John Cena Confirms The John Cena Classic Is Still Set For End Of 2026
WWE’s inaugural John Cena Classic is still in the works.
Since retiring from WWE in December 2025, John Cena has continued to make sporadic appearances on our screens in a non-wrestling capacity. In one such appearance, Cena introduced the idea of a new tournament, where superstars work not just to win but to impress the WWE audience in hopes of progressing. Fans have been intrigued to hear more, but Cena and WWE are being careful with what details they share.
Speaking with Extra TV at San Diego Comic-Con, though, John Cena provided a brief update on the tournament, revealing that WWE is still working on its plans.
“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 want to 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.”
-John Cena
Cena entered his final match as a record-breaking 17-time world champion before facing GUNTHER in December. “The Ring General” earned the opportunity through The Last Time Is Now tournament, which featured wrestlers from both NXT and TNA. Similarly, the Saturday Night’s Main Event where Cena competed in his final match was designed to showcase NXT talent competing against WWE’s main roster.
With the John Cena Classic expected to take place towards the end of 2026, the tournament could potentially occur around one year after Cena’s retirement on December 13, 2025. However, WWE has yet to confirm exact details regarding the tournament’s schedule.
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As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on WWE’s plans for the John Cena Classic as soon as we hear more.
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