This is a question that a lot of wrestling fans are asking, and it’s a fair thing to ask. If this were about résumé alone, John Cena would be the headline draw for this year’s class. He might even have earned the right to be the only person in it. No serious wrestling fan, regardless of which promotion they prefer to follow, would describe Cena as anything other than a first-ballot WWE Hall of Famer. That part isn’t really up for debate by anybody sensible. Cena is one of the biggest stars WWE has ever produced, one of the company’s most recognisable crossover names, and the sort of figure who doesn’t even need an argument made for him. 

And on the face of it, 2026 should have been the cleanest possible year to do it. Cena’s in-ring career officially ended last December after his loss to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event, and WWE has now announced that he’ll be back for WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas as the event’s host. Retired. Available. Still massively relevant. Still a headline attraction. That usually sounds like Hall of Fame timing. 

So why isn’t he in the class?

Because WWE doesn’t have rules, it has strategy

The first thing to remember is that the WWE Hall of Fame has never behaved like a normal hall of fame. Technically, it doesn’t even exist. There’s no physical hall, no fixed criteria, and no tidy formula. WWE doesn’t operate this thing like baseball or football. It operates it like content. If an induction happens, it happens because the company wants that moment now, not because some eligibility alarm went off. 

That matters here, because the 2026 class already has a clear shape. WWE announced on 2 March that the ceremony would be headlined by Stephanie McMahon, AJ Styles and Demolition, with more names to follow. Since then, WWE has added Dennis Rodman and the legacy inductions of Sid and Bad News Brown. So this isn’t a year where the company forgot to book star power. It already has a headliner in Stephanie, a modern-era in-ring giant in AJ, a classic tag team in Demolition, a celebrity-wing headline in Rodman, and two legacy names. Cena’s absence doesn’t look accidental. It looks curated. 

AJ Styles going in right away kills the easy excuse

If Cena were still active, or if WWE had some informal waiting period, you could at least make that case. But AJ Styles undercuts it completely. WWE has already confirmed that Styles retired and will enter the Hall immediately as part of the 2026 class. So the company has already shown that “he just finished up” is not a barrier this year. If WWE wanted Cena in, Cena would be in. 

That’s why this feels less like a no and more like a “not yet.”

WWE has put Cena in a different role this year

Cena is not missing from WrestleMania season. He’s being used differently. WWE has him hosting WrestleMania 42, which means he’s still part of the weekend’s central promotional push without also swallowing the Hall of Fame ceremony whole. And let’s be honest, if Cena went in this year, he wouldn’t merely be “part of the class”. He would become the class. AJ Styles would be pushed down the card. Stephanie McMahon’s night would suddenly become half about Cena. Even someone as colorful and outspoken as Rodman would feel like background decoration. WWE knows that. 

So the smarter reading is that WWE is spacing its attractions out. One year, Cena gives you the retirement tour and final match. The next spring, Cena gives you the WrestleMania host role in Las Vegas. Then, once the company can clear enough space around him, Cena gets his own Hall of Fame year and owns the whole weekend. From a promotional point of view, that’s classic WWE.

In other words, they’re placing their chips carefully

Let’s use a gambling metaphor here, because it’s appropriate to the event’s setting. WrestleMania 42 is in Sin City, Las Vegas. The Hall of Fame ceremony is at Dolby Live at Park MGM, and WWE has spent the past few years showing it’s perfectly comfortable turning wrestling names into gambling-adjacent products. WWE partnered with Microgaming and All41 Studios on WWE Legends: Link & Win in 2021, then in 2025 WWE and Fanatics rolled out five WWE-themed online casino games, including WWE Clash of the Wilds. All of these games have proven to be enormously popular at UK sister site casinos, which demonstrates the company’s international appeal. Cena himself is one of the featured stars in Clash of the Wilds. 

When you’re gambling, the whole point is to have fun and play sensibly. If you go all-in too early (and yes, that was an AEW reference), the chances are you’ll lose your whole pot and spend the rest of the game watching from the sidelines. A good gambler always keeps something in reserve, and WWE knows that. It doesn’t throw every top-name chip onto the table at once unless it has to. This year, Cena’s chip is on hosting WrestleMania in Vegas, not on going into the Hall. 

So is this a mistake?

Maybe, a little.

There is still a perfectly fair argument that 2026 was the ideal moment. Cena is retired, still hot, still useful to the TV product, and still central enough to make the Hall ceremony feel major. There’s also something very WWE about missing the obvious window because the company would rather optimise the calendar than honour the moment in front of it.

