WWE 2K25 Roster Prediction, New Superstars & Everyone Not Returning

With more news expected in the coming weeks, many fans are already looking at the potential WWE 2K25 roster. The total number of characters and variants seen last year reached astronomical levels, but not everyone is guaranteed to return.

Taking WWE releases and hirings since the last installment into account, we're breaking down exactly which WWE 2K24 roster members are and aren't expected to return. Of course, the WWE 2K25 roster is also going to have a few new faces.

WWE 2K25 Roster Prediction & Reveal Date

While the game has been confirmed as on track thanks to the Take-Two financial report in late 2024, little else is known about WWE 2K25. The Royal Rumble is closing in, and it's become tradition for the WWE 2K franchise to kick things off with announcements just before the Road to WrestleMania starts gaining steam.

Fans will likely learn about the WWE 2K25 release date as well as details like cover star and editions by the end of January, but the full roster reveal should trickle out in late February and early March. 2K seems content to tease a few superstars at a time, but they also tend to confirm the entire roster within the last week or two before launch.

New Superstars Expected in WWE 2K25

There will definitely be some new names in WWE 2K25, and that could include both debuts and returns. After previously leaving the company for AEW, Andrade is now back with WWE and likely to be part of the WWE 2K25 roster. Similarly, Akam and Rezar (and their manager Paul Ellering) were released for a period but have since re-signed.

Naomi left WWE and had a run in TNA, but she'll likely make her return in this year's installment. Erick Rowan is another name previously featured in the WWE 2K franchise that has since returned, but most other additions will likely be entirely new. Shawn Spears was previously in the series as Tye Dillinger, and he may return in WWE 2K25.

Whether they're NXT stars that didn't make the cut last time or superstars that only recently arrived in WWE, here are the new characters expected in WWE 2K25:

• Alex Shelley
• Charlie Dempsey
• Chris Sabin
• Eddy Thorpe
• Elektra Lopez
• Ethan Page
• Giulia
• Jakara Jackson
• Jazmyn Nyx
• Kelani Jordan
• Kiana James
• Izzi Dame
• Jacob Fatu
• Lash Legend
• Lexis King
• Lola Vice
• Oba Femi
• Oro Mensah
• Tama Tonga
• Tatum Paxley
• Tonga Loa
• Sol Ruca
• Stephanie Vaquer
• Wren Sinclair
• Zaria

The biggest potential new arrivals here would be Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, as they've been mainstays of the industry for years but only just recently signed with WWE. However, some of these stars may not make the cutoff to be put in WWE 2K25 by launch.

Sabin and Shelley as well as recent NXT Women's Division signings Stephanie Vaquer and Guiulia could be added in a post-launch DLC pack if they aren't ready to be part of the initial WWE 2K25 roster. The rest likely have been with the company long enough to make it a possibility, but there's still a chance a few of these younger stars just won't make the final cut. 

Every WWE 2K24 Roster Member Expected to Return

For the most part, the WWE 2K25 roster probably won't be much different than the WWE 2K24 roster. Some superstars won't return and some new faces will arrive, but anyone who remains under contract is all but guaranteed to be back.

Here's everyone expected back in WWE 2K25:

