Following on from the announcement that John Cena will be returning to Monday Night Raw on November 2, WWE has now announced that the 17-time world champion will also be making a rare appearance on NXT two days later on November 4.
While the decision to book Cena and Cody Rhodes for the show is surely somewhat motivated by NXT going head-to-head with AEW Dynamite: Blood & Guts, Cena’s NXT return should have a greater purpose than just that.
With it seemingly very likely that “The Never Seen 17” will be announcing details regarding the inaugural John Cena Classic when he appears on Raw, we could see him follow up by announcing some of the NXT stars that will be competing at the event.
Having already looked at some of the male stars that could make the cut, here are four members of the female WWE NXT roster that could be announced for the John Cena Classic:
Kendal Grey
While she may currently be without her WWE NXT Women’s Championship, Kendal Grey is still the number one female in-ring performer on the NXT roster.
In just two years, Grey has proven herself to be a naturally gifted performer between the ropes, and has also been making great strides with her microphone and character work in 2026. Seeing Grey mix it up with some of the heavy-hitters on the main roster will be a treat, and it’ll be easy to see her winning over some fans in the process.
Kali Armstrong
From one former WWE Evolve Women’s Champion to another, and Kali Armstrong is another of NXT’s brightest talents in the women’s locker room.
Possessing explosive speed and power, Armstrong looks well positioned to become a future NXT Women’s Champion in 2027, but an impressive showing in the John Cena Classic could also give the main roster audience a taste of what’s coming when she eventually arrives on Raw and SmackDown.
Lizzy Rain
With known John Cena favorite Mason Rook appearing unlikely to be able to compete in the John Cena Classic, perhaps WWE can offer a different UK standout a chance at the event: Lizzy Rain.
Rain’s unique charisma and an old school heavy metal presentation makes her stand out from the pack in NXT, and WWE as a whole. Her Thunderstruck finishing move is also one of the most visually impressive moves in WWE today and the moment fans see the move they will most certainly want to cast their votes for Rain.
Thea Hail
Despite being on the WWE NXT roster for four years now, Thea Hail is still only 23-years-old, which is a decent bit younger than everyone else on this list.
While she is still a prospect in WWE, it feels as if she’s hit a bit of a lull in her NXT career and could do with something big to propel her into 2027. The John Cena Classic very well could be that.
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