John Cena made an appearance at WWE Backlash to announce the "John Cena Classic." This will entail generational matches take place where the stars of Raw and Smackdown take on the upcoming wrestlers of NXT. A champion will ultimately be crowned.
While there is excitement, it has come in for criticism.
Less than a week after announcing the John Cena Classic at Backlash, the GOAT has shared an update on his upcoming WWE tournament.
Speaking to Adam’s Apple in New York, Cena provided new information about his classic tournament. It’s still a work in progress but he assured the WWE Universe that the concept was his original idea. He’s involved in the process and he can’t wait to announce more details about it.
"I’m super excited," Cena said, via PW Mania. "It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time and, again, we’re still working things out, and I like that. I like that it’s a work in progress, but this is absolutely from me."
The WWE legend added, "I can’t tell you how excited I am about it. I am fully invested in this. So, I can’t wait to see what it is, I can’t wait till we announce the date and location. And I think that’s obviously step one, and we’ll go from there."
There’s no clear timeline on when or where the John Cena Classic will be held. The current speculation is that it could happen in December, as per WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select.
Speaking on his My World podcast, WWE Hall of Famer and current AEW Director of Business Development, Jeff Jarrett, was critical of the John Cena Classic. Jarrett is worried that the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling gets lost in the shuffle, especially due to the weird details of the tournament.
"From the storytelling component of this, you can become champion and you don’t have to win your matches," Jarrett said, via Slam Wrestling. "The whole world knows we’re scripted entertainment but we at least want to get lost in the story, someone trying to win the title. It takes that component out, the suspension of disbelief."
The 58-year-old legend added, "If we don’t need to get immersed in the story, why do we care when a hip toss happens or a false finish happens or there’s a spectacular move off the top rope?"
The concept heavily minimises the importance of wins and losses. It's because fan voting determines the champion, wrestlers might be less motivated to elevate their opponents or put on competitive matches if the outcome relies entirely on a popularity contest.
The concept was unveiled shortly after major budget restructures and wrestler departures. Main-roster wrestlers are concerned that placing high-visibility fan votes against lower-paid, younger NXT talent could pressure TKO/WWE executives into questioning the roster's value based entirely on a subjective fan poll.
Many critics feel the concept was rushed onto the card at WWE Backlash before the specific rules and format were fully finalised.
There are ongoing fan concerns that the voting system will require a paid subscription, placing a barrier on who can actually decide the championship.
The mixed reaction to The John Cena Classic doesn't surprise its namesake. At WWE Backlash, Cena announced an upcoming event where fan votes would determine the champion. The reveal left some fans wondering what purpose matches have if winning doesn't guarantee you the title.
"I've heard the perspective that 'wins and losses don't matter.' That's a very valid point," Cena told CBS Sports HQ while promoting his new partnership with Tarsus Pharmaceuticals to raise awareness of Demodex blepharitis. "I love listening to feedback. We have to figure out the fan votes. There's still a lot to be done."
The reaction doesn't bother Cena because the event isn't designed to function like a traditional WWE show. The John Cena Classic is meant to spotlight the company's future by pairing WWE main roster stars with NXT talents in exhibition-style matches. The emphasis is on the showcase more than the result.
"To sum it up in a sentence, it could be a version of WWE's All Star Game. It's a night of exhibition. So we don't need to build any long lead stories into it. It's the present competing or paired with the future of the company -- superstars from NXT."
The inspiration behind the John Cena Classic tops and tails his professional wrestling career. He thinks back to his time training in WWE's old developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling. Scanning the main roster, Cena struggled to find space for himself among industry titans.
"I'm sitting in OVW thinking, 'Man, how will I ever get a chance?' because the main roster was stacked with Triple H, Kane, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin and The Rock."
"I was there in the arena. The night rocked. It was great. The crowd was fantastic," Cena said. "Sure, the retirement match had a lot of buzz behind it, but they were on their feet for all the matches. So my brain started working."
That cycle is the DNA of The John Cena Classic.
"I know how these NXT talents might feel," he shared. "They've been down there for a year, two years, three years. 'When am I going to get my chance?' Well, for one night, if you can come up and drop your business card, see what happens.
"Show the world what you have. On top of it, if you steal the show -- maybe you're not lucky enough to get the 1-2-3 and get your hand raised -- every participant qualifies for a fan all-star vote. So you could be recognized as the night's champion."
The finer details are a work in progress; there's not even an official date for The Classic. Cena takes the criticism in stride. After all, it's only appropriate to have discourse around an event tied to one of WWE's most divisive performers.
"I'm trying to do something new. WWE is trying to do something new. That's going to come with praise and critique," Cena said. "As one of the most polarizing figures in WWE over the past 23 years, man, it wouldn't be normal if there weren't folks cheering and folks that weren't."
Whether the John Cena Classic becomes a vessel for future superstars remains to be seen but its philosophy is important. There was a major youth movement in the "Ruthless Aggression" era of the early to late 2000s. Cena, Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton all became world champions in their 20s during that period.
It's been nearly a decade since a man under 30, the late Bray Wyatt, won a world title. Today's main event scene skews older. Cena takes some of the responsibility for that, believing the unusual longevity of his legendary OVW class has had a trickle-down effect.
"We had an anomaly of longevity and success. That takes up time and spots," Cena said. "So now you're talking about as we wean out -- certainly my chapter's done, Batista's chapter is done and Brock's. Randy is the only one left. Now, new performers will get those spots. Those are going to go to the most seasoned performers who connect with the audience. They just happen to be a little bit on the older scale."
"I don't think we're ruling out the possibility of a young champion in the near future because we are loaded with youth, speed and talent."
In addition to featuring current stars and top NXT talents, the John Cena Classic will introduce a new championship. The winner will also be decided via fan votes, which created confusion and attracted criticism from fans and other wrestling personalities.
I'm not exactly excited by this. It's seems a bit confusing also. How can you lose a match but win a championship? It's totally nonsensical. This is even if things are still being adjusted.
This event hasn't filed me with joy and happiness.