Cosmopolitan contacted body language expert Blanca Cobb to analyze recent photos of the former couple, John Cena and Nikki Bella. Cobb found the following:
Nikki Bella used to close her eyes when kissed by Cena. According to Cobb this indicates that, “You’re really absorbing the moment and feeling connected to your partner.” Now Bella opens her eyes, which Cobb attributes to Bella simply being more stoic in her approach towards Cena.
Bella’s previous photos showed her holding Cena’s hand which may indicate that she was engaging Cena in order to pull him closer. According to Cobb, the embrace showed a mutual connection between the two. Nikki’s recent photos showed her with a palm against Cena’s chest. Cobb equates Bella’s hand positioning with the STOP! sign.
While Cena’s hand used to touch Nikki’s, recent photos show his hand dropped to the side and his thumb moved to his suit pocket instead. Cobb says, “He could be withholding his display of affection, not because he doesn’t feel it; but, because he doesn’t know how it’s going to be received and whether he’ll be rejected….when you only hide your thumb, there’s some source of discomfort.”
In older pictures John Cena appears to smile while kissing Nikki; but, in more recent photos his smile is gone in what Cobb assesses as a dramatic change. Cobb says, “You can love someone and not be happy, or love them and feel stressed about problems you have with them.”
In older pictures Nikki Bella leans into John Cena; but, in newer photos she leans in much less often. Cobb says, “Leaning into someone’s body shows a level of trust since it makes you less stable and more vulnerable, and shows you trust the other person to provide support. There’s still a closeness; but, there’s definitely some tension. I can see how she might be contemplating a breakup, since your body language shows when you’re not as connected as you have been at other times.”
Cobb concludes, based solely on pictorial evidence, that ‘something is not right’ between the Total Bellas stars. In terms of the pair reconciling and staying together Cobb is cautiously optimistic, “Only time will tell.”
Readers interested in seeing the photographs and reading the full Cosmopolitan article may do so HERE.