as he took to the stage.

Downey Jr. 58, who won Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer, was stony-faced as Kimmel made a crass joke at the start of the ceremony – referring to his past addictions.

Oscars 2024 winners: AT A GLANCE

Best Picture: Oppenheimer

Best Actress: Emma Stone – Poor Things

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer

Best Director: Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer

Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer

Original Song: Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell – What Was I Made For? from Barbie

Seen left to right: Actor In A Supporting Role - Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), Actress In A Supporting Role - Da'Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers ), Actress In A Leading Role - Emma Stone (Poor Things), and Actor In A Leading Role - Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

Seen left to right: Actor In A Supporting Role – Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), Actress In A Supporting Role – Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers ), Actress In A Leading Role – Emma Stone (Poor Things), and Actor In A Leading Role – Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

Original Score – Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer

Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema – Oppenheimer

Achievement in Film Editing: Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer

Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihale – Poor Things

Make-up and Hairstyling: Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston – Poor Things

Achievement in Costume Design: Holly Waddington – Poor Things

Original Screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari – Anatomy Of A Fall

Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson – American Fiction

International Feature Film – The Zone of Interest from United Kingdom

The WWE star-action film staple was summoned by Kimmel, who referenced the 50-year anniversary of a streaker running onto the stage at the ceremony , interrupting late actor-presenter David Niven
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The WWE star-action film staple was summoned by Kimmel, who referenced the 50-year anniversary of a streaker running onto the stage at the ceremony , interrupting late actor-presenter David Niven

Cena told Kimmel, 'Yeah, I - changed my mind. I don't want to do the streaker bit'
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Cena told Kimmel, ‘Yeah, I – changed my mind. I don’t want to do the streaker bit’

The two exchanged words as Cena got very shy when the task at hand was in front of him

 

The two exchanged words as Cena got very shy when the task at hand was in front of him

 

Cena walked sideways onto the stage with the envelope for Best Costume Design covering his genitals

 

The sports entertainment superstar played it like he was overwhelmed with the exposing segment

 

He said, ‘Costumes – they are so important – maybe the most important thing there is’

Cena later covered up with a Wrestlemania 9-worthy gold toga to conclude the presentation
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Cena later covered up with a Wrestlemania 9-worthy gold toga to conclude the presentation

Poor Things costume designer Holly Waddington accepted the statuette from Cena
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Poor Things costume designer Holly Waddington accepted the statuette from Cena

John Cena quickly changes into robe after nude Oscars skit

He said: ‘And Robert Downey Jr., one of the highest points of his career. But Robert has been’ – as RDJ pointed at his face, leading Kimmel to add: ‘Was that too on the nose or a drug motion you made?

‘But look at him, he’s so handsome, so talented, he’s won every award there is to win. Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular penis?’

The joke fell flat as RDJ looked somber while staring at the camera while fans slammed Kimmel for his ‘bottom of the barrel’ jokes about substance abuse.

Downey Jr. had previously spent time behind bars in 1999 after a long period of substance abuse which stifled his career.