Top 10 surprising omissions from 'WWE 2K16'
Now that the full roster of “WWE 2K16” has been announced – the 120 superstars on the disc, plus the 30 extra characters who will be part of the downloadable content, or DLC – it’s time to ponder on who didn’t make the cut.
There are a few current superstars, legends and divas who could have made it to the game. This list enumerates those who were not included for unspecified reasons. However, it does not include wrestlers who are exclusively signed to other federations or debuted too late to be scanned by 2K Games, so don’t expect to see Kurt Angle, The Dudleys or The Hardys.
10. RobVan Dam
While the “One of a Kind” superstar isn’t currently under contract with WWE, he is somewhat of an omission when one considers the legends that did make it to this year’s game, like Batista, General Adnan and Colonel Mustafa. Van Dam was one of the more fun superstars to use in last year’s wrestling simulator, and he would have been a nice addition to the roster, given his diverse move set and fan-favourite gestures.
WWE 2K15 Rob Van Dam Entrance Gameplay (PS4/Xbox One) (Credit: YouTube/MKIceAndFire)
9. The Sandman
Many wrestling fans consider The Sandman as an early version of the “Stone Cold” gimmick that Steve Austin used to become a mega star. The character often smoked cigars and bashed his head with a beer before guzzling it in front of a wild audience.
The character also participated in a triple threat match between Mikey Whipwreck and Steve Austin. Many fans wondered why the said bout wasn’t included, although the one against Whipwreck was. Whatever the circumstances, it’s a shame that the cane-swinging brawler won’t be in the game.
WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 The Sandman (Credit: YouTube/Jovan Van Dyke)
8. Alexa Bliss
While the exclusion of Bliss isn’t as controversial as the omission of four certain divas – who will be appearing in this list later on – it does come of as a bit of a shock since Blake and Murphy were announced as DLC characters. Though the diva didn’t light the world on fire as a babyface wrestler (good guy), she did impress fans when she decided to turn heel (bad guy) and became the manager of the group.
Bliss would have been a fun diva to use in the game, so it’s disappointing to not see her in "WWE 2K16." It’s even more mind-boggling not to see her as a manager, considering that Rosa Mendes made it to the title, as reported by Diva Dirt.
Alexa Bliss vs Blue Pants - WWE NXT 09/02/15 (Credit: YouTube/MrCena456v9)
7. Carmella
Similar to the exclusion of Bliss, Carmella’s absence is also surprising, considering the popularity she gained when managing Enzo Amore and Big Cass. Many fans feared that she would drive the two wrestlers apart, but now she’s considered a core part of the group.
The diva has also improved considerably in the ring, though she does have a long way to go before she's in the same league as the Four Horsewomen. Still, she could have appeared in the game as a manager or as part of the entrance for Enzo and Cass.
Carmella vs Peyton Royce - WWE NXT 09/09/15 (Credit: YouTube/MrCena456v9)
6. Road Dogg
When Billy Gunn was announced as part of the roster, many assumed his former tag team partner would follow. However, the roster has been fully revealed, and it’s odd seeing so many tag teams that will not be facing the New Age Outlaws.
The omission of Jesse “Road Dogg” James is somewhat understandable, since he didn’t really feud with Austin back in the 1990s. However, the veteran does appear somewhat frequently on television with Billy Gunn, and it would have been fun to see Road Dogg do his signature entrance in "WWE 2K16." In addition, a match featuring the New Age Outlaws taking on Enzo and Cass would have been fun to play, given how similar their entrance and gimmicks are.
The New Age Outlaws vs. Primo & Epico: Raw, March 4, 2013 (Credit: YouTube/WWE)
5. Solomon Crowe
There was plenty of buzz among wrestling fans when WWE announced the signing of Solomon Crowe to a development contract. The wrestler managed to gain a solid fan base during his time with various indie federations, and he has had quality matches since his NXT debut.
While his momentum has fizzled since his debut, Crowe is still a solid worker and gets decent crowd reactions from fans at Full Sail University, where NXT is usually taped. His omission is only slightly surprising given the amount of NXT wrestlers in the game, and some fans would probably prefer Crowe to the likes of Los Matadores as a DLC exclusive.
4. Alex Riley
The former “Varsity Villain” might be out with an injury, but he did gain a fair bit of momentum during his short stint in NXT. Riley had been campaigning for his return in Twitter and finally gained his chance during an entertaining rivalry against Kevin Owens.
Alex Riley vs. Kevin Owens: WWE NXT, April 22, 2015 (Credit: YouTube/WWE)
3. Rhyno
A veteran who has wrestled for ECW, WWE and TNA, “The Man Beast” has been a NXT regular for quite sometime now. He’s had solid matches with Finn Balor and Samoa Joe and also draws loud reactions from fans at Full Sail.
The character should be easy enough to create in "WWE 2K16," thanks to the game's comprehensive create-a-star mode, but it would have been much better to see him actually included in the title. His finishing move “The Gore” is one that fans go crazy for, and his hardcore background would have made him a fun character to use in Tables, Ladders and Chairs, or TLC, matches.
Rhyno vs. Elias Samson: WWE NXT, February 18, 2015 (Credit: YouTube/WWE)
2. Eric Bischoff
The rivalry between Austin and Bischoff back in 2003 was considered entertaining by many fans, so it’s odd not to see the former owner of WCW be part of the “Stone Cold” showcase mode. Though it was not as entertaining as his rivalry with Mr. McMahon, Bischoff and Austin did have chemistry, and the “match” would have been a fun squash to participate in.
The rivalry between the two wasn’t also scripted. Bischoff fired Austin from WCW since he didn’t think that the former “Hollywood Blonde” would draw money. The incident allowed Heyman to contact Austin so that he could voice his opinion on Bischoff on live television.
Legends with JBL: Part 1 preview - Did Eric Bischoff fire J.R.? (Credit: YouTube/WWE)
1. The Four Horsewomen (Bayley, Becky Lynch, Charlotte and Sasha Banks)
All four women deserve the number one spot for an obvious reason: they made women’s wrestling cool again. Fans have been raving about the NXT Divas and their matches, but it’s these four in particular that have captured the hearts of the WWE Universe.
Unlike some of the women in the main roster who have been given one-dimensional characterisations, these four were given room to grow and time to wrestle. Bayley is the female equivalent of Daniel Bryan in terms of fan reaction, and her wrestling is pretty good as well. Becky Lynch is a suplex machine, with puns that anyone can enjoy. Charlotte has the potential to be one of the best female wrestlers in the business as well as the Flair family name. Sasha Banks, meanwhile, went from being a third stringer in a female stable to the best female heel in the roster.
While 2K Games has already given their reasons for not including the four divas in "WWE 2K16," it’s still a mystifying decision. The four should most definitely make it to “WWE 2K17,” or fans will not be happy.
2K Sports excludes four divas from "WWE 2K16":
