Add as a preferred source on Google John Cena has confirmed that the John Cena Classic remains part of WWE‘s plans. The event is expected to take place toward the end of 2026, marking the first official time frame since it was announced at Backlash.
Cena’s pitch is for a one-night show pitting main-roster stars against NXT talent. Every participant will remain in the fan vote even if defeated in their matches, and whoever earns the most votes will be crowned John Cena Classic Champion.
In a recent interview with Extra during San Diego Comic-Con, the Greatest of All Time showed great excitement, though he kept future announcements under wraps.
“What I can tell you is that we’re working towards it, and I cannot tell you how excited I am about it, the event, what it stands for. I want to do something great for WWE, for fans, towards the end of the calendar year.
Man, I wish I could give you spoilers, but I’ve got to be loyal to my company. What I can tell you is we’re working on it, and I’m going to give you my absolute best.
If an event is going to wear my name, especially in the WWE realm… I’m always giving my best to WWE, the classic will be no less.”
John Cena shares an update on @WWE’s #JohnCenaClassic and what wrestling fans can look forward to… 👀👋#johncena #wrestling #wwe pic.twitter.com/FmCB62lF2w
— ExtraTV (@extratv) July 25, 2026
Despite Cena’s confirmation, WWE has not yet announced a date, location, broadcast platform or a final format for the event.
According to WrestleVotes Radio, holding the event in early December would make sense for the company’s calendar. It would also bring the special closer to the first anniversary of Cena’s last match, which took place on December 13, 2025, against Gunther. Netflix has also expressed interest in streaming the show, but nothing has been finalized.
Cena has already compared the project to the All-Star Game of the major American sports leagues and acknowledged that WWE still needs to build a voting system protected against bots and sabotage attempts.