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Having yourself immortalized in a video game is an honour for athletes and it’s no different for WWE Superstars. However, unlike top guys like Undertaker, Triple H, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, there are lesser Superstars who have only made a single appearance in WWE video games.
WWE 2K18 has just come out and to commemorate WWE’s latest game let’s take a look at some WWE games from the past, to be specific let’s take a look at some WWE Superstars who’ve only appeared in one edition of a WWE game.
Note: We haven’t included anyone who will appear in WWE 2K18 for the first time or appeared in 2K 17 for the first time and will be included in 2K18.
7: Maven
Maven is most famous for eliminating The Undertaker from the 2002 Royal Rumble, which he did soon after winning the first season of Tough Enough. He was also a Hardcore Champion during his time in WWE and also came close to eliminating Undertaker during the 2003 Royal Rumble.
However, the rest of Maven’s WWE career didn’t go according to plan as he just couldn’t get over with fans despite a World Heavyweight Championship match against Triple H. Before his 2006 release Maven did make his way into a WWE game – 2002’s WWF SmackDown: Shut Your Mouth.
Nowadays, Maven reportedly works as a bouncer in a New York nightclub.
6: Kenny Dykstra
Kenny Dykstra is best known for his run as Kenny from the Spirit Squad. After the Spirit Squad was sent packing back to OVW, he was repacked as Kenny Dykstra and even got three straight wins over Ric Flair, including one on PPV before he was traded to SmackDown.
After not doing anything of note on SmackDown for over a year, Dykstra was released in 2008. It was later learnt that Dykstra had been in a relationship with Mickie James while she was having an affair with John Cena, which couldn’t have helped him.
Kenny did return to WWE in 2016 for a short run as one of The Miz’s henchmen during his feud with former Spirit Squad member, Dolph Ziggler.
Well, at least Kenny was immortalized in SmackDown vs RAW 2008. It’s sad that we never got the Spirit Squad in a WWE game.
5: Mason Ryan
The best thing most pundits say about Mason Ryan is that he had a good build and that he looked like Batista. After signing a 5-year deal with WWE in 2009. Mason Ryan made his WWE debut in 2011, immediately interfering in a match between CM Punk and John Cena, two of WWE’s biggest starts at the time. After laying Cena out and being presented with a Nexus armband by CM Punk, Ryan’s career immediately went on a downward slide.
After a big Royal Rumble elimination spot and a couple of injuries, Ryan’s career petered out as people realized he wasn’t any good in the ring. His release was quietly announced in 2014.
Before his release, Mason made an appearance in WWE ’12, not that anyone wants to play as him.
4: Paul Burchill
What happens when WWE jumps on the latest Pirates of the Caribbean craze? Paul Burchill happens.
A talented in-ring worker, Burchill signed for WWE in 2005 before swinging his way into our television screens as a pirate later the same year. When you declare that Blackbeard is your relative, that kills any credibility your character has and that’s what happened with Burchill.
He was never taken seriously by the WWE and this gimmick effectively killed Burchill’s wrestling career, and despite that fact he managed to make his way into SmackDown vs RAW 2007.
3: Sandman
ECW legend Sandman, was signed to WWE with their version of ECW from 2005 to 2007. Apart from destroying the ECW Zombie, the only other highlight of Sandman’s WWE career was probably appearing in SmackDown vs RAW 2008, giving generations of fans a chance to play as the ECW original for years to come.
After a stellar career in the original ECW, Sandman made his WWE ECW debut at Hardcore Homecoming. After a good start he drifted on WCW before being drafted to RAW in 2007. After caning Carlito in his RAW debut, Sandman drifted in the roster once again before being released in 2007.
2: Alex Riley
How has Alex Riley been in only one WWE game? I have no idea. His run as The Miz’s lackey meant that he played a big part in a lot of top storylines in the company at that time. Riley never won a title in WWE and shifted to colour commentary in 2013.
Riley briefly returned to the ring in NXT in 2016, but it didn’t amount to anything and he was released in May, 2016. In his years with WWE, Riley only appeared in WWE 12.
1: Corey Graves
Corey Graves was an NXT Tag-Team Champion before his career was tragically cut short. Thankfully Graves successfully transitioned to a career on the commentary table in NXT. After honing his skills, he successfully moved up to RAW and is now also the colour commentator on SmackDown Live.
Graves appeared in WWE 2K15 but will now appear in WWE 2K18 as a commentator. I know I said no one from 2K18 would be on this list, but since Graves will be on commentary I guess I can give myself a pass.
Which other WWE Superstars have appeared in only one WWE game? Sound off on the comments below and follow me on Twitter @pratyayghSK.
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