WWE legend and 17-time World Champion John Cena announced the John Cena Classic tournament during the 2026 WWE Backlash premium live event (PLE). The tournament will feature competitors from all three brands: RAW, SmackDown, and NXT. Fan voting will determine the winner. Since the initial announcement, details about the tournament have been limited, and no updates have been provided.
During an interview with Extra at the 2026 San Diego Comic Con, Cena discussed various topics, including the John Cena Classic tournament. He expressed a desire to share some spoilers with fans but emphasized his loyalty to WWE. Cena mentioned that he and the company are working hard on the event, stating he will give his absolute best, especially since it will carry his name in the WWE. He is committed to delivering an exciting tournament.
Cena said, “I gotta withhold the updates. What I can tell you is we are working forward, and I cannot tell you how excited I am about it. The event, what it stands for — I wanna do something great for WWE fans towards the end of the calendar year. Man, I wish I could give you spoilers but I gotta be loyal to my company. What I can tell you is we’re working on it, and I am gonna give you my absolute best. If an event is gonna wear my name, especially in the WWE realm, I’m always giving my best to WWE, the Classic would be no less.”
You can check out Cena’s comments in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
