The John Cena Classic has been officially scheduled for December 14 and will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. WWE star John Cena revealed these details on "Monday Night Raw" in Brooklyn, New York.
During his announcement, Cena named Cody Rhodes as the first wrestler invited to participate in the event. Cena and Rhodes had a significant rivalry throughout 2025, including a match at WrestleMania 41 where Cena won his record-setting 17th Undisputed WWE Championship, a title Rhodes later reclaimed.
Cena described the John Cena Classic as a showcase for veterans and rising stars, aiming to embody values of perseverance, hustle, loyalty, and respect. He indicated that fans who sign up for Club WWE will have an influence on the event. The WWE star plans to announce more invitees across various WWE programming, including "Monday Night Raw," NXT, "Friday Night SmackDown," and Survivor Series: WarGames.
Cena first announced the creation of the John Cena Classic in May at the Backlash event. At that time, he stated that competitors from WWE's main brands would vie for a championship, with the ultimate winner being selected by fan vote. He later described the event to Sports Illustrated as "WWE’s All-Star Game."