John Cena Classic is still planned for later this year, with a target date in December, although this has not been finalized yet, and WWE isn’t ready to announce it just yet.( Image via: WWE)
Former WWE star John Cena and Cody Rhodes may have built one of WWE’s biggest rivalries inside the ring, but according to Cena, their competitive history actually began much earlier inside the virtual world of Clash of Clans. Cena recently discussed his involvement with Clash of Clans and his long-running gaming rivalry with Rhodes as part of the latest WWE crossover campaign.
John Cena and Cody Rhodes may have built one of WWE’s biggest rivalries inside the ring, but according to Cena, their competitive history actually began much earlier in the virtual world of Clash of Clans. The Cenation Leader has always called WWE his family and said that he is interested in contributing to WWE’s long-term growth and helping shape its future. Cena was last seen at the WWE Backlash 2026 Premium Live Event in May, where he made an announcement that was promised to shock the WWE Universe with the introduction of the “John Cena Classic,” a tournament designed to pit the current WWE roster against up-and-coming stars, but there has been no further information since Cena’s appearance at Backlash.
The collaboration turns their real-life competition into an in-game challenge, with players being recruited to track down Cena’s hidden village. But reports suggest that both WWE stars have been playing Clash of Clans for years, with Rhodes being described as a decade-long player. Cena recently discussed his involvement with Clash of Clans and his long-running gaming rivalry with Rhodes as part of the latest WWE crossover campaign. The former wrestler offered his own humorous version of how the rivalry began, explaining that it was not originally connected to their WWE storyline. On his rivalry with Cody Rhodes in Clash of Clans and promoting the game, he stated, “Cody viewed me as a mentor, and when we started all playing Clash, I was heavily invested in the game. So leaps and bounds, technology and upgrade-wise, I was just far ahead of everybody else. I was very financially generous and enthusiastic for anybody who would join our group, so I try to level everybody up as quick as I could, and I think this is like a full circle moment for Cody going from student to master. He truly is far more proficient at the game than I am now, and this is kind of his final stake in the ground.
Earlier, John Cena turned heel once against Cody Rhodes during the Eliminations Chambers previously. Instead, he claimed that he had previously out-raided Rhodes in the game, prompting Rhodes to remove him from his team.