With WWE 2K24 around the corner, excitement for the new game is at a fever pitch, with top stars like Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins all confirmed.
While these three will have some of the highest ratings in the game, not everyone can have great stats, and there’ll always be somebody with the outright worst ranking in the game. In this feature, we look at some of the worst-ranked playable characters in WWE video games.
Eric Bischoff – 52 – SmackDown: Here Comes The Pain
Perhaps it was a battle for brand supremacy that led to then-Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff having the lowest ranking in SmackDown: Here Comes The Pain. Bischoff’s martial arts prowess and all-black gi helped little whenever you played as him in the game.
Ribbie – 60 – WWE 2K20
WWE 2K20 was a disaster of a game but it did give fans their first-ever playable anthropomorphic rack of ribs. Ribbie is the mascot of the Memphis Sliders, a minor baseball team, according to Byron Saxton, and with his BBQ sauce haircut, we imagine wrestlers weren’t eager to face him.
Curt Hawkins – 64 – WWE 2K19
The master of the losing streak, Curt Hawkins’ unfortunate record was replicated with his woeful score in WWE 2K19. Nowadays, Hawkins is faring much better in TNA Wrestling as Brian Myers.
Jimmy Hart – 67 – SmackDown Vs. Raw 2008
It makes sense that the Mouth of the South’s rating would be so low, given he very rarely wrestled. This ranking shows that in SVR ’08, Jimmy was best being kept at ringside.
Bo Dallas – 67- WWE 2K17
All the Bo-lieving in the world couldn’t save Bo Dallas from this dreadful score in WWE 2K17. Good luck winning any titles as the third-generation wrestler! His brother Bray would be well ahead of Bo in the game with a score of 87.
Sawyer Fulton – 69 – WWE 2K18
The forgotten member of Sanity, Sawyer Fulton’s 69 is the worst in the entire WWE 2K18 game. What makes this worse is that this would mark Fulton’s first and only time in a video game.
Eric Bischoff (again) – 69 – WWE 2K22
Things clearly picked up for Easy-E between Here Comes The Pain and WWE 2K22, but that wasn’t enough to save him from having the worst rating once again. Sorry Eric!
Michael Cole & Jim Ross – 71 – WWE ’12
These WWE commentators shared the same woeful rating in WWE ’12, so it’s only fair we lump them together. Frankly though, why anyone would play as either man, especially Cole, is anyone’s guess.
Former NXT star and Sanity member Sawyer Fulton was recently interviewed by Solo Wrestling to talk about several professional wrestling topics. Fulton discussed Killian Dain replacing him in Sanity, shares a funny story from NXT, offers his thoughts on his WWE release, and much more. You can check out the highlights here:
You signed with WWE in 2012, only 2 years after your debut as pro wrestler. Can you tell us your experience at the Performance Center? Was it tough?
“I’ve been practicing sports all my life. College Wrestling has some very extreme intense workouts, so the workload part of the PC wasn’t that big of a deal for me. The biggest part for me was learning, you spend years and years training your body to defend without thinking and showing no emotion, and all of the sudden it’s the exact opposite, that was the most difficult part of the transition for me.”
During your training, Dusty Rhodes was in charge of the promo class. Sadly, Rhodes passed away in 2015. Did the locker room notice his absence?
“The whole world notices his absence. Working with Dusty was a much more than I realized at the time. Charisma didn’t come naturally to me, but I think he must of seen something because Dusty was always hard on me. I used to get so frustrated because I didn’t understand why he would tell me things, and he told me that I may end up hating him but he will make me better. I started hitting a good stride while tagging with Dawkins, and I remember I had a really good promo, and he just sat back and smiled, told me after it took me long enough, now keep that going, and all of the sudden everything he was saying just seemed to click a bit more.
“Head writer Joe Belcastro runs the classes now. There’s more structure and his classes are great, but no one brings that thing out of you like Dusty did.”
In 2016 you joined Sanity. Your gimmick was described as Mad Max-like. Who had the idea for the character? Was it inspired by the movie?
