John Cena has confirmed that the John Cena Classic will be held this December, ending months of uncertainty over when WWE’s new event would take place.
Cena announced the event himself at Backlash in May, promising that it would bring together talent from the main roster and NXT.
Appearing on NBC’s TODAY, Cena confirmed the month and discussed the concept behind the show.
“Now this year in December, I’m really excited about announcing the John Cena Classic,” he said. “We’re gonna do an event based off all the memory, all the nostalgia, and the IP and the core values of the character, which is me. Hustle, loyalty, respect, perseverance, virtue, overcoming the odds, and giving the vote to the people.
“Our audience is gonna decide our champion that night, so it’s a really unique live event. I don’t even know if it’s gonna work. I’m still taking bold chances in the WWE space, and I’m proud to be helping the John Cena Classic.”
Fans will vote to determine the John Cena Classic Champion. That means a wrestler could lose a match and still be chosen as the event’s big winner.
In late August, Cena revealed that WWE had all the details of the event worked out but said he could not share them. The exact date, venue, and lineup have yet to be officially announced.
An earlier report pointed to December 12 as a possible date. However, WWE scheduled Wrestlepalooza: Perth for the same day at RAC Arena, leaving it unclear how the John Cena Classic will fit into WWE’s calendar.
Cena, who retired from in-ring competition in December 2025 after losing to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event, remains with WWE as an ambassador.