WWE 2K17 is a dream come true for wrestling fans. It not only boasts the entire current roster of WWE Superstars but also features a few iconic current and former WWE strongmen in their avatars from the pre PG-13 days of the WWE.
Strength, in depth, is probably the essential trait required in a wrestler after common sense, the lack of which is quite often the chief reason for the downfall of many a strong WWE Superstar.
It is a similar story in the case of wrestlers in WWE 2K17 where the strongest wrestlers in the game have the highest chance of winning if used properly.
The WWE 2K17 release features legendary fighters known for their strength ranging from the Big Show and the Great Khali to the likes of legends like Andre the Giant and Yokozuna.
In this article, we list five WWE 2K17 wrestlers who possess devastating strength and power (Two of the above-stated legends are NOT part of the list).
#5 Mark Henry 84
Former Olympic weightlifter for the United States of America and once upon a time the “Strongest Man in the World”, Mark Henry is only the 5th strongest man in WWE 2K17.
The 45-year old may be far from his 2002 glory days of the Arnold Strongman Classic (Where he won a Hummer) but can still manage to outmuscle an entire roster of WWE Superstars, becoming the sole representative from currently active WWE Superstars on this list.
Also read: 5 characters you didn't know you could fight as on WWE 2K17
The former Olympian’s standing in the WWE’s strength standings has gone up from his position in the previous launch, 2K16, where he did not even feature in the top ten wrestlers of the game.
His 2K17 strength rating of 84 sees him become the 5th strongest wrestler in WWE 2K17.
#4 Andre the Giant 84
The WWE’s very own “Eighth wonder of the world” is probably the most iconic strongman to have fought for the company. So great was his contribution to the cause, that he was the first ever inductee into the WWF/WWE Hall of Fame back in 1993.
Famous for his supreme size and strength, Andre the Giant dominated battles during his time with the WWE and engaged in a legendary feud with Hulk Hogan. Andre the Giant’s strength rating has in fact reduced over the past two 2K releases with 2K16 giving him a rating of 89 to 2K17’s more conservative estimate of 84.
The 7-foot tall giant is the fourth strongest man in the 2K17 release after being outside the top ten strongest wrestlers in the previous release of the franchise.
A testament to Andre’s greatness comes from the fact that the WWE, in 2014, started an annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in his honour. The winner of this annual showdown receives a trophy which is a likeness of Andre in his signature triumphant pose.
#3 Bam Bam Bigelow 84
A physically imposing specimen in the ring, 1980’s WWF icon Bam Bam Bigelow has been described as “the most natural, agile and physically remarkable big man of the past quarter century.” Through his career, he also held the ECW World Championship and won a Slammy award for his moves in the WWF.
In spite of his huge size and power, Bam Bam was fleet-footed and acrobatic enough in the ring to execute moonsaults and flying headbutts from the top rope which was a novelty for WWF fans not used to seeing their giants jump off turnbuckles.
Bigelow wound up his wrestling career with a stint in the WCW where he had one final big-ticket feud with current WWE Superstar Goldberg.
Bam Bam Bigelow was nowhere close to the top ten strongest wrestlers in the 2K16 game but has surprisingly made it this high in the strongest men of the 2K17 edition. His high rating comes as no surprise as he felt somewhat undercooked in WWE 2K16 especially given his power packed performances in the ring for the WWF.
#2 Yokozuna 84
One of the WWF’s most celebrated giants, Yokozuna’s stint in the WWE lasted from 1992 to 1996 during which he held the World Heavyweight Title twice and was also a two-time Tag Team Champion with Bret Hart.
Like all WWE giants, Yokozuna was huge. Known for his immense size and power, his gimmick as a sumo wrestler from Japan was perfect for a man of his size although a little-known fact about the man himself is that he was not actually Japanese but Samoan.
Yokozuna is included in the WWE 2K17 roster as one of the strongest wrestlers in the game with a rating equivalent to fellow giant Andre the Giant but finishes ahead due to his other attributes being superior to his rival.
#1 Vader 89
The most powerful man in the WWE 2K17 game, Vader fought for the WWE for a short period of time from 1996 to 1998, making his debut in the WWE ring in the 1996 Royal Rumble after being extensively hyped on television as “The Man They Call Vader".
Vader, during his time with the company, also teamed up with fellow giant Yokozuna, making a supremely strong pair that was almost impossible to defeat.
Known for his immense power and ability to go beast mode, Vader has been given a strength rating of 89 on WWE 2K17 which is the highest of any wrestler in the game. The strength ratings in the WWE 2K17 release are much more conservative estimates of strength than the attributes mentioned in WWE 2K16.
In last year’s edition, John Cena was the strongest Superstar in the game but is now nowhere near the top five wrestlers.
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