Yes, WWE and The Walt Disney Company have announced a two-day takeover of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida, on December 14 and 15. On December 14, the first-ever John Cena Classic will pit WWE main roster stars from Raw and SmackDown against the brightest future stars from NXT, streaming live on Netflix as a special Monday Night Raw. On December 15, a Marvel Studios Avengers: Doomsday themed edition of Worlds Collide will feature talent from WWE, NXT and AAA, three days before Avengers: Doomsday opens in United States theaters on December 18. The announcement came on November 3 2026, and it caps a big week for Cena, who shut down Kam Hendrix in a savage exchange on NXT on November 4.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Announcement date | November 3 2026, from WWE and The Walt Disney Company |
| Event dates | December 14 and 15 2026 |
| Venue | ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida |
| December 14 event | First-ever John Cena Classic, live on Netflix as a special Monday Night Raw |
| December 15 event | Avengers: Doomsday themed Worlds Collide, with WWE, NXT and AAA talent |
| Avengers: Doomsday release | December 18 2026 in United States theaters |
| First participant announced | Cody Rhodes |
| Prize | Winner receives the John Cena Classic Championship |
| Fan vote | Club WWE members vote on the top Superstar of the night |
| Fan event | WWE World, a two-day fan event with photos, autographs, merchandise and co-branded title belts |
| Ticket sale | Two-day combo tickets on sale Friday November 13 at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster |
| General presale | Thursday November 12 at 10 a.m. ET |
| Recent Cena moment | John Cena shut down Kam Hendrix in a savage exchange on NXT on November 4 |
The Announcement: WWE and Disney Take Over Orlando
WWE and The Walt Disney Company announced the expanded partnership on November 3 2026, and the scale of it is hard to miss. Two nights, one venue, and two of the biggest brands in entertainment sharing the same stage. The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando will host both events, and the whole weekend is built around the idea that wrestling fans and Marvel fans are often the same people.
The timing is no accident. Avengers: Doomsday opens in United States theaters on December 18, just three days after the Worlds Collide event. The John Cena Classic on December 14 opens the takeover, and the Marvel themed show on December 15 closes it.
The partnership also builds on what happened in 2025, when the ESPN App became the domestic home of WWE premium live events. This new announcement takes the relationship much further, from a streaming home to a shared live spectacle. WWE also acquired the lucha libre promotion AAA in 2025, and AAA talent will be part of the December 15 show, which gives the Worlds Collide name a real meaning.
The John Cena Classic on December 14
The first night belongs to John Cena. The John Cena Classic is a brand-new tournament, and it will stream live on Netflix as a special edition of Monday Night Raw. The format is the one Cena first talked about back in May 2026, when he announced the concept: current main-event talent against the future stars of the sport. On December 14, the biggest names from Raw and SmackDown will face the brightest young talent from NXT, and the winner will receive the John Cena Classic Championship.
Cena announced the event himself on Raw on November 2, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Cody Rhodes is the first participant announced, which tells fans a lot about the level of talent involved. Rhodes is one of the top stars in WWE, and his presence signals that the Classic is meant to be a serious competition, not a friendly exhibition.
The format gives the night a clear story. Established stars have to prove they still belong at the top, while NXT talent gets a rare chance to make a name for themselves on the biggest stage possible. A young wrestler who beats a main roster star in the John Cena Classic could change the course of their career in a single night. Club WWE members will also vote on the top Superstar of the night, which gives the audience a direct say in how the event is remembered.
Avengers Doomsday Worlds Collide on December 15
The second night shifts from the tournament to the Marvel universe. On December 15, Worlds Collide returns with a Marvel Studios Avengers: Doomsday theme, featuring talent from WWE, NXT and AAA. The show lands three days before Avengers: Doomsday opens in United States theaters on December 18, so the event works as both a wrestling show and a launch party for one of the biggest films of the year.
Worlds Collide has always been about brands meeting each other, and this edition takes that idea further than ever. WWE, NXT and AAA talent on the same card means different styles in the same ring. AAA brings the fast, high-flying lucha libre tradition that WWE acquired in 2025, while NXT brings the next generation and the main roster brings the star power. The Marvel theme gives the show a clear hook for fans who might not watch wrestling every week.
No matches have been announced for the December 15 show yet, and that is normal at this stage. WWE announced the dates and the concept first, and the card will take shape in the weeks ahead.
