WWE planning John Cena Classic for December 12; company says it will not influence Busted Open Radio, report says

John Cena announced the 'John Cena Classic' during his appearance at the 2026 Backlash event, a tournament that will pit main roster stars against NXT talent and has been described as still in early planning with an expected late-2026 timeline.

Multiple reports and Cena himself have said the tournament remains in the works and was not expected to take place imminently; recent coverage indicated WWE was considering a December date and False Finish now reports the company is planning the John Cena Classic for December 12, with the venue still to be decided.

False Finish’s update names December 12 as the target date but specifies the location is TBD; earlier reporting noted the tournament was in preliminary planning stages and slated for late 2026 rather than immediately following the announcement made at Backlash.

The proposed December 12 timing falls close to the one-year anniversary of Cena’s in-ring retirement: Cena wrestled his final match against Gunther at the December 13, 2025, edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Separately, SiriusXM’s show Busted Open was rebranded as WWE Radio at the end of July and the station now features its own commentary for WWE premium live events from Vic Joseph and Booker T, simulcasts Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, and airs WWE podcasts.

Busted Open’s hosts have said the show’s tone will remain unchanged despite the rebrand, and the station has ceased coverage of AEW; AEW star Thunder Rosa, who previously rotated as a co-host on Busted Open, confirmed her departure following the launch of WWE Radio.

Addressing concerns about WWE’s involvement, Dave Meltzer wrote in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE is “staying out of any influence” over the Busted Open show on WWE Radio, comparing it to NFL Radio where the league does not dictate what hosts may say: “Those in WWE have said that they are staying out of any influence on the Busted Open show on WWE Radio, comparing it to NFL Radio where they discuss NFL issues but the NFL doesn’t tell the hosts what to say.”

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