Add as a preferred source on Google John Cena already knows the main criticism of the John Cena Classic makes sense. The tournament, announced at Backlash, still does not have an official date set and will be based around matches between WWE main roster names and NXT talent.
The major controversy is the format. As Cena explained, every participant will be eligible to receive fan votes, even if they are defeated in the ring. In other words, winning a match does not necessarily guarantee winning the tournament.
In an interview with CBS Sports, Cena said he understands the complaint that, under this model, “wins and losses don’t matter.”
“That’s a very valid point. We have to figure out the fan voting.”
John Cena speaks on the criticism of wins and losses not mattering in his Classic tournament
— WrestlingWorldCC (@WrestlingWCC) May 15, 2026
“That’s a very valid point. We have to figure out the fan vote. There is still a lot to be done.
(via CBS Sports) pic.twitter.com/WK5cZ6h7KU
Cena also noted that there is still a lot to be defined, but he defended the idea as a kind of WWE All-Star Game, focused on exhibition, opportunity, and introducing new names to a wider audience.
The inspiration came from his retirement match, when the card featured matchups between NXT talent and established WWE stars. Cena said he saw the positive reaction from the crowd and started imagining an entire event built around that concept.
Despite the criticism, the project remains in development. Cena stressed that the goal is to create something new, giving NXT wrestlers the chance to “show their business card” against bigger names in the company.
It remains to be seen whether WWE will adjust the voting system or stick with the original idea, even with the risk of turning match results into something secondary.