John Cena’s wrestling showcase will bring together a group of WWE performers, with fans voting to decide who wins the event’s championship.
Ethan Page, who captured the Intercontinental Championship from Chad Gable earlier this month, said he has little interest in joining the tournament for now. He argued that fan voting could leave him without the prize even if he wins his match, pointing to the crowds that regularly boo him.
Page also suggested that voters might favor a more popular competitor for reasons unrelated to what happens in the ring. In his view, that could mean his performance—and a likely victory over an NXT opponent—would count for little.
WWE fans will cast their votes through Club WWE. Competitors do not necessarily need to win their matches to claim the John Cena Classic Championship.
Page later took a more measured tone, saying he was glad other wrestlers would have a chance to earn an accolade. But as the current Intercontinental Champion, he said he already has a title he values and has no immediate desire to enter a contest where the result is decided by fan votes.
He added that he might reconsider if invited. For now, he wished the competitors well, while joking that they would need to win over the fan base to secure the award.
The John Cena Classic is scheduled for Dec. 14 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World. It will be part of a special two-episode edition of “Monday Night Raw”; the first episode is set to take place in Australia after Wrestlepalooza: Perth.
Cena announced several competitors this week. Cody Rhodes and Zilla Fatu were the first to receive invitations. On Tuesday, he invited NXT wrestlers Kelani Jordan, Romeo Moreno and Noam Dar. Charlotte Flair, Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid were added during Friday Night SmackDown.
