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John Cena has announced the “John Cena Classic” – a new event that also includes a brand new championship.
.@JohnCena just announced the John Cena Classic! 👏
Stream WWE Backlash LIVE RIGHT NOW on the @espn App with ESPN Unlimited!
▶️ https://t.co/kzS0cxoAzD pic.twitter.com/4z08kgZmPm
— WWE (@WWE) May 10, 2026
A date for the event was not revealed, but it was announced that it will be a ‘now vs the future’ type of show with WWE stars facing off against NXT stars. Cena stated that having NXT stars compete on his final show meant a lot to him, and after seeing stars like Oba Femi compete at Wrestlemania, he wanted to introduce this event.
It was also announced that a new championship will be revealed for the classic, and the champion would be voted on by the WWE Universe. Fans will vote for not who wins the matches, but who impresses them the most. For example, Danhausen could enter the classic and lose every match except for one and if the fans are convinced then he will be the first ever John Cena Classic Champion. Cena also stated that his desire for this to be a yearly event taking place as a standalone show but it all depended on the reception from the fans.
The title was not revealed and how participants will qualify for the classic was not revealed either. However Oba Femi seemed like a sure fire favorite.
The reception from the WWE Universe seemed very positive. We will see how the event will be structured and provide updates when available.
