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John Cena teased “history-making” news ahead of WWE Backlash on Saturday and he delivered.
Cena announced the formation of the John Cena Classic, which will be a showcase of professional wrestling talent across the entire WWE roster, from major brands to NXT. He said the event will feature a champion voted on by fans. WWE wrestlers who lose their respective matches could still end up being the overall winners of the event.
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John Cena smiles during WWE Backlash at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida on May 9, 2026. (Michael Owens/WWE via Getty Images)
“I am very honored tonight to announce to you the John Cena Classic. An entire night of today’s best competing with tomorrow’s best,” Cena explained to the crowd in Tampa, Florida. “A full event where WWE and NXT Superstars have the opportunity to give you everything they have in hopes of being crowned champions.
“…And not just any championship. This is an event and this is a championship that I will personally put my name on. So, I’m going to strive for a certain level of excellence and I’m also going to do everything I can to make it special.”
John Cena enters the ring during Survivor Series at Petco Park in San Diego, California on November 29, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
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Cena reiterated that WWE’s “biggest star” was the audience. He said fans will vote to “crown the John Cena Classic champion,” noting that everyone on the card is eligible for the championship.
The 17-time WWE Champion recalled how much he enjoyed putting the future of WWE on the card before his final match. While Cena lost to Gunther, several other promising talents were able to make their mark in front of a massive crowd in Washington, DC, in December.
At the event, Sol Ruca defeated Bayley, Oba Femi faced Cody Rhodes, and Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater faced AJ Styles and Dragon Lee in a tag team match.
Femi later challenged and defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 and Evans missed out on the Intercontinental Championship at the same event. Ruca has since arrived on Raw and is set to challenge Becky Lynch for the Intercontinental Women’s Championship, while Leon Slater is closing in on a record-breaking X Division Championship reign for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
Oba Femi enters the ring during WrestleMania 42: Night 2 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)
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It’s unclear when the event will take place, but it will add to WWE’s busy summer schedule.
