Every year, 2K makes a big deal about the roster reveal for the upcoming WWE 2K game. And every year, there are a whole host of superstars left off that roster that upset many people. This year with WWE 2K25 is no different.
However, with 2K now announcing in advance that there are going to be 5 DLC character packs scattered throughout the Spring and Summer following release, people tend to get less upset. Though, we have no confirmation on who is going to be in those packs. So this list is going purely by wrestlers not included in the base version of the game.
There are a multitude of reasons most wrestlers on this list didn’t get in. So I don’t blame 2K for most of them being left out. Whether it was down to time constraints or contracts. This list is just purely looking at the most notable exclusions from the WWE 2K25 roster. Hopefully this list becomes extremely outdated and all 10 are added as DLC down the line. But I doubt it.
Giulia
This is my pick for the biggest hole in WWE 2K25‘s roster. Though, she is almost guaranteed to be added as DLC. So I can’t complain too much. Odds are, she debuted in NXT too late. Even though she signed with the company around April, she didn’t make her official debut until September 1st. Likely months after 2K finished compiling renders and models for the base WWE 2K25 game.
Giula and Oba Femi celebrate at the end of New Year’s Evil
Giulia is one of WWE’s biggest signings in the past few years. The Beautiful Madness wasted little time in making her mark in NXT. Becoming only the third Women’s Iron Survivor in December, and parlaying that into championship gold. Snatching away Roxanne Perez’s NXT Women’s Championship. Making The Prodigy say “arrivederci” to her title after 276 days. And making her first foray onto the main roster in the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble.
Giulia has been earmarked to lead NXT’s Women’s Division for the foreseeable future. Sitting atop arguably the greatest women’s roster in wrestling history. So missing a strong division’s crown jewel is nothing less than a massive omission. Though seemingly a temporary one.
Stephanie Vaquer
Basically just re-read what I said about Giulia. But this time with more cowbell. Stephanie Vaquer made headlines in July of 2024 when it was announced she had signed with WWE. Not even two weeks after facing Mercedes Moné (FKA WWE’s Sasha Banks) at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. Following in the footsteps of guys like CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, and Ethan Page.
Stephanie Vaquer holds up her newly won gold
The Dark Angel was basically presented as the Batman to Giulia’s Superman from the jump. With both women being positioned as the top dogs in the NXT Women’s Division. A belief made stronger following Stephanie’s victory over Fallon Henley, crowning her NXT Women’s North American Champion. And any current champion missing from the WWE 2K25 roster is going to be noticed.
Like Giulia, Stephanie is almost guaranteed to be DLC. All we can hope is that they don’t make us wait too long for them. Like they did with Lyra Valkyria in the WWE 2K24 DLC. And we’ll finally be able to have some Stephanie Vaquer matches without Booker T on commentary.
No Quarter Catch Crew
If there’s one thing 2K loves to do every single year, it’s add in one member of a prominent faction and not any of the others. Like having Noam Dar in WWE 2K24 but not adding any of the other members of the Meta-Four faction that he leads. A problem that has been rectified in WWE 2K25. And also repeated in WWE 2K25 with the No Quarter Catch Crew. One of the most consistently present midcard acts in NXT.
Wren blackmailed her way into this group after witnessing them dispose of a body
Originally led by Drew Gulak before his release; the group of Charlie Dempsey, Myles Borne, Tavion Heights, and Wren Sinclair have quickly become a weekly highlight of NXT. Thanks in no small part to Wren Sinclair’s amazing comedic timing, and the way she bounces off the straight man of the group, Charlie Dempsey. Dempsey made the cut for WWE 2K25, probably due to his long reigns as NXT Heritage Cup Champion, and being William Regal’s son. While all the others were left on the cutting room floor.
I understand that the other three haven’t received the same spotlight as Charlie Dempsey. Though I imagine commentary is going to make countless references to him being the leader of a faction that has no presence in the game at all. I’d love it if they were DLC, but I don’t see it happening.
Jordynne Grace
I can’t really put the blame on 2K for this one. Jordynne Grace spent all of 2024 under TNA contract. And didn’t officially sign with WWE until January 2025. Even if the writing was on the wall long before that.
Jordynne Grace’s first NXT appearance under a WWE contract
Jordynne was the first active TNA wrestler to cross the line into WWE as part of their partnership. Entering the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble as TNA Knockouts Champion. She’d make several appearances on NXT throughout the year. Most notably failing to win the NXT Women’s Championship from Roxanne Perez at NXT Battleground. The Juggernaut made her official debut as a WWE Superstar in the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble. Before then making her presence known at the end of NXT Vengeance Day.
Jordynne Grace spent a not-insignificant amount of time in WWE in 2024. And certainly made enough of a splash to warrant entry in WWE 2K25. However, her being a contracted TNA wrestler for all of that year probably prevented anything from happening.
Joe Hendry
Clearly no one at 2K said his name, otherwise he’d be appearing in WWE 2K25. Current TNA World Champion Joe Hendry took the wrestling world by storm in 2024. Mostly thanks to his incredibly catchy theme song. A theme song that got so popular it peaked at #6 on the singles sales chart. And #4 on the singles downloads chart. Placing above songs like Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Do you believe?
