Many would argue that, when it comes to WWE 2K games, ratings for WWE superstars aren't all that important. But players of the game are usually fans of the sport and generally pick players or wrestlers they are fans of.
Generally, wrestling fans who consider themselves gamers as well treat the ratings with a tad more importance, as they should. The ratings in such games are important and here’s why:
Ratings can be considered a progress report for the individual wrestler’s career. So if they get a bad rating, it generally means that something’s wrong with their output or performance when it comes to their actual wrestling careers. Thus, the ratings indeed mean a lot to us fans and the wrestlers coincidentally.
WWE wrestlers have come under scrutiny a lot over the years and the remarks that what they do is not really a sport have been plentiful to say the least, but they have one of the hardest jobs in sports, with travel schedules that are hard on their lives … and they have no off-season where they can rest up.
So, as they go from town to town, when a new WWE 2k game comes out, we’re sure that all wrestlers wonder if they made the grade. A bad rating can do some damage to their real life careers and the all-important perception of the fans.
27 Aiden English (2K18) - 75
Believe it or not, this young brawler is part of the Guerrero dynasty.
Shocked?
You should be. Although he is now within the ranks of that esteemed wrestling family through marriage only. He married Eddie and Vicky’s daughter, Shaul.
He worked the independent circuit for a year in 2011-12, before being signed to a developmental contract with the WWE, and in June of 2014, he wrestled in the tag team The Vaudevillains, along with Simon Gotch.
He has been a part of WWE2K games in both 2016 and 2017, but 2018 will mark his first appearance in the game as a singles competitor.
His score of 75 isn’t really a great start, but we should give him time and see what this young wrestler’s time in the squared circle will bring.
26 Alicia Fox (2K18) - 74
74 was an extremely disappointing rating for this veteran of the ring. She’s been signed with WWE since 2006 and has been on the main roster since 2008.
Alicia Fox rose amongst the ranks has shown her improve both technically in the ring and on the microphone, and this ranking seems pretty undeserving of the talented superstar. What makes this even sadder is the diva is currently injure. Time at home and out of the spotlight will do nothing to improve that rating.
We can only hope that she heals up fast and returns to ring action as soon as possible.
She is trying to branch out into film and television and that too can sometimes have an effect on a superstar’s popularity.
Some credits include Total Divas and Cupcake Wars.
25 Bad News Barrett (2K15) - 84
When thinking back to this superstar's rise to fame in the WWE, with all the storylines Barrett was involved in and his no-nonsense attitude in the ring, his ranking does seem a tad off kilter now doesn’t it?
Released from the company in 2015, Barrett was a powerhouse in the ring and his score should have been a couple of notches higher.
The former Bare Knuckle fighter started in the company in 2007 and became a rising star that indeed stood out with NXT.
Probably his most memorable period with the company came early on as the leader of The Nexus, and who can forget the havoc they reeked when they singled out the top guy, John Cena, to send an all-important message?
Well, that message was loud and clear and is still felt today, despite Barrett’s absence … deep in the annals of WWE history.
24 Naomi (2K15) - 76
This rating is also very surprising.
It’s no wonder the Diva’s division has come under scrutiny over the years. The whole female side of the roster isn’t always full of motivated athletes. As we’ve said before, some divas are there solely for the attention and so many others cannot endure the temperate road WWE wrestlers are expected to endure.
So is the case for the men’s division.
There are indeed a large number of outstanding divas, both now and in the past and Naomi can clearly be considered one of them. Her serious attitude towards her career can even be seen in Total Divas, where only she and Natalya stand out as dedicated performers who actually care about their in-ring career.
We congratulate her run as champion and surely expect a higher rating.
23 Dave Batista/Bautista (2K15) - 88
The Animal!
Who can forget Batista and all he did in the ring? Nobody, we’re sure.
If Goldberg can come back for merely a few matches and receive the honor of the Hall of Fame, then there is absolutely no doubt in the minds of true wrestling fans out there that Batista will soon be granted the all-important gold ring.
Who can negate his time in Evolution and his countless matches with Eddie Guerrero? Nobody. And that is what brings us to his rating.
A superstar of this magnitude should be in the high nineties … period.
Yes, his latest return did not go over so well, but that is beside the point. Batista has paid his dues, and if Dwayne Johnson (who we love), can come back whenever he wants to, the door should be open to this mammoth as well. Don't miss him as Drax in the super successful Guardians Of The Galaxy movies!
22 Cody Rhodes (2K15) - 85
In any business, the children of the original masters are always scrutinized the most. And for this young star, that was exactly what pushed him to be as great as he is today.
No longer with the company, Cody Rhodes, son of the late and legendary “The American Dream” wrestler Dusty Rhodes most definitely paid his dues on the roster. He currently wrestles as “The American Nightmare Cody” in Ring of Honor wrestling and makes appearances in New Japan Pro.
His talent in the ring has granted his a following of true blue wrestling fans who adore his style immensely.
