Every wrestler NOT to be featured in WWE 2K22 – All releases
Thinner rosters, beefier dudes
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There’s something fishy going on over in Stamford and since the pandemic started, WWE has culled nearly 100 wrestlers, as well as backstage staff members and after a merger of teams, social media and other staff in the offices. The reason being? “Budget cuts”, even though it’s proven – as WWE is a publicly-traded company – that they’re more profitable now at their perceived lowest point in ratings, creativity and morality than they ever were prior. Yes, even during their heyday of the ‘Attitude Era’.
The company is a monolith that has some recent competition in the form of AEW – who have their own game coming soon – and with more fans looking away from the ‘E, it’s getting weirder and weirder with every release of their roster.
What’s weirder, is that this negatively impacts one of their biggest moneymakers, the yearly video game. This year, however, 2K decided that after the 2K20 version was so poorly received, they’d take time out to recoup and redevelop the game so that it wasn’t so horrendously broken.
2K accidentally leaked their trailer for the game the other day, confirming that General Manager mode will be returning, along with the updated engine. Confirmed wrestlers are no surprise, as Kofi Kingston, Goldberg, Rey Mysterio and Bayley all featured, along with others. The company will update later January, 2022.
There are reports of a strained relationship, which with the current climate of video game development being immeasurably tough in the big studios, as well as WWE continually releasing roster members without much cause, tonnes of assets have probably had to be thrown out, with hours of time wasted on developing now a waste.
WWE 2K22 Roster Cuts
So who won’t be in 2K22? Well, it’s a long list, so I hope you’re ready. Also, we’re assuming here that NXT will not be getting featured as prominently, due to the complete changes with that particular brand. I’d also go out on a limb and say that some of the UK roster won’t make it either.
Wrestler | Signed elsewhere? |
---|---|
Aiden English | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Aleister Black | Now with AEW |
Alexander Wolfe | |
Andrade | Now with AEW |
Ari Sterling | |
Ariya Daivari | |
Arturo Ruas | |
Ashante ‘Thee’ Adonis | |
Asher Hale | |
August Grey | |
B-Fab | |
Big Show | Now with AEW |
Billie Kay | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Bo Dallas | |
Bobby Fish | Now with AEW |
Braun Strowman | |
Bray Wyatt | |
Bronson Reed | |
Buddy Murphy | |
Chase Parker | |
Chelsea Green | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Chris Jericho | Now with AEW |
Christian Cage | Now with AEW |
Curt Hawkins | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Curt Stallion | |
Daniel Bryan | Now with AEW |
Dean Ambrose | Now with AEW |
Dezmond Troy | |
Drake Maverick | |
Ember Moon | |
Eva Marie | |
Ezra Judge | |
Fandango | |
Franky Monet | |
Giant Zanjeer | |
Goldust/Dustin Rhodes | Now with AEW |
Gran Metalik | |
Harry Smith | |
Heath Slater | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott | |
Jake Atlas | |
Jaxson Ryker | |
Jeet Rama | |
Jessi Kamea | |
Jessmyn Duke | |
John Morrison | |
Kalisto | |
Karl Anderson | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Karrion Kross | |
Katrina Cortez | |
Kavita Devi | |
Keith Lee | |
Killian Dain | |
Kona Reeves | |
Lana | |
Lars Sullivan | |
Leon Ruff | |
Lince Dorado | |
Luke Gallows | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Luke Harper | Passed away while signed with AEW |
Marina Shafier | |
Mark Henry | Now with AEW |
Matt Martel | |
Mercedes Martinez | |
Mia Yim | |
Mickie James | |
Mojo Rawley | |
Nia Jax | |
Oney Lorcan | |
Peyton Royce | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Rhino | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Ruby Riott | Now with AEW |
Rusev | Now with AEW |
Samir Singh | |
Santana Garrett | |
Scarlett Bordeaux | |
Shane Thorne | |
Skylaer Story | |
Stephen Smith | |
Steve Cutler | |
Sting | Now with AEW |
Sunil Singh | |
Tegan Nox | |
Tino Sabbatelli | |
Tony Nese | Now with AEW |
Top Dolla | |
Trey Baxter | |
Tucker | |
Tyler Breeze | |
Tyler Rust | |
Vanessa Bourne | |
Velveteen Dream | |
Wesley Blake | |
Zack Ryder | Now with Impact Wrestling |
Zayda Ramier | |
Zechariah Smith |