10 Legends who Should Appear in WWE 2K22

WWE games give fans the opportunity to play dream matches between current and past wrestlers. With WWE 2K22's roster reveal imminent, there are many legends who could join the fray this year. A new trailer has confirmed an official March 11th release date for the franchise's return, which will feature enhanced graphics and fresh gameplay mechanics.

10 Legends who Should Appear in WWE 2K22

It’s very nearly time to step back into the squared circle. The WWE 2K franchise is returning on March 11th, with a new trailer revealing some exciting gameplay footage and information. Fans are now eagerly anticipating the all-important roster reveal, especially to see which legends will be appearing in WWE 2K22. Bringing dream matches to life has long been an appealing part of wrestling games. Randy Orton vs Randy Savage, for example, will never happen in real life. However, it can happen in the virtual world.

Speculating about what classic superstars will make the cut is fun. There are some who have never appeared in a WWE game under the legend title, and others who have had a long absence. Will some of them be given their chance in the spotlight? The biggest names like The Rock and Andre the Giant are mainstays or have had multiple recent appearances, so let’s focus on lesser known figures from the past. Here are 10 legends who should appear in WWE 2K22.

1. Umaga

The Samoan Bulldozer was a force to be reckoned with in the late 2000s. He defeated a handful of main eventers such as John Cena, Shawn Michaels and Triple H, although never won a World Championship. Umaga was still one of the most feared heels of his time, though, possessing freakish agility and devastating power moves. He even managed to make the Samoan Spike, a thumb to the throat, look like a debilitating finisher. Unfortunately, the former Intercontinental Champion passed away far too soon in 2009.

Umaga has not been included in a WWE game since SmackDown vs Raw 2010, which is strange considering how unique he was for a wrestler of his size. He’s had a few appearances in the mobile card game WWE Supercard, This means his likeness is available for Visual Concepts to use. His return this year would get fans’ imaginations flowing. Umaga vs his relative Roman Reigns is a mouth-watering match-up, as well as Umaga vs Brock Lesnar. On WWE 2K22, he’d cause chaos as part of the legends roster.

2. Chyna

Yes, the ‘Ninth Wonder of the World’ was present in the last series entry, WWE 2K20, which was her first appearance since 2000. However, she was DLC content meaning that some players did not have access to her character. Chyna will surely be a part of the on-disc roster this time around. One of the biggest stars of the Attitude Era, the Hall of Famer challenged gender norms with her bodybuilder look and aggressiveness in the ring. Throughout her career she dominated both women and men. She’s rightly remembered as being an influential figure in women’s wrestling.

In WWE 2K22, there will be many superstars and legends that Chyna would be able to step into the ring with. Chyna vs Lita would be an epic battle of powerhouse vs highflyer. Modern-day powerful women like Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair are other options that would produce exciting dream matches in the game. It’s unlikely that intergender wrestling will be a feature, so unfortunately that takes out a big part of what made Chyna so entertaining. Nevertheless, it would still be a lot of fun to have her run through the women’s division. 

3. Haku

Wrestling’s Tongan legend may not have had a WWE career littered with championships, but he is famous for being one of the toughest men in the industry’s history. Just ask some of Haku’s peers like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Goldberg. All over the world, he fought many icons and was even crowned King Haku at one point. His trademark Savate Kick and dangerous headbutt were just two of various ways that he would hurt his opponents. When necessary, he had no problems becoming his in-ring character in public places.

It’s been a long time since Haku was let loose in the virtual squared circle. WWE 2K16 has been his only appearance as a legend, meaning that a return is overdue. Pitting him up against strong wrestlers such as Bobby Lashley would make for some interesting matches. Perhaps he could teach some of the NXT talent a lesson. If WWE 2K22 truly wants to ‘Hit Different’, then including Haku on the legends roster would certainly help achieve that.

4. Jazz

Last year, the two-time WWE Women’s Champion retired after a storied career. Jazz was a regular in the championship picture in WWE, competing in exciting matches with Trish Stratus, Victoria etc. She amazed fans with her Chyna-like powerhouse style, going on to improve in other areas after leaving the company. In late 2010s NWA, she reigned supreme over a young women’s division as their Women’s Champion for 948 days. Only Debbie Combs and Fabulous Moolah held the belt for longer. This cemented her status as a wrestling legend.

In celebration of Jazz’s career, a return to WWE games would be great to see. She is currently signed to Impact Wrestling but this hasn’t been an issue before. Rob Van Dam was in SmackDown vs Raw 2011 while under contract there, for example. Bringing a legend like Jazz into WWE 2K22 is worth kicking open the ‘Forbidden Door’ for. She’s said herself that she likes Bianca Belair and Naomi. Those are two fun potential matches that could happen.

5. The Boogeyman

WWE has a history of being a weird product at times. This was especially prominent during the 2000s. One example is The Boogeyman, who terrorised locker rooms for years and still pops up occasionally today. He was a mythic creature brought to life. Boogeyman smashed alarm clocks over his head, fed his opponents worms and defeated top stars like Booker T and JBL with ease. His segments are usually memorable and entertaining, presenting just how crazy wrestling can be.

