John Cena has officially thrown his weight behind an early favorite for the inaugural John Cena Classic—and he's not being shy about it.

Announced at Backlash: Tampa, the John Cena Classic will pit WWE and NXT superstars against each other in a tournament where fans get to vote on the winner. When asked about early standouts, Cena tried to play it cool, but his excitement for NXT newcomer Mason Rook was impossible to hide.

"It's no secret I think to those in the know that I chant with everybody else, 'He's big, he's bad, he'll bodyslam your dad,'" Cena told CBS Sports. "If you don't know who I'm talking about, I want you to go check that out. I'm a fan."

Rook, who recently responded to Cena's social media shoutout during the latest NXT episode, has already made a massive impact. For two straight weeks—including his debut—he's laid out NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo. The WWE Performance Center crowd has embraced him with chants of "He's big, he's bad, he'll bodyslam your dad," a tradition he carried over from his standout runs in PROGRESS Wrestling, NORTH Wrestling, and Revolution Pro Wrestling in the U.K.

While Cena doesn't hold an official creative role, his influence in WWE's post-wrestling era is undeniable. His last match was a December submission loss to Gunther, and he's since focused on championing the next generation, including a WrestleMania 42 segment alongside Danhausen, Kit Wilson, and The Miz.

Rook is clearly the latest to get the proverbial "rub" from the 16-time world champion. With Cena's public backing and a growing fanbase, all eyes will be on him to deliver at the John Cena Classic. Don't be surprised if he's the one to take the tournament home.