00:00It's moments like this that have had me thinking ever since my last match,
00:04what will be the next phase of my WWE career?
00:15I expected this.
00:18Go for that, go for that, go for that, go for that, go for that, go for that,
00:27go for that, go for that, go for that.
00:30You don't know how good that makes me feel.
00:33And I think a lot, honestly, I think a lot about that last match.
00:37I think a lot about that last evening.
00:46I hear you, there were some people who were upset.
00:49I for one, I was truly happy.
00:53Honestly, I reflect a lot on that evening and I couldn't be more happy because what
00:57was most important to me about that night is we all made it something bigger.
01:03If you look at the night in its entirety, it became an evening of opportunity.
01:09I made sure whoever my opponent was, they had to win their way in to earn the spot.
01:14I kindly asked WWE superstars if they would be gracious enough to give opportunity, which
01:22they willingly did, to NXT superstars so they could be in front of a crowd like this and
01:28show the world what they got.
01:33And think about it, think about it.
01:35On that night, on that grand stage for the first time, we saw Sol Ruka.
01:43We saw Javon Evans.
01:48We saw Javon Evans.
01:49Yo, we saw Oba Femi.
02:14Oba Femi debuts in December and four months later, he is strutting.
02:24And kicking Brock Lesnar's ass at WrestleMania.
02:32So then it hit me, I was like, damn, we gotta do this again.
02:39So we are.
02:42I am so honored tonight to announce to you the John Cena Classic.
02:52An entire evening of the best of today, competing with the best of tomorrow, an entire event
03:01where WWE superstars and NXT superstars get an opportunity to give you all they have in
03:09hopes to be crowned a champion.
03:14That's right, we are making history here tonight because we have a brand new event and the debut
03:22of a brand new championship in the WWE.
03:31And not just any championship.
03:34This is an event and this is a championship I am personally putting my name on.
03:40one.
03:43So I am going to strive for a certain level of excellence and I'm also going to do everything
03:50I can to make it special.
03:53I have said time and time again, the biggest superstar in the WWE is the WWE Universe.
04:07So on top of a new event, on top of a new championship, for the first time in history, your
04:16voice will be heard louder than ever before.
04:20Because you, the audience, the fan will vote to crown the champion of the John Cena Classic.
04:35For the first time in history, a superstar might not win their match, but their hustle could earn
04:43earn your respect, win your heart, win your vote, and you can still crown them the John Cena Classic champion.
