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Amid that, The Ruler also won the 2026 King of the Ring tournament and is rumored to be in the main event of WrestleMania next year. Therefore, winning the John Cena Classic could be the first step in Oba’s road to becoming a World Champion and cement the claim of being the future of the industry. Oba Femi got called up to the WWE main roster this year and made a huge impact with his feud with Brock Lesnar. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
The event was officially announced by Cena himself at WWE Backlash 2026, and he kicked off the festivities on the November 2 episode of RAW, revealing the first two participants, the title belt, and more details. Cena recently revealed that there will be two champions crowned from both the WWE and NXT men’s and women’s divisions. The John Cena Classic is one of the most unique concepts set to be produced in WWE . The event, named in honor of the Greatest of All Time, John Cena , is set to take place at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, on December 14th. With the stage set, here are five male WWE superstars who could win the unique competition:
He then went on to win the 2026 Money in the Bank ladder match and recently became one half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions at Crown Jewel 2026. This led John Cena to extend him the second invite to The John Cena Classic during his NXT appearance on November 4. The American Nightmare is coming off a huge win over Randy Orton at WWE Crown Jewel 2026.
Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines John Cena announced Cody Rhodes as the first invitee of The John Cena Classic on RAW. Penta has made a huge impact in WWE this year, especially after his spectacular match against Roman Reigns on RAW in Mexico City. With Penta’s rising momentum, he could be a top pick to add another accolade to his resume by winning the John Cena Classic next. Zilla Fatu has made a strong impression upon his NXT debut a few months ago. With Fatu’s incredible in-ring acumen, rising momentum and rich family lineage, he could shock the fans by winning the John Cena Classic to ascend to the next level in WWE. Bron Breakker has been touted as one of the future main eventers in WWE. Despite major setbacks, The Unpredictable Badass has proved his dominance inside the squared circle. He could use that momentum to clinch the victory in the John Cena Classic and begin his ascent to the main event scene. With his top star status and exceptional work in the ring, Rhodes is a heavy favorite to win the John Cena Classic in its debut edition.