John Cena Announces New John Cena Classic During WWE Backlash

John Cena may be retired from in-ring competition, but he isn't done changing WWE. The 17-time world champion delivered on weeks of teasing Saturday night at WWE Backlash in Tampa, announcing the John Cena Classic — a new annual event that he says will "change the WWE experience for Superstars and fans" in a way the company has never attempted before. Advertisement "I'm so honored to announce to you the John Cena Classic," Cena told the crowd. "An entire evening of the best of today competing against the best of tomorrow. An entire event where WWE superstars and NXT superstars give you all that they have in hopes to be crowned a champion." The John Cena Classic is Unlike Anything WWE Has Done Before The John Cena Classic isn't just a new tournament, it's actually an entirely new concept for WWE. Unlike the King of the Ring or any other WWE competition in recent memory, the John Cena Classic champion will be decided entirely by fan vote rather than by match results alone. That means a superstar could lose their tournament match and still be crowned champion if the fans believe they deserved it. "Your voice will be heard louder than ever before," Cena said. "You, the audience, the fan will vote to crown the champion of the John Cena Classic. And every participant qualifies — which also means for the first time in history, a superstar might not win their match, but their hustle could earn your respect, earn your heart, win your vote, and you can still crown them the John Cena Classic champion." Advertisement Fan voting has rarely been used in WWE's modern era. Its last notable use was Cyber Sunday, a pay-per-view event from the Ruthless Aggression era in which fans voted on match stipulations and opponents (and apparently, according to Redditors , the outcome was underwhelming). The John Cena Classic would represent a significant revival of that concept, and a far more consequential application of it. A New WWE Championship Cena also confirmed that a brand-new WWE championship will be introduced specifically for the John Cena Classic, making it the first new title WWE has added since the new-look WWE Heavyweight Championship debuted in 2023. Advertisement "We are making history," Cena declared. "We have a brand-new event and the debut of a brand-new championship in the WWE." The design of the new belt remains unknown, though speculation has already turned to whether WWE might revive the iconic spinner belt that Cena made famous during the Ruthless Aggression era. How NXT Superstars Fit In The inclusion of NXT superstars alongside main roster WWE talent gives the John Cena Classic a generational dimension that fits neatly into the current state of the company. Former NXT standouts Oba Femi and Je'Von Evans have already scored wins over former world champions since being promoted to the main roster less than a year ago — proof that the next wave of WWE stars is ready. Advertisement Cena, who retired from in-ring competition following a loss to Gunther at Saturday Night's Main Event in December 2025, described the John Cena Classic as "a single event that embodies everything I stand for and everything I value." No date for the inaugural event has been announced. This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.