Following months of speculation about the John Cena Classic, more details about the upcoming event were revealed on Monday Night Raw.

During the November 2 show, John Cena announced that this event will take place on the December 14 special edition of Raw, which will emanate from ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida as part of a two-day takeover.

Also during this appearance, John Cena announced Cody Rhodes as the inaugural participant in the John Cena Classic, noting that this #1 invitee will set the tone for the event.

With there still being some uncertainty surrounding the format of the event and how it will actually work, there has been a lot of speculation about the event’s lineup, which we now know will include Cody Rhodes and Zilla Fatu – who was issued an official invite on NXT.

So, why will Cody Rhodes be competing in the John Cena Classic? Here’s what we know about the event.

John Cena Classic: the story so far

The 17-time world champion first announced the John Cena Classic back at Backlash in May, announcing that both NXT and main roster stars will be given the opportunity to compete for the John Cena Classic Championship.

Cena announced that the inaugural titleholder will be determined in a unique way, with a fan vote to crown the champion, regardless of match results.

Cena later confirmed on November 2 that these votes will be conducted exclusively on Club WWE, behind the company’s paywall.

It’s very clear what NXT stars like Zilla Fatu have to gain from being included in this tournament, but some has questioned Cody Rhodes’ role in proceedings.

The Measuring Stick

In the latter years of John Cena’s WWE career, the 17-time world champion would occasionally refer to himself as the company’s measuring stick, providing “sink or swim” opportunities to the younger stars who stepped into the ring with him.

With Rhodes defeating Cena to win back the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2025, the American Nightmare has somewhat stepped into this role following The Champ’s in-ring retirement.

With more NXT stars likely to be announced for this project, WWE will have to select main roster stars they believe can be measuring sticks for the rising prospects, while also having connections with John Cena.

Besides their previous rivalry, Cody Rhodes has named John Cena as an inspiration on numerous occasions.

While Rhodes’ addition seems to be to be the John Cena stand-in, there is a chance that the company tells a more intriguing story with Rhodes’ addition.

Heel Cody Rhodes?

While fans have been speculating about the possibility of a Cody Rhodes heel turn for literal years, we appear to be on the cusp of an actual character change… maybe.

With Rhodes losing to Randy Orton at Saturday Night’s Main Event in September, the duo will face off in a Last Man Standing bout at Crown Jewel.

Ahead of the November 7 premium live event, the American Nightmare has teased bringing out his more vicious side, leading many to predict that he will fully turn heel in Saudi Arabia.

Rhodes will be fighting an uphill battle in the John Cena Classic anyway, with fans likely wanting to root for rising stars over established former world champions.

WWE turning Cody Rhodes heel ahead of the Classic would be a stroke of genius, allowing Rhodes to gain heat by taking out those looking to win their first main roster accolade.