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John Cena Announces 'John Cena Classic' and New Championship at WWE Backlash

The Never Seen 17-Time World Champion followed through on his promise by announcing the "John Cena Classic" at WWE Backlash.
Rick Ucchino|
John Cena
John Cena | WWE

John Cena had been hyping up a history-making announcement all week long on social media, and he finally unveiled the details Saturday night on WWE Backlash. And it's safe to say, he delivered on his promise.

The Never Seen 17-Time World Champion, making just his second WWE appearance since his retirement match back in December, received a spectacular ovation from the more than 13,000 fans that packed the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.

He first thanked the audience for giving him the opportunity to soak in special moments like this, knowing full well that no one was walking down the ramp to kick his teeth in. The crowd started chanting, "one more match", which gave Cena the perfect segue into his special announcement.

Cena reflected back on the night he retired, saying that he was truly happy about how that night played out. It was at Saturday Night's Main Event in Washington D.C. that the WWE main roster was introduced to the likes of Oba Femi, Je'Von Evans and Sol Ruca, as they took on some of the very best that Raw and SmackDown have to offer.

He highlighted The Ruler in particular by pointing out that just four months after he was given that opportunity to wrestle WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, he was dominating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42.

The John Cena Classic will put the stars of tomorrow against the stars of today

John Cena
John Cena | WWE

The future WWE Hall of Famer said he wanted to capture the magic of that crisp December night in the Nation's Capital and recreate it time and again. And with that in mind, he announced the "John Cena Classic".

It will be a brand-new single-night event that will feature the best of the main roster against the best of NXT, giving the future stars of tomorrow a chance to shine on the big stage and win a new WWE championship.

Superstars will compete in qualifying matches to take part, but they don't have to win their bout to be crowned the inaugural John Cena Classic Champion. The winner of the evening will be determined by the audience. If a Superstar is able to capture the hearts of the WWE Universe with their hustle, then they will be able to earn victory via fan vote.

It has not been determined when or where the inaugural "John Cena Classic" will take place, or where it will be broadcast, but we'll make sure to keep you up to date on that information once it becomes available.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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