TAMPA, FL – MAY 9: John Cena speaks during WWE Backlash at Benchmark International Arena on May 9, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
John Cena’s big announcement at Backlash was pretty strong. I was afraid it would all be Club WWE related, and it wasn’t, although we learned a little more about the membership program. I also predicted that WWE was going to give the fans a say in some aspect of the booking. That happened and it will come in the form of the John Cena Classic. Here is a breakdown.
Key facts at a glance
- Event: The John Cena Classic (announced at Backlash 2026, May 9)
- Format: Fan Voted PLE NXT Superstars in Battles Against Main Roster Superstars
- Championship: A brand new title bearing Cena’s name will debut at the opening show
- Winner: Determined by WWE Universe voting, not in-ring results
- Reversal of loss and victory: A wrestler can lose their match and still be voted champion
- Frequency: Recurring annual event, not a one-off
- NXT Names Tagged Cena: Oba Femi, Sol Ruca, Je’Von Evans
- More details: Coming in the next few weeks
What is The John Cena Classic?
This is a bold move for WWE, but it makes sense. This is not your grandfather’s wrestling season. The fans and their voices – sometimes as disconnected as they are – are stronger than ever, and there’s no sign of it slowing down. Giving fans the chance to get behind a performer, regardless of whether they were booked to win or not, is unprecedented, and it’s also a psychological experiment. How much do fans really care if a guy or a girl goes there? We will find out.
The format itself is a clean three-way field: NXT vs. main roster, a brand new championship under the Cena brand, and a fan vote result that ignores match results. Cena framed the show as “the best of today vs. the best of tomorrow,” explicitly tying the idea back to his own farewell series where Oba Femi, Sol Ruca and Je’Von Evans used his platform to headline the card. It’s recurring, it’s annual, and the WWE Universe holds the pen.
Who should compete in the John Cena Classic?
Young performers like Femi and Trick Williams are not good choices. They are already finished. You could argue that Je’Von Evans could still use the help. As for the established Superstars, Becky Lynch, Asuka, Bayley, CM Punk, Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre. As for NXT stars, Myles Borne, Tony d’Angelo, Tatum Paxley, Izzi Dame, Kali Armstrong, Jaida Parker, Kelani Jordan, Kendal Gray are names that come to mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSAIxji8a6g
It’s this kind of mixing that makes the format really work. The entire arena falls flat if WWE just stacks the card with names that are already over — there’s nothing to learn about Oba Femi’s crowd pull when his Raw run already has the building behind him. The Classic gets its start by putting real up-and-coming NXT names alongside established stars whose WWE creative legitimately wants to test the audience’s temperature.
What does the fan voting format mean for booking?
This format still allows WWE creative to manipulate the fan base, but that’s what pro wrestling has always been. Fans will predictably rally behind losing favorites or cheer loudly for their favorites to come through. WWE can strategically bet on their favorites to advance in the voting based on these details.
Cena’s framing – “the biggest superstar in the WWE is the WWE Universe” – is the explanation in the air, but the real story is what is baked behind it. Disconnecting the championship from match results creates a real tension between booking decisions and audience preference, and that tension is exactly the kind that WWE creative will use as a built-in talking point for year two. It’s a low-risk way to fuel the WrestleMania-style “did the fans get it right?” debate every year.
What is Cena’s long term plan with The Classic?
In the long run, the Classic gives WWE an annual gauge of NXT readiness and a status check on what core roster the public is really riding on when fans hold the pen.
This is a real piece of infrastructure, not a nostalgia game. WWE creative gets an annual checkpoint that tells them who’s joining NXT, who’s on the main roster, and who’s really moving the needle when crowd response is the only metric that matters.
For Cena, it’s the purest possible post-ring role — he doesn’t have to wrestle, he doesn’t have to host, he just has to keep his name attached to a show that’s turning into a star machine. Brock Lesnar’s farewell at WrestleMania 42 was a goodbye. Cena’s John Cena Classic is a farewell that continues to build.
