Potential date for John Cena Classic tournament & WWE's influence on Busted Open Radio revealed - Report
(Courtesy : WWE)
The John Cena Classic tournament was announced at Backlash.
The 17-time WWE World Champion John Cena, in his most recent appearance at the 2026 edition of Backlash, announced the ‘John Cena Classic.’ The tournament will showcase main roster stars facing off against NXT talent.
Despite the announcement, it was later revealed that the tournament was still in the early stages of planning at that point and was not expected to take place until late 2026.
Following the announcement, multiple reports and the 17-time World Champion himself have noted that the tournament is still in the works, but it is not expected to happen anytime soon. Recent reports mentioned WWE planning the tournament for December.
Now, False Finish has provided an update, revealing the date for the tournament. According to the report, WWE is planning to hold the John Cena Classic on December 12th. However, the location is still to be decided.
The potential December 12 date would make sense, as it is near the one-year anniversary of John Cena’s in-ring retirement. Cena wrestled his final match against Gunther at the December 13, 2025, edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event.
WWE’s influence on Busted Open Radio after rebranding
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SiriusXM’s show Busted Open was rebranded as WWE Radio at the end of July. Alongside its usual weekly programming, the station now features its own commentary for WWE PLEs from Vic Joseph and Booker T, simulcasts Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, and airs WWE podcasts.
Amid concerns about WWE’s involvement behind the scenes, Busted Open has maintained that the show’s tone will remain unchanged despite the rebrand. However, the station is no longer covering WWE’s biggest competitor, AEW. AEW star Thunder Rosa, who previously rotated as a co-host on Busted Open, also confirmed her departure following the launch of WWE Radio.
This sparked more concerns about WWE’s influence, and now Dave Meltzer, in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, has provided an update in that regard.
Per Meltzer, WWE is “staying out of any influence” over Busted Open, viewing it similarly to NFL Radio, where the NFL does not dictate what hosts can or cannot 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.”
When will the John Cena Classic Tournament take place?
Per False Finish, WWE is considering December 12 for the John Cena Classic. The location is still TBD.
Does WWE exercise any influence on Busted Open Radio after acquisition?
Per Dave Meltzer, the promotion is “staying out of any influence” over Busted Open, viewing it similarly to NFL Radio, where the NFL does not dictate what hosts can or cannot say.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.