Boogeyman was absent from the gaming world for over a decade before returning in 2020’s WWE 2K Battlegrounds. Therefore, a return to the main franchise is a very real possibility. He would definitely be an intriguing addition to WWE 2K22‘s legends roster. It would be up to players as to whether he’s presented as a serious threat or a comedy character in their Universe modes. A Big E vs The Boogeyman rivalry is one of many wild possibilities.

6. Victoria

One of the top women of the 2000s, Victoria achieved a lot throughout the decade. This included being a multi-time WWE Women’s Champion and TNA Knockouts Champion. Her vicious in-ring style and incredible character dedication made her an entertaining figure in women’s wrestling. The Widows Peak, her finisher, is a move that current wrestlers use now and again, reflecting her influence. Victoria constantly helped to elevate WWE’s women’s division by participating in historic steel cage and hardcore matches.

The former bodybuilder’s last videogame appearance was in SmackDown vs Raw 2009. She was absent from WWE altogether for over a decade until a one-off return in the 2021 women’s Royal Rumble match. Could Victoria have got a quick body scan by 2K on the same night? Hopefully, this was the case. She would bring brutality to WWE 2K22 as a legend, a title well-earned. She was eliminated from the Rumble by Shayna Baszler, so that’s a match that could very well take place on March 11th.

7. Yokozuna

A member of the legendary Anoa’i family, Yokozuna enjoyed a Hall of Fame worthy career where he won championships and terrified crowds with his 550lb+ frame. Throughout the 90s, he tore through the locker room. Top names like Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart and The Undertaker all fell victim to the former WWE Champion’s reign of terror. For a big man, Yokozuna was very good in the ring. He displayed unexplainable agility and possessed a move set that suited him well. His Banzai Drop finisher is still tough to watch today.

The 1993 Royal Rumble winner was last crushing wrestlers’ chests in WWE 2K14, playing a part in the 30 Years of WrestleMania mode. After a lengthy absence, it’s time for Yokozuna to be brought back as a legend in WWE 2K22. The modern-day crop of wrestlers has changed greatly since 2013. There are new dream matches for the Samoan to have. A match-up against Omos would be a clash of titans, for example. Thinking about a battle with his younger cousin Roman Reigns creates excitement too.

8. Bam Bam Bigelow

Described by Bret Hart in his autobiography as “possibly the best working big man in the business”, Bam Bam Bigelow was deceptively agile for his size. At 6’4″ and 390lbs, he regularly performed top rope moonsaults, cartwheels and dropkicks. Whether he was in WWE, ECW or WCW, Bam Bam entertained fans with his unique in-ring style. He even once managed to have a great WrestleMania main event with NFL star Lawrence Taylor. Promotors trusted him for good reason. His absence from the WWE Hall of Fame, as of writing, is baffling to say the least.

Bam Bam had a good, long streak of appearing in the WWE 2K franchise from 2K15 to 2K19. Some may say that he’s already had his time in the spotlight, but his exciting in-ring style made him a fun character to play as. He’s a legend who should be a series mainstay because of this, therefore a 2K22 return would be nice. He and Ivar of the Viking Raiders is a match that interests me with the latter wrestling a slightly similar style to the 1990s star.

9. Michelle McCool

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, WWE’s women’s wrestlers struggled for TV time in a male-dominated company. They were forced to give 110% effort to get themselves noticed. One woman who did that was multi-time champion Michelle McCool. She dared to wrestle similar to the men and often displayed outstanding charisma. Her LayCool tag team with Layla often produced one of the most entertaining segments of the week. McCool seemed to have great chemistry with every woman in the division.

WWE 12 was the last sighting of McCool in a videogame. She has since wrestled for WWE in a Royal Rumble match and at the all-women’s Evolution Premium Live Event. It’s strange that she hasn’t yet debuted in the WWE 2K series as a legend, but WWE 2K22 would be better late than never. She’s spoken about wanting to wrestle Charlotte Flair. This would be a fun match to see come to life in the virtual world. The battle of the big boots.

10. Scott Steiner

The master of mathematics rounds off this list. Scott Steiner is still going strong in wrestling with his career now spanning 30+ years. His incomparable charisma and ever-evolving in-ring style has remained popular with fans. Very few in the world can match his quality of devastating suplexes and throws. Big Poppa Pump has performed all over the world working with multiple generations of talent. He’s a controversial figure, but has provided many memorable moments.

Steiner’s most recent inclusion in a wrestling game was WWE 2K14 as a downloadable character. With WWE 2K22 focusing on his old faction the nWo, featuring a nWo-themed special edition, it seems only right for Steiner to make his long-awaited return. His variety of power moves would make him a fun legend to play as, with plenty of dream matches available. Steiner vs Bobby Lashley, for example, would be an enjoyable clash to bring to life.

What legends do you want to see appear in WWE 2K22? Let me know in the comments below!

(Video Source: WWE)

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