But that doesn’t mean he’s been slighted. It just means WWE is doing what it always does with its biggest names: stretching the value. Cena is too bankable to be used up in one neat burst. The company clearly believes it can get one WrestleMania host run out of him now and one Hall of Fame headline slot later.

And that, more than anything else, is the answer. John Cena isn’t going into the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame because WWE doesn’t think this is the year to cash that ticket. It thinks the payout will be bigger if it waits.

Professional wrestling is one of the most-watched and popular sports around the world. WWE nowadays provides people from all around the world with great shows, the most thrilling and unpredictable moments in the sports industry and more specifically in wrestling. WWE betting became one of the most popular pastimes for wrestling fans. You might wonder why, right? One of the most common reasons among others is that it allows bettors to bet on the ports, enjoy watching it and win money at the same time. Those who are interested in betting on Wrestling or generating money online can visit a casino online that feels like an offline casino and get the most out of their betting or gambling process. This casino allows all the people to make their playing process as much enjoyable as possible. Additionally, if you are a fan of traditional casinos but don't want to leave your house and play from the comfort of your home, these casinos can be the best bet for you.

Over time and years, the sports industry has seen many WWE upsets, that shocked many fans globally. The WWE universe is full of surprises, The bettors and fans never know what could be next. how a certain game might finish and end, how and so forth. Additionally, betting on Wrestling can be one of the greatest ways for sports fans to generate extra money. Those who want to make passive income can also go at https://aussielowdepositcasino.com/new-casinos/, where gambling lovers, both newcomers and experienced ones can find online casinos that will definitely meet their requirements. It should also be mentioned that here gamblers can find a big number of casinos where they can play Wrestling-themed games. In this article, we are going to talk about the top 10 most shocking WWE betting upsets of all time. So if you like wrestling and if you like this world and industry, stay with us, keep reading, and learn more.

Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX

No one could have ever imagined that undefeated Undertaker could be defeated. Undertaker, which is one of the most popular and most-known wrestlers of all time, who had several winning streaks, was defeated by Brock Lesnar. This was one of the most shocking moments in the Wrestling industry. Lesnar defeated the Undertaker, also known as the Deadman at WrestleMania XXX. In this match, the winner has ended the legend’s 21-match winning streak.

Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series 2016

Lesnar, the defeater of one of the most popular representatives of the wrestling world, was expected to easily defeat Goldberg as well. One of the biggest shocks in the wrestling industry was when Goldberg defeated Brock Lesnar in just 86 seconds at Survivor Series 2016.

Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 35

Brock Lesnar who we have already mentioned previously has gifted the WWE world another shocking moment. He was fighting against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 35. Everyone thought that Rollins would lose this match and Lesnar would win in a very short period of time. However, everyone was surprised when Seth Rollins defeated Brock Lesnar quite quickly.

Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2004

Many people compare this match with the David and Goliath matchup. Eddie Guerrero has managed to make this match one of the biggest upsets in WWE history. Guerrero defeated Lesnar at No Way Out 2004 and has written a history in the wrestling industry.

The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8

The Rock was expected to defeat Hulk Hogan in their WrestleMania X8 matchup. However, Hogan turned back the clock and defeated The Great One in one of the most memorable matches in WWE history.

Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H at WrestleMania XXX

Daniel Bryan's road to the main event of WrestleMania XXX was fraught with obstacles, including a match against Triple H. However, Bryan shocked the world when he defeated The Game and went on to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event.

John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania XXX

John Cena was heavily favored to defeat Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania XXX. However, Wyatt shocked the world when he defeated Cena. This was the time when bettors could realize that wrestling has lots in common with gambling - you don’t know the final result until the very end.

Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton at Backlash 2017

Jinder Mahal wasn't even known to many wrestling fans when he decided to challenge one of the biggest and the most popular figures in wrestling - Randy Orton. In this match, no one could have imagined that Jinder Mahal would defeat Randy Orton at Backlash 2017.

Goldberg vs. Kevin Owens at Fastlane 2017

Every WWE fan and bettor thought that Owens could be the next universal champion. However, things didn’t turn out that way. Goldberg defeated Kevin Owens at Fastlane 2017 and became the new Universal Champion.

The Miz vs. John Cena at WrestleMania XXVII

During the main event of WrestleMania XXVII John Cena managed to defeat one of the greatest wrestlers - The Miz. This match is frequently referred to as one of the most shocking WWE upsets of all time.

There are a lot of WWE fans who are either in two camps: