John Cena Shares His Thoughts On The Upcoming John Cena Classic Tournament

Submitted by Tom Araya on

As previously reported, WWE legend and 17-time World Champion John Cena announced the John Cena Classic tournament during last Saturday night’s 2026 WWE Backlash premium live event. While the details are still being finalized, we know that the tournament will feature NXT talents competing against main roster stars, with fans voting to determine the winner of the John Cena Classic Championship.

Interestingly, it was suggested that even a wrestler who loses matches could still win the title through fan voting.

Cena has since taken to his Twitter (X) account to share his thoughts on the upcoming tournament and explain his reasons for creating it.

This is what John Cena wrote, “When asked to give advice, especially with WWE, I often reply
‘be authentic’
‘do not fear failure’
‘know your why.’
The John Cena Classic may not be perfect by any means yet it’s authentically me (I am not perfect either) and reflects my values and beliefs.
I’m aware that there is the risk it might be a total failure and I’m not afraid of that and believe it’s still worth stepping ‘in the arena.’

My ‘why’ in WWE is to consistently be as useful as possible for as long as possible, with my in ring career at an end, my ‘why’ is to use whatever energy or relevance I have left in hopes to create a launchpad of opportunity for all talent to show their skills while simultaneously creating a unique experience for our dedicated fan base.
At the very least.. we all learn something
At the very best.. we all create something
I’m ready for wherever the road takes us.
Thank you WWE for this opportunity
More details to come as we figure all this out!

Sincerely,
John Cena”

WWE has not yet announced the start date for the John Cena Classic tournament or the participants, but updates will be provided as they become available.