John Cena is personally involved in shaping the roster for the upcoming John Cena Classic, according to multiple backstage reports, with WWE also considering a format change that would move the special event away from exclusively one-on-one competition.
Per a report from Ringside News, Cena is not simply lending his name to the event while WWE handles the rest of the production behind the scenes. The 17-time World Champion is said to be directly involved in deciding which wrestlers earn a spot on the show. eWrestlingNews, citing a report from WrestleVotes published on November 12, 2026, states that WWE has been sharing talent ideas with Cena and that he has given input on those selections, indicating a collaborative process between the company and Cena rather than a top-down decision made without him.
Alongside the talent selection process, Wrestling Headlines reports that WWE could be looking to get even more Superstars involved in the event by changing the match format. According to that backstage report, one idea being floated internally would see the John Cena Classic feature multi-person matches rather than relying exclusively on traditional singles competition. The proposed format would allow WWE to showcase additional talent throughout the show, potentially opening the door for more names to be featured than a standard singles-match structure would allow.
What the Format Change Could Mean
If WWE moves forward with multi-person matches for the John Cena Classic, it would mark a departure from how the event was reportedly originally conceived. Expanding beyond singles bouts would give the company flexibility to include a larger pool of Superstars on the card without extending the overall show length as significantly as a series of individual one-on-one matches might require. Combined with Cena’s direct involvement in talent selection, the reports collectively suggest WWE is treating the event as a showcase that both highlights Cena’s legacy and provides opportunities for a wider range of roster members.
None of the reports have detailed which specific Superstars are under consideration for the event, nor have WWE or Cena publicly commented on the internal discussions described by Wrestling Headlines, Ringside News, or WrestleVotes. As those details are not confirmed, specifics on the eventual card and format remain unofficial pending further announcements from WWE.