Hendry was also one of the first TNA wrestlers to benefit from the promotion’s partnership with NXT. Culminating in a main event match challenging for Ethan Page’s NXT Championship at NXT No Mercy in September of 2024. While unsuccessful, Hendry definitely managed to make his mark with the NXT and WWE Universe. And after being crowned TNA World Champion in January 2025, he made his first appearance on WWE’s main roster in the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble match.
Like Jordynne Grace, the fact that Joe Hendry is not officially signed to WWE is likely the main reason he’s not in the game. However, after the year he had, it’s hard to argue he hasn’t earned a spot. Let’s hope the TNA x WWE partnership includes a TNA DLC for WWE 2K25.
Luca Crusifino & Adriana Rizzo
Why are 2K like this? One of NXT’s most popular and enduring acts since the 2.0 rebrand in 2021 is “The Don of NXT” Tony D’Angelo. A love letter to The Sopranos, and a throwback to when pro wrestling was dominated by larger than life characters. Not just athletes with different personalities.
Tony D standing up for his Family against Oba Femi
Tony D made his 2K debut in WWE 2K23. And notable in their absence were his “D’Angelo Family” underlings: Troy “Two Dimes” Donovan and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo. Two Dimes has since been released (and canonically murdered), while Stacks made his WWE 2K debut in WWE 2K24. However, the past year has seen The D’Angelo Family grow to include Tony’s childhood friend Adriana Rizzo, and his “Consigliere” Luca Crusifino.
I don’t know why 2K wouldn’t see it as a priority to make sure all the factions and tag teams in their game are as up to date as they can be. Especially considering that Adriana and Luca have been way more prominent on NXT TV over the past year than someone like Eddy Thorpe or Je’Von Evans.
OTM
We continue today in our series of incomplete factions. However, of the four featured on this list, this one makes the most sense. Jaida Parker has been presented with way more focus than her partners Bronco Nima and Lucien Price.
OTM is short for “Out Tha Mud”
Bronco and Lucien are a team with a lot of raw potential. Showing solid team chemistry in the ring, as well as an earnest way of talking that really comes across well. Though it’s hard to argue they deserve a spot in WWE 2K25 as much as Jaida does, they should still be included with her. WWE is hurting for legitimate tag teams, which means WWE 2K25 will be hurting for them as well.
2K should have gone all or nothing with OTM. Either include all three members, or don’t include any of them at all. It’s unfortunate that the group will be incomplete. Especially since I don’t see the rest being added as DLC over most anyone else on this list.
Karmen Petrovic
Sure, she might have been a crucial part in one of the worst NXT storylines of all time. A storyline that is still ongoing at the time of me writing this. However, that doesn’t mean Karmen isn’t still one of the most promising new stars to step into NXT recently.
One day she’ll have to hit someone with that sword
Karmen’s love/hate “will they won’t they” drama with Ashante Thee Adonis was change the channel level bad. Though, when you look past all that, you have an incredibly talented woman with a very fun entrance that I would have loved to see in WWE 2K25. Especially since 2K usually skimps out on the NXT roster.
You’re telling me we’re finally getting the return of intergender matches, and I can’t do Drew McIntyre vs. Karmen Petrovic? I want the two sword wielders to fight! Bonus points if their swords were added as weapons, too. While I don’t see Karmen making the cut as DLC, I would say she’s a lock for WWE 2K26. As long as her current storyline doesn’t drag her to a depth she can’t escape from.
Jazmyn Nyx
We finish off our four-part series of incomplete factions with probably the most glaring exclusion. One of the most consistent antagonistic forces in the NXT Women’s Division over the past year has been the trio of Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne, and Jazmyn Nyx. Also known as Fatal Influence. Which sounds like someone just put “Toxic Attraction” through Thesaurus.com.
The one rookie Jacy & Fallon don’t hate
Jacy Jayne made her 2K debut in WWE 2K23, while Fallon joined the game a year later in WWE 2K24. One would imagine that Jacy and Fallon are going to be assigned as a tag team by default under the Fatal Influence name. So why not round out the trio and add Jazmyn Nyx to the game? She’s relatively new and hasn’t been given much of a chance to shine on her own yet, Fatal Influence lose 90% of their matches, but it’s such a big omission.
Surely at least one of these factions will complete their team with the upcoming DLC packs. Though it’s annoying we have to even take that into consideration for a game that hasn’t even come out yet.
Motor City Machine Guns
It’s your favorite tag team’s favorite tag team! Unless your favorite tag team is, like, the Hart Foundation. Bret Hart doesn’t like anything. Anyway, despite what their crowd reaction would tell you, the Motor City Machine Guns are one of WWE’s highest profile signings in years.
Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin
MCMG are one of the most experienced and longest-lasting tag teams out there. Innovating the style of tag team wrestling that you now see anywhere you look. And their tenure was rewarded with a free pass right to the main roster. Putting them in the same rarified air as the Phenomenal AJ Styles. Plus, they won the WWE Tag Team Championships in their third televised match.
The Machine Guns have to be planned DLC for WWE 2K25. They are without a doubt the biggest main roster omission from the base game. And 2K should be looking to rectify that problem sooner rather than later.
