WWE fans may need to wait a little longer for the launch of the John Cena Classic.
During today’s WWE Town Hall meeting, the project is not expected to happen immediately, with WWE currently targeting the latter part of the year for its debut. One person spoken to internally described the current timetable as being aimed toward “the end of the year.”
The update comes after John Cena recently revealed that the John Cena Classic was his personal idea and something he spent months pitching to WWE behind the scenes. While speaking on the Sports Illustrated Takedown podcast, Cena explained that the concept did not come together overnight and required a lengthy development process with WWE management.
“The John Cena Classic took four or five months for me to get a proper situation where I could talk to Triple H and they’ve digested the information.”
Cena also noted that WWE has still been actively working through the details internally.
“We’ve been working out the details for about two months now and we’re going forward.”
The project was first announced at WWE Backlash 2026 and immediately sparked major curiosity among fans regarding what the event would actually look like once launched.
According to Cena, the concept is designed to function similarly to WWE’s version of an All-Star Game, featuring WWE and NXT talent competing in showcase-style matches while fans help determine standout performers. Cena has also explained that the heart of the project is creating opportunities for younger wrestlers to shine under pressure, much like he experienced early in his own WWE career.
At this point, WWE still appears to be finalizing several moving parts before officially rolling the event out, including fan voting systems and other presentation details.
Now, based on the latest internal update, it looks like fans shouldn’t expect the John Cena Classic anytime soon — but WWE is still planning on moving forward with the concept later this year.
What do you think the John Cena Classic should look like once WWE officially launches it? Let us know your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.