John Cena has revealed why Cody Rhodes and Zilla Fatu were chosen as the first two entrants in the inaugural WWE John Cena Classic, with their family connections and passion for wrestling playing a part.

Cena announced the invitations during appearances on Raw and NXT last week. Speaking to The Takedown on SI, he explained that Rhodes offered everything he wanted in the event’s first participant, from worldwide recognition to a genuine interest in every corner of the business.

“I love Cody so much,” Cena told The Takedown on SI. “I needed a first invitee who is a cornerstone, franchise player, and a global name. And also someone who just loves all the minutiae of the business. Someone who will sit at a corporate round table all day, and then go talk to our historians in the warehouse, and then go do media only to have an hour cage match where he gets his eye busted open at the end of the night.”

Fatu became the second confirmed entrant and the first representative from NXT, having joined the brand this summer. His invitation also carries a personal connection for Cena, who famously faced Fatu’s late father, Umaga, in a Last Man Standing match at Royal Rumble 2007.

Reflecting on his relationships with the wider family, Cena described himself as something of an honorary member of the Samoan Dynasty.

“I’m kind of honorary, you know? Rikishi was such a mentor to me, and goodness, did I go through hell and back with Dwayne,” Cena said. “I remember talking to Joe Anoaʻi [Roman Reigns] in FCW like, ‘Hey, man, you’re saying you’re this rich baller, and you’re coming out in an ill-fitting suit. Be you, be authentic, and say what you mean.’ Those are my earliest interactions with Joe, and then we’ve gone on to have such an incredible history together.”

Cena also highlighted his history with The Usos and Solo Sikoa. When WWE needed someone to help establish Sikoa in 2023, Cena was happy to take the punishment and give him the spotlight.

“It was my love of all of them that, when everybody was like, ‘Hey, we need somebody to put Solo [Sikoa] over,’ I’m jumping up and being like, ‘Give me the spike as many times as you can, then I’m not fighting back. Let’s get you a place at the table, because I see greatness in you as well,'” Cena said.

The John Cena Classic will feature main roster wrestlers facing NXT talent in every match. No bouts have been confirmed, so a meeting between Rhodes and Fatu remains a possibility rather than an announced contest.

Further entrants, including the women taking part, will be revealed in the coming weeks. Fans will then decide the men’s and women’s champions through a Club WWE vote.

The first event takes place on Monday, 14 December at the ESPN complex at Disney World. Although the aim is to make it an annual fixture, Cena acknowledged that its future will depend on how the debut goes.

He credited Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Nick Khan for backing the idea and giving another group of wrestlers an opportunity to shine.

“I gotta thank Paul Levesque, and I gotta thank Nick Khan for being like, ‘Yeah, man, we’ll try it. Saturday Night’s Main Event seemed to work. We got Sol [Ruca], we got Je’Von [Evans], and we got Oba [Femi], and those three are thriving right now. So, what do we got to lose? We’ll try it, and if it stinks, like, whatever. We don’t have to do it again next year,'” Cena said.

Who would you like to see join Cody Rhodes and Zilla Fatu in the John Cena Classic? Share your picks