Possible shady side of John Cena classic
If I’m TKO I’m using this new event to showcase my top NXT talent against mostly mid card wrestlers and doing it in December around the anniversary of John’s last match. This gives me as a company an idea of what rookies to move to the main roster as well as what possible cuts/ reduction of pay offers to underperforming talent moves to make as well. The popularity contest aspect of this event gives a metric to base decisions on.
Using talent that could go either way, NXT; ready for the main roster, needs more time to develop, may be time to let go. Main roster; talent is over with the fans push them more, talent is fine getting others, fat to be trimmed from the budget.
I would say that the fear of talent going into business for themselves for the sake of keeping their jobs is real though. There is a difference between going hard on a match and saying top that, and being reckless and screwing others over to get yourself over.
TL;DR this event is thinly veiled performance review on multiple levels.