John Cena Classic's First-Ever WWE Event Has A Huge Problem

The John Cena Classic reportedly faces a scheduling issue ahead of its planned December debut.© NDTV Library

WWE may struggle to find a date for the first John Cena Classic, as the planned December event is reportedly facing a scheduling problem. WrestleVotes reported that WWE still hasn't confirmed when the show will happen, even though earlier signs pointed to December 2026. There are already several events lined up in the month, so room for Cena's project is quite limited. December 5 is still one option, but WWE reportedly doesn't want to run big events on three weekends in a row. December 12 also came up, but WWE didn't confirm if the show can take place on that weekend.

The John Cena Classic could take place on December 12, with a stateside event that evening following WrestlePalooza, or on December 19, which would put it up against AEW Worlds End and AAA Guerra de Titanes later that evening. December 5 is unlikely, as WWE wants to avoid holding major events on three consecutive weekends. Cena also wants fan voting to be part of the event, with several ideas reportedly discussed internally to make it happen. (@WrestleVotes on @FightfulSelect)

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The John Cena Classic faces a crowded December schedule

Honestly, WWE's December calendar looks full. Wrestlepalooza is scheduled for December 12, and a WWE event with AAA is planned for December 19, which is the same date as AEW Worlds End. December 26 is also hard because of the holiday season and the house show tour WWE has scheduled.

So December 5 is left as the other possible date. But WWE reportedly wants to avoid three major events on consecutive weekends, and this makes the decision less simple. A first-ever show needs one clean weekend for itself, and December hardly offers that.

WrestleVotes also tried to find out if WWE would think about holding the John Cena Classic on December 12 in the United States, since Wrestlepalooza is scheduled for Australia. WWE didn't confirm anything about this option being looked at.

John Cena announced the event after his retirement tour

Cena revealed the John Cena Classic at WWE Backlash earlier this year, after his retirement tour going through 2025. He ended that run as a 17-time world champion and wrestled his final match against Gunther at Saturday Night's Main Event in December 2025, where he lost by submission.

Cena had made it clear that retirement meant the end of his wrestling career, not the end of his time with WWE. The Classic was announced as a way to help develop the next generation of talent in the company.

He described the idea as giving fans a chance to choose WWE's future stars, while upcoming wrestlers get to perform on a major stage and make an impression on the audience.

The planned event is part of Cena's work with WWE after stepping away from the ring, but its December date is still not confirmed.