His rating as well as his release from WWE is absolutely puzzling to most wrestling fans everywhere. He can surely out-wrestle members of the current roster.
21 Cameron (2K16) - 73
We hate to say it, but the rating is much deserved and to be totally honest, she probably deserved an even lower rating.
In 2011, Cameron joined the cast of WWE Tough Enough and was the 1st person eliminated. Somehow, she still got hired with the WWE and performed as part of The Funkadactyls alongside Naomi. And finally, she appeared in the reality wrestling show Total Divas.
From 2014-2016, she wrestled in singles competition and was mediocre at best.
After competing in the main roster in WWE, she fell back to NXT (which is a show primarily featuring rising stars) in 2016. Shortly after, she was released by the company.
In episodes of Total Divas her lack of motivation is at times apparent and her interest in other branch extensions such as the reality show presented only a distraction from her wrestling duties.
20 Natalya (2K15) - 82
Here she is, the current queen of the ring: Natalya Neidhart. She’s the daughter of former superstar Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and one half of The Hart Foundation. Her in-ring ability is above par when it comes to divas and she represents her family extremely well. She has the talent, the absolute beauty and the strength to outwrestle anyone on the active roster—man or woman.
We know that’s impossible, but if Chyna won the Intercontinental Championship, this lady of the ropes definitely deserves the same, if not more.
Her rating as well as the chances she’s given (or not given) shock wrestling fans everywhere.
This is proof that the rating scheme for these games is very far from accurate when it comes to actual wrestler strength.
19 Enzo Amore (2K16) - 80
This was totally uncalled for.
80?
This young star had the athletic ability and the microphone skills that can only be missed by fans of the Attitude Era. An 80 is abysmal.
This young star was well on his way to a great career when he was released from the company. He was charged with sexual assault and the WWE released him until cleared of all charges. But any fan of the WWE knows of their reluctance to associate themselves with any controversial event within the wrestling world … especially since the events of the Chris Benoit event in 2007.
The wrestler denies the charges and is at work on his defence.
As for the rating … it’s still too low for this talented wrestler. We hope that it is true that he is truly innocent and can return to WWE in ring action.
18 Honky Tonk Man (2K16) - 78
78 … for a legend of the Squared Circle?
Come on!
The Honky Tonk Man was thrilling audiences and smashing guitars when a lot of the current roster was still in diapers. To give this Honky Tonkin' dude anything lower than a 90 is absolute blasphemy.
Furthermore, his innate love for the business is seen and has been clearly witnessed over the years. When not with WWE, he wrestled for other companies and also in the independent circuit, and that was after the 80s, very much a la Jake "The Snake" Roberts. And differing from the Hulk Hogans of the wrestling world, these dudes did not make a lot of dough in the process.
He is the cousin of wrestling legend, Jerry The King Lawler. The family resemblance is obvious … after all, they’re both some form of royalty after all, aren’t they?
17 Heath Slater (2K16) - 78
This mid-card wrestler has nestled himself a decent spot in the biggest place to wrestle. Having signed on with the company in 2006, he slowly but surely became a consistent performer. His matches are decent and his work ethic is very good. He’s also had his fair share of good storylines and matches—excluding the whole Three Man Band angle. We’re still trying to forget that one.
His share of fan adulation is where his weak points lie, and that’s ultimately what gives him such a weak rating.
The rating seems deserved, and when thinking of his career up to date, it could probably be a smidge lower as well.
He is indeed good, but he can improve in a few critical areas of his overall package.
But whoever said a C was bad, anyway?
16 Ken Shamrock (2K16) - 84
This one’s enough to drive absolutely any fan of the Attitude Era insane. Ken Shamrock wowed audiences with his athleticism and prowess in the ring. For somebody who started as an ultimate fighter, he sure learned the professional wrestling business pretty quickly and his iconic matches with Owen Hart, Steve Blackman and The Rock have gone down in history.
We’re starting to see a pattern here in the 2K games and we don’t like it.
Leave the legends alone. Their ratings should speak for the years they spent in the squared circle and then some.
Here is another wrestler whose rating should be nestled somewhere in the 90s.
Besides, legions of fans will be playing with his character anyways … after all: he is the world’s most dangerous man!
15 Mankind (2K16) - 86
In staying with that theme, let us insert our cry of shock now:
Whaaaat!?
Who or what is in charge of choosing these ratings? Are they insane? Mankind, played lovingly by Mick Foley gets an 86? He is clearly an A+ performer, and always has been.
He wowed audiences with his hard-core style in ECW, New Japan Pro, WCW, TNA and WWE … and he played 3 characters, one more talented and dynamic than the next. Who can forget the promos he performed alongside The Rock. And dare I say it … can you all remember Hell in a Cell against The Undertaker?
This is an unsettling score … especially when John Cena scores much higher at a blistering 95! To quote The Miz: Really?
Really!?
