[Top 10] WWE 2K23 Best Wrestlers That Are Awesome

Everyone knows most of the wrestlers that are in 2K. Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, and Ricochet-these are the biggest stars in WWE, so of course they are in the game. In addition to the obvious, there are always a few added stars that make a pleasant appearance. 

I love when I see a superstar on the roster that surprises me. A superstar that will help me relive my childhood, dominate WWE online mode, or tweak my universe just right.

These are the top 10 WWE 2K23 wrestlers that are awesome.

1. 2002 Hulk Hogan

Hogan has a larger than life personality. Fans love him. No matter what company he worked for, or what music he had, he is the best to ever lace up the boots. 

Hogan is the reason WWE is so successful today. He turned himself into a star and helped others become great. His energy embodies wrestling, and nothing compares to Hogan hulking up. 

Hogan had his time as the face of the company and his time as the heel of the company. When he joined the NWO, it shook the world and put WCW on the top of the food chain. It was like nothing we had ever seen. Everyone loved Hogan so much that it felt like they were betrayed.

There are three versions of Hogan in this game, but the most unique is the 2002 version. Hogan came back in 2002 to reclaim his good guy status. He was immensely over and gave new wrestling fans their first experience with Hulkamania. 

Hogan came back at No Way Out as part of the NWO. He feuded with Rock and lost a match to him at WrestleMania 18. Their feud rekindled the Hogan fire of old and gave him an epic run. 

Hogan defeated HHH for the undisputed title (although he lost it to Taker the next month). He won the tag titles with Edge. He tapped out to Kurt Angle (the only time in his career). It was a great, fun run that filled in for the absence of Rock and Austin. 2002 Hulk deserves his own version. 

Why 2002 Hulk Hogan is awesome:

• Have him face off against the ’03 Taker like he did at Judgement Day or Kurt Angle at King of the Ring. He also never got the chance to compete against Stone Cold, RVD, or Shawn Michaels.
• He has his classic moves: the straight punch, the big boot, the elbow drop, and the leg drop.
• He comes with all his classic taunts, and Hogan is the king of taunts. Play up to the crowd by flexing for them.
• I was too young for the original Hogan, and did not watch WCW, so 2002 Hogan will forever be my Hogan.
• Hogan came back later the next year as Mr. America (WWE, please add this character to your game).

2. The Hurricane 

The Hurricane was way more over than he should have been. His amazing in-ring ability had something to do with it. 

Stand back, there is a hurricane coming through. When you heard those words blasting, you knew fans were about to pop. Hurricane started his career in WCW as Gregory Helms where he won the hardcore and ccruiserweight championships. 

After the WCW/ECW Invasion, Helms came to WWE as the Hurricane. He recruited many accomplices along the way. Molly Holly, Stacy Kiebler (Hurricane was a ladies’ man), and Rosey all joined Hurricane and became his sidekicks. He would deliver promos as Gregory Helms daily reporter. He would be over with fans ten-fold today.

Hurricane had a great persona and awesome in-ring talent. He was the first cruiserweight (maybe the only) to use the chokeslam as a finishing move. A move he unsuccessfully performed on Kane and Big Show. He was a classic high-flier. Always leaping off the top turnbuckle or over the top rope.

Why Hurricane is awesome:

• One of his finishing moves is the vertebreaker. It is brutal and is currently banned in the WWE. The move is a reverse sit-down neckbreaker. 
• He teamed with Kane and won the tag tteam championship. They defended the titles in the only ever Smackdown Four-Way Tag Team Title TLC match. I suggest you go to Peacock and check it out. 
• He is still the longest-reigning Smackdown brand champion ever. I am not talking about pre-draft or titles represented on both brands, but he is the longest reigning Smackdown-specific champion ever. 
• He feuded with the entire cruiserweight division twice. Teddy Long did everything he could to get the belt from him. 
• You could also create Gregory Helms, or Reporter Helms CAW, for his alter ego. You could also create a Super Rosey CAW or turn Steve Austin into Super Steve to team with Hurricane.

3. JBL

Bradshaw was always a hard worker and showed up every night for the fans. I am happy he got his long title run. 

JBL is the only version of Bradshaw in this game. That is crazy! Most people know him as Bradshaw! Part of the Acolytes Protection Agency (APA) with Farooq.

The APA was drinking beer, taking money, and kicking a** together for 5 years. They had a solid reign as tag champs. Their friendship turned into hatred after Farooq was fired and Bradshaw failed to stand up for him.

He returned as the JBL character and became a main event star. I loved his reign in the main event. He defeated Guerrero in a Texas bull rope match (something they should add to 2K) for his only title, but had a very successful title run. He defeated Undertaker, Booker T, Guerrero, and Angle. 

He always found an odd way to win. JBL had a cage match with Big Show. In the match, Big Show chokeslammed JBL off of the top rope and through the ring. JBL then crawled under the ring and to the mat for the win.

Although you need to create a Bradshaw CAW, JBL is still a great addition.