“We got the idea a lot earlier than 2016. The idea was originally pitched to Solomon Crowe, Marcus Louis, and myself. It was a Triple H idea based around the movie Smokin Aces. We tried a few things, and nothing really clicked, then Sammi left and Marcus was released, and I was on my own again.
“On a live event in Bartow, Wolfe and I were teamed at random to face the hype bros, and that drew a lot of attention back to the idea. I made jokes about how tag teams never really worked out for me but I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. Wolfe is insanely gifted, and smart in the ring, and I know I’m a better wrestler just for working with him.”
One of the first feuds the stable had was against Big Damo/Killian Dain. However, you suffered an injury and Dain became member of Sanity. Would Dain have joined Sanity if you hadn’t been injured? Which was the original plan for the feud?
“That feud started after my injury actually, as a way to fill my spot after I tore my pec. I found out about the plans as they were happening a day after my surgery, Killian actually being the first one to tell me.”
Do you think Dain is a good substitute?
“Great guy, great wrestler. I don’t think anyone else could have filled that spot other than him. ”
After your injury, you had some matches at NXT live event, but you never made your return to TV. Why? Did WWE have plans for you, joining Sanity or against them?
“I’m pretty sure they had zero plans to use me after my injury. They didn’t want Sanity getting to big, and no matter what ideas I pitched I really didn’t get any feedback. Honestly if I wasn’t working as hard as I was I think this would have happened in April. I had already decided if there wasn’t going to be plans for me by WrestleMania I was going to ask for my release, I was just getting frustrated and stressed trying to get back to TV, so the release is mostly ripping off the band-aid.”
Where do you want to work now? Lucha Underground, Impact, ROH, NJPW, NWA? Can you tell us your plans for 2018?
“I’ve always dreamed of working in Japan. I would really love to spend some time training and learning over there. I’ve even been taking Japanese lessons in hopes I can travel sometime soon. Otherwise, I just want to wrestle as much as possible and just see where it takes me.”
On the independent circuit, you have more creative freedom. Are you going to make some changes to your gimmick? Do you have new ideas?
“I think I’m going to start with a similar character to what I was on TV, then adjust where I need to. I’m excited to just work on what I want, and try out new ideas. I’ve always enjoyed the Sanity character, so now it’s figuring out how to make it better.”
Can you tell us a funny story about your time in WWE?
“There was a live event in Venice Fl, and my stomach had not been agreeing with me for most of the day. I even joked with Norman Smiley about not taking any gut shots in the match. I was wrestling Solomon Crowe with Drake as a referee. I dropped an elbow off the second rope, covered, he kicked out and I put him into a side bearhug on the ground. Just then Drake looks at us and says ‘What the hell, someone reeks!” I blamed Crowe and he even apologized for it in the ring. When we were sitting in the locker room I was just in my undershorts, when everyone left I went to take them off and saw it was me… then I saw it was on the chair I was sitting on… I snuck the chair through a side door and threw it and my undershorts in the dumpster behind the building. I think I let Crowe believe it was him for about 6 months before I finally told him!”
You can read Fulton’s full interview with Solo Wrestling by clicking this link here.
– It would appear that The Great Khali’s surprise appearance at WWE Battleground was a one-off.
Following his return, Khali’s profile was listed on WWE’s active roster on WWE.com but has since been removed. His profile is now listed in the Alumni section again.
It was also reported last week that Khali is not advertised for any upcoming live events.
At WWE Battleground, Khali returned as a heel to assist WWE Champion Jinder Mahal in his Punjabi Prison Match against Randy Orton. He prevented Orton from escaping the structure, allowing Mahal to escape and retain the WWE Championship.
– Sawyer Fulton has changed up his look again.
At last Saturday’s WWE NXT live event in Fort Pierce, Florida, the sparingly seen wrestler appeared in new attire in a match against Nick Miller.
At Saturday’s show, Miller pinned Fulton following a crossbody off the top rope.
Fulton was removed from SAnitY and NXT television last November due to injury. He returned to action in late April but has only competed on house shows.
– Former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson is Jim Ross’ guest on this week’s edition of the “Ross Report” podcast, which is available now. You can download the show at PodcastOne.com.
