A WWE NXT star is confident about the John Cena Classic, with many more from the brand’s roster likely eager to get involved.
The November 2 episode of WWE Raw saw John Cena provide firm details of the Classic, revealing the championship belt and the first announced competitor, in the form of Cody Rhodes.
Due to election coverage, this week’s WWE NXT takes place on Wednesday, going up against AEW Dynamite, with John Cena confirmed for an appearance, no doubt to add stars to the Classic, with one name already throwing their name into the mix:
Main roster vs. NXT
Following the John Cena’s Last Match episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event in December of last year, it perhaps comes as little surprise that the Classic will feature matches between main roster and NXT stars.
The first-ever John Cena Classic will follow a similar format, with Club WWE offering subscribers the opportunity to vote, and the winner receiving a custom championship.
“I’d cook anybody in the John Cena Classic”
At the very least, the first NXT entrant to be confirmed for the John Cena Classic will be revealed on Wednesday night.
Ahead of any official announcement, Kam Hendrix threw his name into the hat, taking a shot at anyone who might be involved, tweeting:
“I’d cook anybody in the John Cena Classic 🤣”
Hendrix last competed on the September 1 episode of WWE NXT, losing to Mason Rook, who has since been sidelined due to a medical condition.
Contenders assemble
Coming out of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, WWE NXT stars head towards the John Cena Classic, with its focus on singles competitors from the men’s roster.
If Mason Rook were to be cleared to compete, he would be a shoo-in for the tournament, having received praise from John Cena in the past.
Off the back of his failed challenge to Jackson Drake for the NXT North American Championship, EK Prosper would be a solid fit, too, offering an opportunity to test his potential for that all-important main roster call-up.
Elsewhere on the roster, it’s a possibility that tag team competitors could feature in the tournament, with either Sean Legacy or Dorian Van Dux both having potential. For the latter, having suffered a punctured lung, his tag team partner stated he would be cleared to compete in two months, with that statement made on the October 20 episode of NXT and the John Cena Classic taking place on December 14.
Talking of tag teams, it’s not impossible to see Jackson Drake step forward, with the star no doubt main roster bound. The thought of the NXT North American Champion competing against the likes of Trick Williams as United States Champion or Ethan Page as Intercontinental Champion is a tantalizing one, not just for champion vs. champion, but for the personalities involved.
Naraku is another star that is likely to have a bright future in NXT, having previously been Evil in NJPW. Seeing the star as a force of destruction in the John Cena Classic should surely entice voters on Club WWE. And, when it comes to bright futures, there’s always Zilla Fatu, a real-life member of The Bloodline who is bound to dominate in NXT before being called up.
Main roster debut, not a call-up
While it hasn’t been visualized as a way to assess NXT stars for call-ups, the very concept of the brand’s stars competing against main roster counterparts is an intriging one, opening up opportunities for matches that otherwise would be unlikely to exist.
Eyes are likely to be on the NXT stars, though, when it comes to what they could potentially offer when the door to Raw or SmackDown officially opens.
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