John Cena used his “history-making” moment at WWE Backlash to unveil the John Cena Classic, a new yearly event built around a championship that fans, not match results, will decide.
The Classic will pit main roster talent against NXT talent, with the winner taking home a brand-new Cena Classic Championship. The twist: the title doesn’t go to whoever wins their match. It goes to whoever the fans vote for. Every participant qualifies, including the losers. A wrestler can drop their bout and still walk away as champion if the audience picks them.
WWE has not yet announced when the Classic will take place or where it will be held.
Cena teased the announcement for days leading into Backlash, promising news that would “shock the very foundation of WWE.” The premium live event aired Saturday night from Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, with WWE officially unveiling the format on its X account during the broadcast.
The fan-vote mechanic is unusual for a WWE championship and turns the audience itself into the deciding factor of who wears the title. With every entrant eligible regardless of how they perform between the ropes, the format could become a popularity contest in the most literal sense, and a clear vehicle for getting NXT names in front of the main roster audience.
Further details on the Classic, including dates, qualifying matches, and the championship design, are expected in the coming weeks.