Why JBL is awesome:

• He has his classic move set and his patented Clothesline from Hell (JBL renamed his clothesline the Clothesline from Wall Street, but quickly changed it back).
• He created the Cabinet faction during his title run, and it was fairly successful. You could recreate his stable for MyFaction mode; although, you may need to upgrade the roster. It was originally Orlando Jordan and the Bashams-not a great group. 
• JBL also had a solid run as the US champ and fits the standard for the American gold.
• He also had a short reign where he wore a bull rope and cowboy hat. This happened right after he separated from Farooq. You can create this CAW and have him chase the hardcore gold. 
• He carried his own version of the Hardcore title with the state of Texas outlined on it. You can recreate his title and give him an epic run. 

4. Logan Paul

It was said in a recent interview that Paul trains hard and wants to be good at wrestling. Everyone can see it is paying off. 

I have not listened to Logan Paul’s podcast. I heard some of it, but it is not something I am going to listen to daily. I feel like Paul should stick to wrestling.

He is an athlete. He is a risk taker and a high-flier. He held his own against Roman Reigns in a title match. It was something no one ever thought possible. A celebrity holding the world title was just offensive until Paul (no offense to David Arquette).

He is a real heel. He loves the hate people give him. If I asked Logan Paul if he would rather be booed or cheered, he would pick booed. People love to boo him because he is a d***. He has real heat. Something that is hard for a WWE star to build.

Why Logan Paul is awesome:

• He is the first celebrity that fans feel is worthy of a title. Logan holding the US Title or Intercontinental Title is something worth watching.
• His first ever match was with The Miz at WrestleMania against Dominick and Rey. The Miz taught Paul the skull-crushing finale. It is one of Paul’s finishers in the game. 
• Paul’s hatred for Rey led Logan to incorporate some of Eddie’s moves. Paul performs the Three Amigos as well as the Frog Splash.
• One of his signatures is jumping off the top turnbuckle through the announce table (one of my favorite things to do). 

5. Andre the Giant

I never knew Andre was from France, but I guess that explains the accent. 

There is something in giants’ DNA that makes people love them. Giants know they can crush us whenever they want, so they live life without fear. We are all little children to Big Show and Andre. They probably think we are cute.

Andre always lived life to the fullest. There are legendary stories of Andre drinking 100 beers in one sitting. For exercise, he would move his friends’ cars into annoying positions (as opposed to lifting weights).

He farted all over opponents in the ring and let out a 30 second fart in the middle of taping The Princess Bride. The director stopped filming and asked, “Are you okay, Andre?” To which Andre responded, “I am now, boss.”

Andre’s personality was so big that it bled into the ring. No one is going to compare Andre to RVD anytime soon, but he knew how to tell a story and put on a good show for the fans. ‘

Why Andre the Giant is awesome:

• Andre is the only giant in this game. Big Show turned to the dark side and joined AEW. This marks the first time Big Show has been left out of a WWE game since he entered the company. 
• Andre and Hogan, in the Pontiac SilverDome (my hometown), turned the wrestling world upside down. It is still looked at as the most pivotal moment in WWE history. 
• The game equips him with his classic arsenal. He has the elbow drop, the butt drop, and the big splash. Dropping his big body on his opponent was all he ever needed to do. 
• He also has the tombstone as one of his finishers, which I never knew he was famous for. I did find one video of Andre performing the move. 
• Create the Big Show CAW and battle Andre for the Super Heavyweight Title. 
• Andre’s tombstone video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-JLEItISc8

6. Shane McMahon 

I wonder how much they pay Shane to wrestle? Maybe, Vince just gives him an 'at a boy.' 

There was a time when Shane did not deserve to be on this list. He is the owner’s son. He was given a silver WWE-shaped spoon. However, Shane has proven himself to be a legit talent.

I have seen this man jump off the top of HIAC, fall off the top of the Titantron, and destroy more announce tables than I can count. The downfall of Shane in 2K23 is that there is no younger version of the character. 2K should have a preloaded 90s version.

Shane was always Mr. McMahon’s lackey, but he was never afraid to take a sick bump. He deserves a shot at HHH to take back the company as true heir.

Why Shane is awesome:

• Shane has the best move set in the entire game! He is currently rated a 79, but a younger version is, easily, an 84. 
• His move set includes: the Shooting Star Press, the Coast to Coast, the Elbow through the announce table, and the Rope a Dope Shuffle. The Shooting Star Press is currently banned from WWE (after the Brock debacle).
• Shane had a few pointless title runs. Once with the Tag, Hardcore, and European titles, but he deserves a real run. Shane against Logan Paul seems like a great IC title feud.
• You can recreate the Corporation and take the WWE back from HHH. Use the Corporation to dominate online MyFaction mode.

7. Super Cena

How can you catch what you cannot see? 

