John Cena Classic: Three Raw Contenders Who Could Earn Invitations on SmackDown

With a month remaining until the event takes place on December 14, two competitors are officially confirmed for the inaugural John Cena Classic: SmackDown’s Cody Rhodes and NXT’s Zilla Fatu.

Cena’s next scheduled WWE appearance is this Friday’s SmackDown in Fort Lauderdale, where he is widely expected to reveal the next participant in the tournament.

Since Cena announced Rhodes’ involvement during an episode of Raw, symmetry suggests a Raw star could be unveiled on the blue brand this week. With that in mind, here are three Raw superstars who could receive an invitation to the John Cena Classic next:

Je’Von Evans

If WWE intends to showcase the company’s future through the John Cena Classic, 22-year-old Je’Von Evans stands out as a prime candidate. “The Young OG” ranks among WWE’s most promising talents across all brands and has developed at an accelerated pace. Having recently captured his first championship gold in WWE, the Classic would represent a logical next step in his ascent.

Should the tournament field be determined by fan vote—as Cena hinted during the original announcement in May—Evans would possess a legitimate opportunity to be crowned the inaugural winner.

Seth Rollins

The two confirmed entrants thus far represent both the present and future of WWE. Like Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins is a cornerstone veteran on the active roster—a performer any rising star would benefit from testing themselves against. Rollins also finds himself in need of a significant program following his absence from television since SummerSlam in August.

An invitation to the John Cena Classic would provide a compelling vehicle to reintroduce “The Visionary,” potentially setting the stage for a rivalry with a disgruntled competitor who questions his inclusion.

LA Knight

Another star searching for a new direction is LA Knight. “The Megastar” has been in limbo since falling short in his World Heavyweight Championship challenge against Roman Reigns at Money in the Bank, and has not appeared on television since the October 12 edition of Raw.

Much like Rollins, an invitation to the Classic would offer a natural narrative device to return Knight to programming, giving him a fresh objective separate from The Bloodline and the world title picture.

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