– The following matches are confirmed for tonight’s edition of NXT on the WWE Network:
– Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. Jason Jordan and Sylvester Lefort
– Dana Brooke vs. Cassie
– The Hype Bros (Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley) vs. Sawyer Fulton and Angelo Dawkins
– Finn Balor vs. Rhyno
– Plus, Hideo Itami will address his injury
– WWE posted the following “unseen footage” of Triple H’s special “Terminator: Genisys” ring entrance at WrestleMania 31 earlier this year.
– NXT’s Shoot Nation stable is now simply a tag team with Sawyer Fulton and Angelo Dawkins. They will continue using the Shoot Nation name, while the former leader Chad Gable is going solo.
– Below, in order, are the top five most-watched shows on the WWE Network for the past week:
1. WWE 24: Roman Reigns
2. Chris Jericho interviews Stephanie McMahon
3. WWE NXT, May 6th episode
4. Jerry Springer Too Hot for TV: Love Hurts
5. Extreme Rules
– Other shows that drew well on the WWE Network include the special on Floyd Mayweather vs. Big Show, the previous week’s NXT show, the Culture Shock show with Corey Graves, Unfiltered with Renee Young, Mick Foley’s “Cheap Pops” special, the sneak peek at ECW Uncensored Volume 3 and Jerry Springer’s new show.
– On the other side of the coin, two shows that aren’t getting a lot of views at all are the Cinco de Mayo special with Los Matadores, and pretty much any episode of WWE Superstars.
– Brie Bella has been hinting on social media that she will be winning the Divas Battle Royal on RAW next Monday and will be challenging her sister, Nikki Bella, for the WWE Divas Championship.
– Seth Rollins, who headed out for WWE’s tour of Europe on Tuesday, tweeted the following:
– WWE referee Scott Armstrong celebrates his 56th birthday today. Armstrong was born on March 4, 1959. Also celebrating birthdays today are former WCW star Crowbar (41) and former TNA Knockout Sarah “Sarita” Stock (36).
– WWE taped the following matches for tonight’s edition of NXT on the WWE Network.
Adam Rose comes vs. Tyler Breeze
Blake and Murphy vs. Sawyer Fulton and Angelo Dawkins
Baron Corbin vs. Tony Briggs
Solomon Crowe vs. Bull Dempsey
Charlotte vs. NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks
NXT star and former linebacker at the University of Minnesota, Diggs Rawlis, made his in-ring debut at the NXT live event in Tampa, Florida this past Thursday night. Rawlis and his tag-team partner Cal Bishop lost to Shoot Nation’s Angelo Dawkins and Sawyer Fulton.
As noted in the past, the Shoot Nation stable now has five members — leader Chad Gable, Jason Jordan, Tucker Knight and the aforementioned Dawkins and Fulton. It looks as though the two main teams out of the stable will be Dawkins & Fulton and Gable & Jordan.
– WWE Superstars The Usos teased that they will be featured in a new WWE Network special after this coming Monday’s edition of RAW. The Usos wrote the following: “Check out a lil preview on the app for The Usos special!! Tune in Nov. 24 after Raw!! #USOOO”
– The new “Shoot Nation” heel faction in NXT has a new member, as Tucker Knight is now part of the group. Knight was an amateur wrestler at Arizona State University. With his inclusion, the group now consists of Chad Gable, Angelo Dawkins, Jason Jordan, Sawyer Fulton and Knight.
– Former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson took part in a photo shoot for a new Guess ad in Malibu this past Wednesday.
– The name for the new NXT stable, which consists of Chad Gable, Angelo Dawkins and Sawyer Fulton may be “Shoot Nation.” As noted recently, the group wears U.S.A. amateur wrestling singlets to go with their amateur wrestling backgrounds, kind of like the old “Varsity Club” faction back in the original NWA.
– Speaking of NXT, the official Facebook account for the developmental territory recently reached the milestone number of 2 million fans.
– Below is a video preview of WWE’s new “John Cena – Greatest Rivalries” DVD.
http://youtu.be/1AiebfsGQB0
– NXT star Sawyer Fulton recently debuted a new look, which is one of a few he has underwent in the past year alone. The NXT performer is now sporting a dark mohawk, as you can see in the pictures below.