1. Adam Pearce
2. AJ Hawk
3. Andre Chase
4. Andre The Giant
5. Angel Garza
6. Akira Tozawa
7. AJ Styles
8. Alexa Bliss
9. Alba Fyre
10. Angelo Dawkins
11. Apollo Crews
12. Ashante "Thee" Adonis
13. Asuka
14. Austin Theory
15. Axiom
16. Bad Bunny
17. Batista
18. Bayley
19. Becky Lynch
20. B-Fab
21. Bianca Belair
22. Big Boss Man
23. Big E
24. "Superstar" Billy Graham
25. Blair Davenport
26. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
27. Boogeyman
28. Booker T
29. Boston Connor
30. Braun Strowman
31. Bray Wyatt
32. Bret “Hitman” Hart
33. British Bulldog
34. Bron Breakker
35. Bronson Reed
36. Brooks Jensen
37. Bruno Sammartino
38. Brutus Creed
39. Bubba Ray Dudley
40. Cactus Jack
41. Candice LeRae
42. Carlito
43. Carmella
44. Carmelo Hayes
45. Cathy Kelley
46. Cedric Alexander
47. Chad Gable
48. Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo
49. Charlotte Flair
50. Chelsea Green
51. Chyna
52. Cody Rhodes
53. Cora Jade
54. CM Punk
55. Cruz Del Toro
56. Dakota Kai
57. Damian Priest
58. Darius Butler
59. Dexter Lumis
60. Diamond Dallas Page
61. Diesel
62. Doink The Clown
63. Dominik Mysterio
64. Dragon Lee
65. Drew McIntyre
66. Dude Love
67. Duke Hudson
68. Dusty Rhodes
69. D-Von Dudley
70. Eddie Guerrero
71. Elton Prince
72. Eric Bischoff
73. Erik
74. Eve Torres
75. Faarooq
76. Fallon Henley
77. The Fiend
78. Finn Balor
79. George "The Animal" Steele
80. Gigi Dolin
81. Giovanni Vinci
82. Grayson Waller
83. Great Muta
84. Gunther
85. Harley Race
86. Hollywood Hogan
87. Honky Tonk Man
88. Hulk Hogan
89. Humberto
90. The Hurricane
91. Ilja Dragunov
92. Iron Sheik
93. Isla Dawn
94. Ivar
95. Ivy Nile
96. IYO SKY
97. Jacy Jayne
98. Jade Cargill
99. Jake "The Snake" Roberts
100. JBL
101. JD McDonagh
102. Jerry "The King" Lawler
103. Jey Uso
104. Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart
105. Jimmy Hart
106. Joaquin Wilde
107. Joe Coffey
108. Joe Gacy
109. John Cena
110. Johnny Gargano
111. Josh Briggs
112. Julius Creed
113. Kairi Sane
114. Kane
115. Karl Anderson
116. Karrion Kross
117. Katana Chance
118. Kayden Carter
119. Ken Shamrock
120. Kevin Nash
121. Kevin Owens
122. Kit Wilson
123. Kofi Kingston
124. Kurt Angle
125. LA Knight
126. Lex Luger
127. Lita
128. Liv Morgan
129. Logan Paul
130. Ludwig Kaiser
131. Luke Gallows
132. Lyra Valkyria
133. Mankind
134. Mark Coffey
135. Maryse
136. Maxxine Dupri
137. Michin Mia Yim
138. Michelle McCool
139. Mick Foley
140. Mighty Molly
141. Miss Elizabeth
142. The Miz
143. Molly Holly
144. Montez Ford
145. Mosh
146. Mr. Perfect
147. Muhammad Ali
148. Natalya
149. Nathan Frazer
150. Nia Jax
151. Nikki Cross
152. Nikkita Lyons
153. Noam Dar
154. Omos
155. Otis
156. Pat McAfee
157. Paul Bearer
158. Paul Heyman
159. Pete Dunne
160. Piper Niven
161. Post Malone
162. Raquel Rodriguez
163. Randy Orton
164. "Macho Man" Randy Savage
165. Razor Ramon
166. Rey Mysterio
167. Rhea Ripley
168. "Ravishing" Rick Rude
169. Rick Steiner
170. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
171. Ridge Holland
172. Rikishi
173. Rob Van Dam
174. Robert Roode
175. The Rock
176. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
177. Roman Reigns
178. Ronda Rousey
179. Roxanne Perez
180. R-Truth
181. Sami Zayn
182. Sandman
183. Santos Escobar
184. Scarlett
185. Scott Hall
186. Scott Steiner
187. Sensational Sherri
188. Seth "Freakin" Rollins
189. Shane McMahon
190. Shawn Michaels
191. Shayna Baszler
192. Sheamus
193. Shinsuke Nakamura
194. Shotzi
195. Solo Sikoa
196. Sonya Deville
197. Stacy Keibler
198. Stardust
199. Stephanie McMahon
200. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
201. Syxx
202. Ted DiBiase
203. Terry Funk
204. Thea Hail
205. Theodore Long
206. Thrasher
207. Tiffany Stratton
208. Tommaso Ciampa
209. Tony D'Angelo
210. Trick Williams
211. Triple H
212. Trish Stratus
213. Ty Schmitt
214. Tyler Bate
215. Tyler Breeze
216. Ultimate Warrior
217. Umaga
218. Uncle Howdy
219. The Undertaker
220. Vader
221. Valhalla
222. Wade Barrett
223. Wendy Choo
224. Wes Lee
225. William Regal
226. Wolfgang
227. Xavier Woods
228. X-Pac
229. Yokozuna
230. Zelina Vega
231. Zoey Stark

There are a few exceptions in the above list that are harder to predict. Special occasion additions like Post Malone or the Pat McAfee crew added in post-launch DLC could still be back in WWE 2K25, but these also may have been temporary deals which don't get renewed for the next installment. Similarly, while all of the legends listed above are still believed to be under a WWE Legends Contract for licensing like WWE 2K, there is still a chance some expiring deals were never reported.

2024 Releases Not Returning to WWE 2K25 Roster

At some points during 2024 it looked like Becky Lynch might be the biggest name absent from WWE 2K25, but a recent report all but confirmed her imminent return. However, several other WWE stars released by the company in the last year are sure to be removed. Big names like Jinder Mahal, MVP, Ricochet, and Bobby Lashley have already established their post-WWE career by signing with AEW or wrestling on the independent scene.

As of now, these are the WWE 2K24 roster members not expected in WWE 2K25:

• Baron Corbin
• Beth Phoenix
• Bobby Lashley
• Cameron Grimes
• Damon Kemp
• Dijak
• Drew Gulak
• Indi Hartwell
• Jinder Mahal
• MVP
• Ricochet
• Sanga
• SCRYPTS
• Tamina
• Tegan Nox
• Veer Mahaan
• Xia Li

As the launch of WWE 2K25 draws near, new reveals are sure to shed light on the full roster that fans can expect. When the dust settles, the WWE 2K25 roster could be packed with nearly 250 different superstars.