John Cena’s Superstar mode is a game changer. If 2K continues this trend with Undertaker or Steve Austin, we are in for some awesome sequels. I imagine a Superstar mode with Good Ole’ J.R. where he talks about his favorite feuds or matches, giving us fans the greatest rivalries from across history.

There is a built-in superhero mode for John Cena in 2K. Super Cena is too cool and too fun not to make this list. John Cena is a superhero in his show Peacemaker (which I suggest you watch on HBO), but I feel Super Cena would kick his a**.

Super Cena is an invisible character, so you literally cannot see him. It is impossible to know what he is about to do next because all you see is his floating shirt.

Why Super Cena is awesome:

• He is the only playable character rated 100.
• To unlock Super Cena, you must go through all 19 matches of the John Cena Showcase mode.
• It is a bit difficult to face him because you cannot see what he is doing. It could be a punch. It could be a grapple. This makes it difficult to reverse and you may get caught in a flurry. 
• He is invisible for his entire entrance, and it is hilarious.
• He still has all of Cena’s classic moves. He has a few different AAs, including a top rope AA, and the Five Knuckle Shuffle 1 and 2.

8. NWO

You can make NWO as deep as you want in 2K. You can stick with the originals or add part timers like Booker T. 

There are multiple versions of different superstars in this game. Randy Orton, the Rock, HHH, Rey Mysterio, and John Cena, all have more than one version of themselves. Each represents different periods in their careers. Three men that have multiple versions are Hogan, Hall, and Nash: the NWO.

Fans are excited to have the entire NWO. There is no need to download janky CAWs. They also have their entire original team’s entrance.

These men created the attitude era, even if it was for another company. They dominated every night on WCW. No one knew what they would do next, and everyone hated them. Everyone remembers fans throwing trash into the ring because they were legitimately pissed.

Why the NWO is awesome:

• Syxx also has an NWO version. You can have X-Pac join the NWO from DX, or vice versa.
• Including these NWO versions, there are 3 versions of Hogan, 2 of X-Pac, 3 of Scott Hall, and 3 of Kevin Nash
• You can use the NWO to dominate MyFaction mode online. You can, also, have them go toe-to-toe with the Bloodline and DX.
• NWO Hulk Hogan would be a contender to Roman Reigns’ title.

9. Chyna

Chyna was a warrior for the women's division and is looking down with a smile knowing what she did mattered. 

There is a storyline currently going on in the WWE’s women’s division surrounding Lita and Trish returning to the ring. Trish is claiming she legitimized the women’s division. Lita and others are fighting back, saying it was her. Let's face facts, Chyna started the women’s revolution.

From the very start, everyone could see Chyna could hold her own. Her first day on Raw, she bearhugged Marlena. and it looked like an angry lady shaking a rag doll. Marlena said she woke up the next day and could barely move because of the bruises.

HHH recruited her to be the enforcer for DX, and she quickly became a star. Her feud with Jericho for the IC title is legendary. She sadly passed away on April 17, 2016. Adding her to this game is a great homage.  

Why Chyna is awesome:

• She is the only woman to hold the IC title.
• She is the only female to ever truly hold a major men’s title. All the others (Trish, Molly, and Carmella) were hardcore gimmicks. The only one that comes close to Chyna’s run is when Jackie held the cruiserweight title. 
• Chyna brought that perfect serious tone to level out DX’s silliness. 
• Chyna has an awesome entrance where she shoots pyro into the sky. 
• She has a great arsenal, including the powerbomb, the flipping elbow into the corner, the pedigree, and the pedigree from the top rope. 
• She would make great matches in today’s women’s division against Charlotte and Becky.

10. Bruno Samartino

I have not watched any of Bruno's matches, but after researching him, I think I will head to Peacock and check a few out. 

Everyone calls Hulk Hogan WWE’s first superstar, and it is hard to argue otherwise. He was such a showman. Hogan was such a larger-than-life character. People like Shawn Michaels, The Rock, John Cena, and HHHall kept the flame lit, but they didn’t ignite the torch. Those with a few more gray hairs may call Bruno Sammartino WWE’s first wrestling superstar.

He won the title from Nature Boy Buddy Rogers after Rogers had heart trouble. Bruno has been in multiple matches of the year and match of the year candidates. He even returned to WWE after a 3-year hiatus (1981-84) and was a color commentator.

He feuded with the greats like Macho Man and Rowdy Piper, meshing two different decades together. Much like the 2002 Hulk Hogan. 

I have not seen many of his matches, but I still thank him for all he did. Sadly, he passed away on April 18, 2018.

Why Bruno Sammartino is awesome:

• Bruno is unlocked after you defeat Bruno, Hogan, and Austin in a fatal four. It is difficult when you add challenges within the match. For instance, you must personally eliminate everyone from the match.
• He has a longer title reign than Reigns current run. It is a length Roman is trying to surpass. Bruno held it for 1,237 days.
• His moves include: the double fisted punch, the bearhug, and the back bender submission. In this submission, he puts the man on his shoulder and bends his back while jumping and squeezing.

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