Every time aWWE 2Kgame hits the market, it always sparks a discussion about ratings. In each entry, all the wrestlers are given a rating, which dictates how good they are in the game. Because of the scripted nature of wrestling, the number isn’t completely based on their actual ability.
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Instead, it’s based on how they’re presented on WWE shows. For example, Chad Gable never gets a particularly high rating despite being one ofthe most technically proficient wrestlersin WWE because he often loses on Raw and SmackDown. That is not the case with the following wrestlers, as they’re some of the most dominant in wrestling history, which is why 2K has made them the highest-rated superstars on the WWE 2K23 roster.
11Brock Lesnar ‘14 - 95
One of the matches in John Cena’s showcase mode has the superstar face off against 2014’s Brock Lesnar. It’s a re-creation of their iconic SummerSlam match in 2014 when the beast destroyed the famous wrestler in a very one-sided victory.
Brock was so dominant at that time, as along with battering the biggest star in the business, he also broke the Undertaker’s famous WrestleMania streak that same year. So, a high rating was guaranteed. Yet, you could make a case that it should be higher.
10Bianca Belair - 95
These past few years, Bianca Belair has been a star on the rise. She has had a couple of lengthy title reigns and beaten the likes of Becky Lynch, Bayley, and Sasha Banks in the process. Those achievements have been rewarded with improved ratings in 2K games.
She debuted in the series with a 77, and now a few games later, she is a whopping 95. As she’s one of the biggest and most dominant stars in WWE today, regardless of gender, the number is fitting. After all, since WWE 2K22, she has spent most of the time with a title around her waist.
9John Cena ‘09 - 95
One of the many versions of John Cena in the game is from 2009. He spent most of that year in the main event scene, battling the likes of Edge, Randy Orton, and Triple H. The guy had some big losses during those 12 months.
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Yet, several of these defeats included shenanigans, and Cena typically got the last laugh. Plus, he won the World Title multiple times throughout the year. Thus, it was a typically strong year for Mr. Hustle, Royalty, and Respect, meaning the high rating of 95 is justified.
8The Undertaker - 95
Somewrestlers only got to appear in one WWE game, while The Undertaker has been a constant presence in the series for many years. Even now that he’s retired, he still makes it into every instalment. And not only does he appear in every game, he always gets an impressive rating.
However, even by his standard, 95 is really good. In fact, it’s the highest the base version of the Dead Man has had in several years. He earned it by having one of the most legendary careers in WWE history.
7John Cena ‘12 And John Cena ‘14 - 96
The highest-rated normal versions of John Cena in the game are from 2012 and 2014. It’s unsurprising that 2K didn’t separate them in regards to ratings since Cena was pretty much the same in both years.
This was during his “SuperCena” run, where he was constantly on the top of the card and beating pretty much everybody. When he did lose, it was either a big surprise or wasn’t a clean and legitimate victory for his opponent. 96 is a fair grade for the Cena of these years.
6The Rock - 96
Because of his busy movie career, The Rock hasn’t graced WWE screens too often in recent years. Any time he does show up, though, it’s a big deal. And his significance doesn’t solely stem from featuring in Black Adam and the Fast And Furious franchise.
He was also one of the greatest wrestlers and entertainers in wrestling history. Thus, he features in every game as a legend and always has one of the highest ratings. In the case of 2K23, he receives a score of 96, which is three more than his rating in 2K22.
5"Stone Cold" Steve Austin - 96
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin is another legend that appears in every instalment in the series. However, since 2K22, he’s actually had a match, as he headlined the first night of 2022’s WrestleMania.
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He looked good in that contest against Kevin Owens, considering it had been so many years since he previously wrestled. But his rating of 96 likely isn’t based on that one performance. After all, his character model is from when he was the company’s biggest star back in the late 90s. Back then, he beat everybody, so the 96 is justified.
4Becky Lynch - 96
Since she dropped the steampunk gear in 2018, Becky Lynch has become one of the best in the industry. And arguably, she has become the biggest female star WWE has ever produced. This is because she has participated in countless big matches and won several championships.
Since WWE 2K22, she has maintained her popularity, even if she’s taken a bit of a backseat to Bianca Belair. Despite this, 2K have given one ofthe best Irish characters in gamingthe highest rating they have ever bestowed on a female superstar, 96. This is four points higher than her score from 2K22.
3Brock Lesnar - 97
The whole appeal of Brock Lesnar is that he’s a badass who is virtually undefeatable, and people want to see how wrestlers stack up against the beast. So, to be able to re-create that in 2K, he always has to have a high rating. In 2K23, he has the highest score he’s ever received, which is a 97.
This is an interesting number because Brock hasn’t been overly successful since 2K22, as he’s lost to Roman Reigns multiple times. But he’s still a beast and one of the top stars on the roster, so it’s no surprise that he gets a big rating.
2Roman Reigns - 99
Since 2020, Roman Reigns has embarked on one of the most impressive runs in WWE history. From 2K22 to 2K23, that run hit new heights as he unified the two world titles to make himself the only male world champion in the company. Along the way, he beat people like Brock Lesnar, Kevin Owens, and Drew McIntyre.
To help re-create his dominance in a virtual setting, 2K has given him a 99 rating, which is the largest for a standard wrestler in the series’ history. There are only two people above him in history, and neither of them are regular competitors - one is made of gold, and the other is invisible. The 99 score means beating Roman in the game is as hard as it is in actual WWE.
