The John Cena Classic, a long-anticipated WWE event, now has a date and a location. John Cena revealed the details himself on Monday Night Raw in Brooklyn, New York, telling the crowd at the Barclays Center that the event 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, the wrestlers competing in the John Cena Classic will be at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World, where they will fight for a new championship. Cena described the event in personal terms, saying he has his heart and soul in it and that his name is on it. "This event encapsulates everything I stand for – perseverance, hustle, loyalty, respect," Cena said.
Cena also announced the first invitee to the event, Cody Rhodes. The two were adversaries for much of 2025. Cena defeated Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41, which gave Cena his record-setting 17th title. Rhodes won the title back later that year at SummerSlam. Cena told Rhodes he was wrong when he had said Rhodes could not handle the pressure of being «QB1», adding that 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."
Cena is expected to use upcoming episodes of Monday Night Raw, NXT, Friday Night SmackDown and Survivor Series: WarGames to announce more invitees. He did not outline the format of the classic at this stage, but said fans who signed up for Club WWE will have an impact on the event.
Cena first announced the John Cena Classic in May at Backlash. At that time, he said stars from each of WWE's top brands would compete for a championship, and that the champion would be voted on by fans. Wrestlers who lose their matches could still end up as the overall winner of the event. More details are expected over the next few weeks.
Cena also gave a broader description of the event's purpose in May, telling Sports Illustrated that if he had to sum it up in one sentence, he would call it «WWE’s All-Star Game.» That framing places the classic as a showcase drawing together talent from across the company rather than a single-brand competition, and it is the clearest indication so far of how Cena sees the event's place within the wider WWE calendar.
The announcement also underlines the personal stake Cena has in the project. By telling the Barclays Center crowd that his name is attached to the event, he tied the classic directly to the values he has long associated with his career, and by naming Rhodes first, he signaled that the event will be built around the wrestlers who shared the top of the company's title picture in 2025.