WWE superstar Chelsea Green has revealed that she was the inspiration behind John Cena‘s new HGTV show concept, stemming from a casual dinner. The innovative John Cena new show idea surfaced during a double date with Green, her husband Matt Cardona, and Cena himself, following Cena’s in-ring retirement after his loss to Gunther at the Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, 2025.
Dinner Conversation Sparks HGTV Project
During an appearance on TMZ’s Inside the Ring podcast, Chelsea Green shared the unique story of how the show, now known as “Junk or Jackpot?” came to life. Green explained that the idea took shape while she and Matt Cardona were spending an evening out with John Cena and discussing Matt’s collection habits. Cena is set to serve as the executive producer for the new HGTV series, highlighting his continued presence in entertainment even after stepping away from active wrestling.
“That was an idea that was born on a date night because I said that Matt’s stuff was junk, and Matt said that his stuff was not. He is not a hoarder; it is not junk, it is like collectibles. You know what I mean?”
said Green.
Green also confirmed that Cena publicly acknowledged the origin of the idea, noting his tweet about the dinner where the concept was devised.
“Yes, and he tweeted that the other day, actually. So, that was a little wine-night idea,”
she added.
WWE Updates: Career Highlights for Chelsea Green and Matt Cardona
Since the formation of the show idea, Matt Cardona has made a notable return to WWE, recently defeating Kit Wilson on SmackDown. Meanwhile, Chelsea Green lost the Women’s United States Championship to Giulia, also on SmackDown’s blue brand. These developments underline both Green’s and Cardona’s ongoing impact within WWE’s weekly programming.
Chelsea Green: Recognized as a Driving Force by Peers
Recently, SmackDown standout Nia Jax openly praised Chelsea Green’s dedication and work rate within the WWE ranks. Jax, known as “The Irresistible Force,” teamed with stars such as Becky Lynch and The Kabuki Warriors in the Women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series 2025, facing fierce opponents including AJ Lee and Alexa Bliss.
“🥹🩷 I love Chelsea! Our locker room WORKHORSE!! Doing all the media and working every single show: NXT, RAW, SD, AAA! She deserves all the props 🙌🏽”
she wrote.
Such recognition highlights Green’s growing reputation as a cornerstone in the WWE, managing media and in-ring responsibilities across multiple platforms including NXT, RAW, SmackDown, and AAA.
What Lies Ahead for Chelsea Green?
With John Cena’s show idea now confirmed as stemming from a dinner with Chelsea Green, and her consistent performance in WWE, there is increased intrigue about upcoming storylines for her on SmackDown. As she continues to garner support from colleagues like Nia Jax and maintains a visible role in WWE events, fans can look forward to seeing more of Green’s influence both on television and behind the scenes in creative ventures such as the new HGTV project.
What started as a debate with @ImChelseaGreen and @themattcardona has now, with the help of the incredible @bobbyberk, become a reality.
Junk or Jackpot premieres tonight at 9:30pm on HGTV!https://t.co/XFzX91KOpq
— John Cena (@JohnCena) December 26, 2025
