John Cena Addresses Criticisms of the John Cena Classic Tournament Format, Listening to Feedback

During a recent interview with Shakiel Mahjouri for CBS Sports, former WWE Champion John Cena discussed his recent announcement of the John Cena Classic tournament at WWE Backlash Tampa 2026, including criticism of the tournament’s format. Below are some highlights from CBS Sports:

On Criticism of the John Cena Classic

“I’ve heard the perspective that ‘wins and losses don’t matter.’ That’s a very valid point. I love listening to feedback. We have to figure out the fan votes. There’s still a lot to be done.”

On How It Could Be Like WWE’s Own All-Star Game

“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.”

John Cena on His Inspiration for the Idea

“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.”

On the Tournament Following a Similar Format to His Retirement Show

“I was there in the arena. The night rocked. It was great. The crowd was fantastic. 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.”

On Every Participant Qualifying for a Fan All-Star Vote

“I know how these NXT talents might feel. 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.”

On His Fandom for Mason Rook

“It’s no secret, I think, to those in the know that I chant with everybody else, ‘He’s big. He’s bad. He’ll bodyslam your dad.’ If you don’t know who I’m talking about, I want you to go check that out, but I’m a fan.”

The John Cena classic will feature NXT talents taking on Superstars from the main roster. WWE has not yet announced the details on when the tournament will kick off. The winner of the tournament will be awarded the John Cena Classic Championship.