14 Eva Marie (2K17) - 67
This rating is abysmally low and extremely well-deserved.
Divas like this Eva Marie are what is wrong with the division … especially when there are and have been far greater athletes in the business. Athletes like Natalya, Tamina, Mickie James, Victoria, Trish Stratus, Molly Holly, Lita, Beth Phoenix and the list goes on and on.
It shows when a diva is there for the attention only and uses the WWE or their wrestling career as a stepping stone to something else.
This Diva is no different, we’re afraid. Her in-ring and microphone skills are medium rate at best and her 67 could be a lot worse as far as we’re concerned.
You doubt her intentions as we’ve described them here? Well, she left the WWE in 2017, coincidentally at the same time she starred in her first Hollywood film.
The proof is in the pudding, ladies and gentlemen.
13 Bo Dallas (2K17) - 67
The son of "Tax-Man" IRS, Bo Dallas gets a terrible rating for someone whose talent pool is definitely deep. His grandfather is legend Blackjack Mulligan and his uncle was Barry Windham.
A profound gene and talent pool indeed. He is only 27 now and already broke some significant records. He was the youngest ever NXT champion and his in-ring skills leave nothing to be desired.
He signed with WWE in 2008 and has been slowly working his way up the ladder.
He’s still a young wrestler, so his terrible rating of 67 shouldn’t disturb him or his fans … after all he’s still got time to improve and make a better impression.
All we can do is hope that he does gain a bit more respect and success. So, good luck, Bo.
12 Curtis Axel (2K17) - 68
Much less than perfect?
Apparently so.
So much was expected of the son of legendary Mr. Perfect and yet so little has been accomplished by the young superstar.
Does this come from a lack of talent? Probably not. Curtis Axel seems to be affected more by circumstances and by a lack of fan reaction than by his talent in the ring.
He’s in fairly good shape and his mat skills leave little to be desired. The rating is indeed terrible, though, and that has to come from somewhere.
He signed with the WWE in 2007 and started with them in their developmental promotions. He was granted an Intercontinental title run at some point and for superstars that is always a positive vote of confidence, seeing that the belt is awarded to hard working wrestlers exclusively.
11 Viktor (2K17) - 68
One half of The Ascension, Viktor/Eric Thompson sure is a fearsome presence when he walks to the ring. Complete with face paint and attire that calls for fear, he is a force to be reckoned with between the ropes.
Unfortunately, his ranking doesn’t go with all that. At 68, it is definitely low and extremely unimpressive.
He too started his career in 1999 and wrestled the indy circuit, debuting in WWE in 2011. A big gap of time spent in the independents, but it is seen as an advantage in the eyes of a lot of wrestling fans. The longer spent in the independents, the more a wrestler will bring to the table, presenting more of a dynamic than the WWE trained drones that have come about as of late, garnering a good mix of wrestling talent.
10 Fandango (2K17) - 69
Curtis Hussey "Fandango" garners a terrible 69 rating and there isn’t a twist, sashay or dip that can get him out of the terrible score.
He can't dance himself out of this one.
The wrestler started his career in 1999 and performed in several New England independent promotions. He started with WWE in 2006. When in NXT, he wrestled as Johnny Curtis and later re-premiered as Fandango in 2013. At the time, he was extremely popular—for a time—but his in ring ability was OK; nothing special. His popularity also dwindled, as some extreme gimmicks always will. This can be part of the reason for his bad rating in the game, and then again it might not.
These days, just call him Breezango.
The Gamer prediction: look for a rating in the 40s or 50s after that name change.
9 Simon Gotch (2K17) - 69
A very promising young star, but unfortunately no longer with the company. Regardless, fans of 2K17 can still play Simon Gotch if they don’t mind the 69 rating—a rating we don’t entirely agree with.
He wrestled the independent circuit from 2002 to 2013. In 2013, he made it to the big leagues and deservedly so. He started a developmental deal with WWE and rose steadily amongst the ranks.
In 2016, The Vaudevillains made their debut and he wrestled as part of the tag team for most of his time in the main roster.
He is back on the indy-circuit now and he wrestles under the name, Simon Grimm. He won his first singles title in the XWA.
A talented young star, and we hope that in time he will make his return to the WWE and when he does, we’re sure a better rating awaits him.
8 Goldust (2K17) - 70
Again, we’re flabbergasted at this terrible ranking. Goldust is a legend and legends should be given the respect they deserve. 70 is way too low for someone of his standing.
Besides, he has an assortment of strong moves in the ring that prove spectacular and have terrible results for the enemies he faces.
Fans remember the tons of storylines and moments featuring the talented superstar in nothing short of hilarious moments. Goldust’s humor is often showcased and fans love it. Yes, some moments were even controversial, but what could we expect in the attitude era?
But what can’t be forgotten is his athleticism where even at a higher weight, he still performed well in the ring. Now, he’s lost a lot of weight and has become even more athletic.