An update on WWE’s John Cena Classic.
At WWE Backlash, 17-time world champion John Cena introduced the John Cena Classic, a new event in which stars from WWE’s main roster and NXT would collide, and a Cena Classic Champion would be crowned. The holder of the title won’t be based on match outcome, but rather a vote opened up to the WWE Universe.
The date and location for the inaugural John Cena Classic show have yet to be formally announced. According to a new report from PWInsider, though, WWE is still aiming to host it “towards the end of the year.”
This aligns with previous reports stating that a December 2026 time frame would make sense, given that it’d mark the anniversary of Cena’s in-ring retirement and work well within the company’s calendar schedule.
Cena Wants The Classic Winner To Keep Their Championship
Following the news of the John Cena Classic, Cena explained his hope for the winner of the inaugural title in an interview with Zack Heydorn on The Takedown on SI. The former WWE Champion himself wants the winner of the Classic title to keep it in their possession.
“I want the winner of the classic to keep the championship, I never want them to defend it,” he said. “I want them to take it home, I want them to have that relic of importance because what I’m trying to do is I want to create an event that’s great for the fans and great for the superstars. Want the superstars to say, ‘Hey man, I didn’t get invited this year. I want in next year, and I want to win.’
“So, when you lead with, it’s like a tournament, it’s like this. I know that there’s questions out there, I like that. I like that because there’s intrigue, and yes, there’s going to be perspectives from all angles, and I get all these perspectives. What we’re trying to do is a one-night event. If you look at Saturday Night’s Main Event, if I were to sum up the John Cena Classic in one sentence, WWE’s All-Star game. End stop.”
RELATED: CM Punk’s WWE Title Win Earns Throwback Tribute From John Cena
