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The cover star in the WWE 2K video game series always causes debate among fans.
Since 2K gained the publishing rights for WWE games in 2013, five games have been released and there has been a different Superstar on the cover every year: The Rock (2K14), John Cena (2K15), Steve Austin (2K16), Brock Lesnar (2K17) and Seth Rollins (2K18).
WWE usually reveals the cover star in June/July each year but, as of the time of writing, there haven't yet been any early rumours about who will don the front of the 2K19 version of the game.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five leading contenders who could grace the cover later this year.
#5 Charlotte Flair
With the exception of the controversial male-only Greatest Royal Rumble event in April, WWE has done a brilliant job of portraying the company’s female stars on a level playing field to the men over the last couple of years.
Given how the women were previously presented in WWE, it’s surprising that as many as five have previously been on the cover of video games (Chyna, Stephanie McMahon, Trish Stratus, Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson).
However, all of them shared the cover with two or more male Superstars, so it would be another massive step in the Women’s Evolution if a current female performer were to be the sole cover star of the 2K19 game.
It’s pretty clear that WWE sees Charlotte Flair as the biggest female star to have come through their ranks in recent years, so “The Queen” will surely be a contender to grace the front of the game.
#4 Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman is the present and the future of WWE, so he was always going to appear somewhere on this list, wasn’t he?
“The Monster Among Men” has firmly cemented his status as one of the company’s biggest babyfaces over the last six months, so he’d certainly be a popular cover star if WWE decided to go down that route for the 2K19 game.
The Greatest Royal Rumble winner would need a much better rating if he’s going to grace the cover, though – he was only rated 78/100 in 2K17 and 88/100 in 2K18.
#3 The Miz
The Miz has been on the front of one previous WWE game (SmackDown vs Raw 2011) but he shared the cover that year with John Cena and The Big Show, so he has never been the sole cover star.
A couple of years ago, it would have been crazy to suggest that “The A-Lister” might be the only featured Superstar on the front of WWE’s biggest video game, but his reputation has been significantly enhanced since the 2016 brand split and, whether they love or hate him, fans respect Miz's work more now than ever before.
Besides, is there anybody on the main roster who would do a better job of gloating about being the cover star than the eight-time Intercontinental champion?
#2 Ronda Rousey
WWE didn’t sign Ronda Rousey for her wrestling ability alone – they wanted her because she’s one of the most marketable female athletes in the world.
The former UFC champion featured on multiple talk shows in the build-up to WrestleMania 34, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if WWE used her in a similar role to promote WWE 2K19 as the game’s cover star.
The only problem? Ronda has continually stated that she wants to “earn” opportunities in WWE, and instantly receiving the honour of being the 2K cover star after one match would be somewhat disappointing for the rest of the women’s division.
#1 Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is a three-time WWE champion and he’s headlined WrestleMania in each of the last four years – but he’s never been on the cover of a video game.
It’s surely only a matter of time before WWE inevitably puts “The Big Dog” on the cover, which is why he features at #1 in this list, but there’s no doubt it would prove to be an unpopular decision among large sections of fans.
Alternatively, WWE and 2K could always decide to revert to the previous cover template by having two or more stars on the front of the game every year. In which case, they could tick every box by featuring at least one male and one female performer.
