The long-awaited John Cena Classic finally received a date and some details.
John Cena himself appeared on “Monday Night Raw” in Brooklyn, New York, and unveiled some of the details behind the event. He told the crowd at the Barclays Center the John Cena Classic will be held as part of a two-part “Monday Night Raw” on Dec. 14. While some members of the WWE roster will be in Perth, Australia, those competing in the John Cena Classic will be at the ESPN Wide World of Sportrs Complex at Walt Disney World fighting for the new championship.
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John Cena faces Gunther during Saturday Night’s Main Event at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, 2025. (WWE via Getty Images)
“I have my heart and soul in this event. If you look at this award, there’s me,” Cena said. “My name is on this event. This event encapsulates everything I stand for – perseverance, hustle, loyalty, respect.”
Cena also announced the first invitee to the event: Cody Rhodes.
“The American Nightmare” and Cena were adversaries for the better part of 2025. Cena defeated Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41, which gave Cena his record-setting 17th title. Rhodes eventually won the title back later that year at SummerSlam.
Cena told Rhodes he was “wrong” when he said Rhodes couldn’t handle the pressure that comes with being “QB1.” He said Rhodes was doing it better than he ever could.
“This event is everything you are,” Cena said. “Everything you stand for. I love you, bud. And I’m so glad to officially invite you to the John Cena Classic.”
John Cena attends Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 18, 2026, in New York City. (Getty Images for Fanatics)
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Cena is expected to appear on “Monday Night Raw,” NXT, “Friday Night SmackDown” and Survivor Series: WarGames to announce more invitees.
The WWE star didn’t dive into the format of the classic at this juncture. He said fans who signed up for Club WWE will have an impact on the event.
Cena first made the announcement of the John Cena Classic back in May at Backlash. At that time, he said stars from each of WWE’s top brands would compete for a championship and the champion would be voted on by the fans.
WWE wrestlers who lose their respective matches could still end up the overall winner of the event.
John Cena speaks during WWE Backlash at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., on May 9, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)
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More details about the event are expected to come over the next few weeks. Cena told Sports Illustrated in May that if he had to sum up his event in one sentence, he would call it, “WWE’s All-Star Game.”