WWE World and Ticket Details
Alongside the two nights of wrestling, WWE and Fanatics will stage WWE World, a two-day immersive fan event at the complex. Fans can expect photo and autograph opportunities, exclusive merchandise, and the co-branded Avengers: Doomsday title belts.
Tickets are the practical part fans need to know now. Two-day combo tickets go on sale on Friday November 13 at 10 a.m. ET through Ticketmaster. A general presale begins a day earlier, on Thursday November 12 at 10 a.m. ET. The combo ticket is the best option for fans who want the full experience, since it covers both the John Cena Classic and the Worlds Collide event. Fans planning to go should set a reminder for the presale on November 12 if they have access to it, or for the general sale on November 13 at 10 a.m. ET. WWE has a busy start to 2027 as well, and our report on WWE announcing 11 new event dates for 2027, including the Royal Rumble tour shows how packed the calendar is getting.
The November 4 NXT Moment: Cena Shuts Down Kam Hendrix
While the Disney announcement was still fresh, John Cena gave fans another reason to talk about him. On the November 4 episode of NXT, Cena shut down Kam Hendrix in a savage exchange, according to WWE.com highlights of the show. The moment fits the story of the John Cena Classic perfectly. Cena is not just putting his name on a tournament. He is still showing up, still talking, and still shutting down anyone who steps to him.
The exchange also matters because NXT is one half of the John Cena Classic. The young stars Cena faces off against on NXT are the same kind of talent who will be fighting for the Classic Championship on December 14. NXT has produced several big moments in recent days. Our report on Grayson Waller beating CM Punk on NXT on November 4 covers another major result from the same night, and together the two stories show how much attention NXT is getting right now.
Why This Crossover Matters
The WWE and Disney partnership matters because it brings two of the biggest fan cultures in the world into the same room. Wrestling and Marvel share a lot: larger-than-life heroes, long-running stories, and fans who follow every twist. It is a shared event, not a borrowed logo.
It also matters for what it says about where WWE is heading. The company already has a streaming home on the ESPN App for its premium live events, and its biggest tournament now streams on Netflix. WWE is no longer tied to one screen or one audience, and this Disney deal is the clearest sign of that yet.
For John Cena himself, the Classic is a fitting tribute. Cena is one of the most decorated stars in WWE history, and a tournament in his name that pits the present against the future captures what his career has been about. The top of the Raw roster will be tested too, and Roman Reigns reaching 200 days as WWE World Heavyweight Champion is a reminder of how high the standard is at the top of the company.
When is the John Cena Classic?
The first-ever John Cena Classic takes place on December 14 2026 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida. It will stream live on Netflix as a special Monday Night Raw. The winner receives the John Cena Classic Championship.
What is Avengers Doomsday Worlds Collide?
It is a Marvel Studios Avengers: Doomsday themed edition of Worlds Collide on December 15 2026, featuring talent from WWE, NXT and AAA. The show takes place three days before Avengers: Doomsday opens in United States theaters on December 18. It is the second night of the two-day WWE and Disney takeover in Orlando.
When do tickets go on sale for the December 14 and 15 events?
Two-day combo tickets go on sale on Friday November 13 at 10 a.m. ET through Ticketmaster. A general presale begins on Thursday November 12 at 10 a.m. ET. The combo ticket covers both nights.
What happened between John Cena and Kam Hendrix on NXT?
On the November 4 episode of NXT, John Cena shut down Kam Hendrix in a savage exchange, according to WWE.com highlights. The moment has driven fresh search interest in Cena in the same week as the John Cena Classic announcement.
Sources
- WWE: WWE and Walt Disney Company announce John Cena Classic and Avengers Doomsday Worlds Collide
- WWE Corporate: WWE and Walt Disney Company announcement, November 3 2026
- Athlon Sports: WWE and Disney John Cena Classic new details
Final Thoughts
WWE and Disney have announced something genuinely big: a two-day takeover of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on December 14 and 15, with the first-ever John Cena Classic streaming live on Netflix on night one and a Marvel Studios Avengers: Doomsday themed Worlds Collide on night two. Cody Rhodes is the first participant announced, the winner takes home the John Cena Classic Championship, and Club WWE members vote on the top Superstar of the night. Add WWE World and tickets on sale from November 13, and fans have plenty to plan around. If both nights live up to the announcement, December in Orlando could be one of the most memorable weekends WWE has ever staged.
