John Cena announces special event to showcase WWE veterans, rising stars

John Cena teased "history-making" quality up of WWE Backlash connected Saturday and helium delivered.

Cena announced the enactment of the John Cena Classic, which volition beryllium a showcase of pro wrestling endowment crossed the full WWE roster – from the main brands to NXT. He said the lawsuit volition diagnostic a champion arsenic voted connected by fans. WWE wrestlers who suffer their respective matches could inactive extremity up the wide victor of the event.

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John Cena smiles during WWE Backlash astatine Benchmark International Arena successful Tampa, Fla., connected May 9, 2026. (Michael Owens/WWE via Getty Images)

"I americium truthful honored contiguous to denote to you the John Cena Classic. An full evening of the champion of contiguous competing with the champion of tomorrow," Cena explained to the assemblage successful Tampa, Florida. "An full lawsuit wherever WWE superstars and NXT superstars get an accidental to springiness you each they person successful hopes to beryllium crowned a champion.

"… And not conscionable immoderate championship. This is an lawsuit and this is simply a title I’m personally putting my sanction on. So, I’m going to strive for a definite level of excellence and I’m besides going to bash everything I tin to marque it special."

John Cena enters the ringing during Survivor Series astatine Petco Park successful San Diego, Calif., connected Nov. 29, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)

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Cena reiterated that the "biggest star" successful WWE was the audience. He said fans volition ballot to "crown the champion of the John Cena Classic," noting that everyone connected the paper is eligible for the championship.

The 17-time WWE champion recalled however overmuch helium enjoyed putting the aboriginal of WWE connected the paper up of his last match. While Cena mislaid to Gunther, respective different up-and-coming talents were capable to marque their people successful beforehand of a monolithic assemblage successful Washington, D.C., successful December.

The lawsuit saw Sol Ruca decision Bayley, Oba Femi instrumentality connected Cody Rhodes and Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater instrumentality connected AJ Styles and Dragon Lee successful a tag squad match.

Femi aboriginal challenged and defeated Brock Lesnar astatine WrestleMania 42 and Evans fell conscionable abbreviated of the Intercontinental Championship astatine the aforesaid event. Ruca has since made it to Raw and is acceptable to situation Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship, portion Leon Slater is approaching a grounds X-Division Championship reign for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).

Oba Femi enters the ringing during WrestleMania 42: Night 2 astatine Allegiant Stadium successful Las Vegas, Nev., connected April 19, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)

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It’s unclear erstwhile the lawsuit volition instrumentality place, but it volition adhd to a packed docket the WWE has coming done the summer.