WWE 2K22 features a stacked roster of current and classic WWE wrestlers. The game also features a lot of wrestlers who are no longer part of the WWE, as they either left the company or were let go at some point during the development of the game, yet they are still part of the roster. This is due to an unusually large number of wrestlers leaving the company, with a few big names being cut as recently as the past few weeks.

The initial Hulkamania boom happened at the same time when video games were growing as an industry. As such, there have been many professional wrestling games released across the years. There have been annual WWE video games since the '00s, with the WWE 2K series receiving a new entry each year. The exception to this was 2021, as WWE 2K20 had such a negative reception that it stalled the development of another entry in the series, with WWE Battlegrounds taking the spot in 2020. The series is returning in 2022 and the previews of WWE 2K22 have been positive, with some already calling it a return to form for the series. The MyGM mode has received a lot of praise, as it allows the player to create a custom GM or use an existing character and run one of the WWE brands in a management mode.

Related: WWE 2K22 MyFaction Details Revealed, Will Be Single-Player Only

WWE 2K22 features a number of wrestlers who are no longer actively wrestling, either because they have retired from the business, or have passed away. These include Andre the Giant, Batista, Big Boss Man, Booker T, Bret 'The Hitman' Hart, Chyna, Diesel/Kevin Nash, Eddie Guerrero, Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan, Jim Neidhart, Macho Man Randy Savage, Papa Shango, Razor Ramon, Ted Dibiase (without Virgil), and the Ultimate Warrior. There are also wrestlers in WWE 2K22 who are not in the WWE, as they left the company in 2021 or 2022.

The Reason Why Wrestlers Are Cut From WWE Games

Jeff Hardy WWE

It's a common occurrence for wrestlers to be cut from WWE games. There have been many instances over the years where wrestlers have been fired from the WWE, while some wrestlers have walked out of the company and joined a competing brand. Unlike most professional sports, professional wrestlers are independent contractors and the rules binding them to the WWE aren't as strict.

There are also different companies that they can join once their non-compete clause comes to an end, with some wrestlers working the independent circuit. This causes an issue with the development of the WWE video games, as a wrestler may have been programmed into the game, only for them to no longer be part of the company. The solution to this problem usually involved cutting the character from the game, so that they cannot be accessed by the player. Websites like The Cutting Room Floor have discovered numerous wrestlers who were buried in the files of old WWE games, either in an incomplete state or cut off from access.

Related: WWE 2K22 Lets You Chokeslam Machine Gun Kelly: Why He's A DLC Wrestler

WWE 2K22 is in a unique position. In the past, it was usually a case of a handful of wrestlers leaving the company during the development of a game. Since the pandemic began, WWE has gone through several rounds of firings, leading to a number of wrestlers being cut from the company. There is also the rise of AEW, the WWE's biggest competitor since the late '90s, which means that there is a place for former WWE wrestlers to work. It has reached the point where thirty-five wrestlers in WWE 2K22 are no longer with the company, as cutting them all would take a huge bite out of the roster. As such, the game features wrestlers who are no longer with the WWE and may even be stars in AEW.

The Wrestlers In WWE 2K22 Who Are No Longer In WWE

Cesaro WWE 2K22 Cover

The wrestlers in WWE 2K22 who are not longer a part of the organization are:

  • Alexander Wolfe - Wolfe left the WWE in May 2021.
  • Ariya Daivari - Daivari left the WWE in June 2021. He currently works for AEW.
  • Billie Kay - Kay left the WWE in April 2021. She currently works for Impact Wrestling.
  • Braun Strowman - Strowman left the WWE in June 2021. He is currently working on a new promotion called Control Your Narrative.
  • Cesaro - Cesaro recently departed the WWE in February 2022.
  • Danny Burch - Burch left the WWE in January 2022.
  • Ember Moon - Moon left the WWE in November 2021.
  • Fandango - Fandango left the WWE in June 2021. He currently works for the NWA.
  • Gran Metalik - Metalik left the WWE in November 2021.
  • Isaiah "Swerve" Scott - Scott left the WWE in November 2021. He currently works for AEW.
  • Jeff Hardy - Hardy left the WWE in December 2021.
  • John Morrison - Morrison left the WWE in November 2021.
  • Johnny Gargano - Gargano left the WWE in December 2021.
  • Kalisto - Kalisto left the WWE in April 2021.
  • Karrion Kross - Kross left the WWE in November 2021 alongside his wife, Scarlet Bordeaux. He currently works for MLW.
  • Keith Lee - Lee left the WWE in November 2021. He currently works for AEW.
  • Kyle O'Reilly - O'Reilly left the WWE in December 2021. He currently works for AEW.
  • Lana - Lana left the WWE in June 2021.
  • Lince Dorado - Dorado was released from the WWE in November 2021.
  • Mia Yim - Yim left the WWE in November 2021.
  • Mickie James - James left the WWE in April 2021. She currently works for Impact Wrestling, but she did return for a single WWE appearance at the 2022 women's Royal Rumble.
  • Murphy - Murphy left the WWE in June 2021. He currently works for AEW.
  • Nia Jax - Jax left the WWE in November 2021.
  • Oney Lorcan - Lorcan left the WWE in November 2021.
  • Peyton Royce - Royce left the WWE in April 2021. She currently works for Impact Wrestling.
  • Samoa Joe - Joe left the WWE in January 2022.
  • Shane McMahon - Mcmahon left the WWE in February 2022, following the Royal Rumble. He is still in the game as part of WWE 2K22's MyGM Mode.
  • Slapjack- Slapjack left the WWE in November 2021.
  • Tegan Nox - Nox left the WWE in November 2021.
  • Brian Kendrick - Kendrick left the WWE in February 2022.
  • Timothy Thatcher - Thatcher left the WWE in January 2022.
  • Toni Storm - Storm left the WWE in December 2021.
  • Tucker - Tucker left the WWE in April 2021. 
  • Tyler Breeze - Breeze left the WWE in June 2021.
  • William Regal - Regal left the WWE in January 2022. He currently works for AEW.

Next: WWE 2K22 Video Reveals First Look At MyRISE & 2K Showcase Modes

WWE 2K22 will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on March 8, 2022.