WWE 2K18's full roster has been revealed, and many fans of WWE have noted some marquee names missing from the October game. However, with DLC yet to be announced, there is still a chance fan-favorite stars will make their way on the roster. We picked out some wrestlers we'd love to see onto this year's roster and the chances they'll be released as DLC, starting off with current Raw and Smackdown talent.
Click here to jump ahead to 205 Live and NXT talent.
Click here to jump ahead to Legends.
You can check out the entire confirmed WWE 2K18 roster here, to see who made the cut.
The Hardy Boyz (Raw)
The biggest omission to this year's roster are the Hardy Boyz. The tag team, which got their start during the Attitude Era, has made some giant waves since returning at 2017's Wrestlemania, deleting their competition.
Could they be added as DLC? Without a doubt, we will get Matt and Jeff as DLC. Passing them up would be insane. The two came back to WWE early enough that they could have been scanned for the game, and there may be some other reason for Team Extreme to not be included with the initial game--maybe something do their characters being broken? In addition, it would be great if we could get Universe and Attitude Eras versions for the characters, since their looks have changed a bit in the past 20 years.
Elias Samson (Raw)
Please keep your cell phones down and hold your applause until after I'm finished. So who wants to walk with Elias? Well, you can't in WWE 2K18. The center-stage crooner is not available, even though he was in NXT for years with the same gimmick before coming to Raw.
Could he be added as DLC? It's more than likely we'll get to see Samson added as DLC, probably as part of a Raw/Smackdown package, alongside the Hardy Boyz. If 2K Games really wants to make things interesting, they could add an "El Vagabundo" version of the character as well.
James Ellsworth (Smackdown)
While James Ellsworth has been Carmella's manager/secondary mouthpiece for the past few months, he did compete in a few matches, including winning the first ever Women's Money in the Bank match--kidding. Considering how much screentime Ellsworth gets on Smackdown, week after week, it's puzzling not to see him included this year.
Could he be added as DLC? As unlikely as it may be for Ellsworth to be a WWE star, he will more than likely be included as either DLC or a manager--personally, I'd like to recreate his first match against Braun Strowman, over and over again.
The Singh Brothers (Smackdown)
The former Bollywood Boys teamed up with Jinder Mahal, after a fun stint during 2016's Cruiserweight Classic, back in April of this year. While the two haven't had a lot of matches in the past five months, they are a big part of the Tuesday night show.
Could they be added as DLC? Their inclusion in this year's game as DLC is more than likely, considering that they debuted during the spring and have been a part of the main card for months, even if they are just walking the champion to the ring.
Lana (Smackdown)
Lana's solo wrestling career got kicked up a notch this year as she lost time and time again to Smackdown Women's Champion Naomi. While she appeared in WWE 2K17 as a manager, we were thinking this would be her first year where she was included as a wrestler.
Could she be added as DLC? Lana may be included in this year's edition if there's a Raw/Smackdown DLC pack. The only problematic thing is that her solo run started this past June, which may have been past the cutoff point to make her into a playable character.
Maria and Mike Kanellis (Smackdown)
There's no one else on Smackdown who harnesses the power of love like Maria and Mike Kanellis. Since Maria's return to the WWE this past summer, she's been involved with her real-life husband Mike Bennett--who took her surname after their marriage--and the two have been a very entertaining part of the midcard on Smackdown.
Could they be added as DLC? Much like Lana, the two debuted over the summer; however, unlike Lana, Maria and Mike weren't part of the roster prior to that, so the chances of the two being scanned for the game are pretty slim.
Shelton Benjamin (Smackdown)
Shelton Benjamin returned to the WWE this year, after being released in 2010. Currently, he has teamed up with Chad Gable on Smackdown. Benjamin originally signed with WWE back in July 2016 but was sidelined for a year because of an injury.
Could he be added as DLC? This is a tough one, since while he was injured, Benjamin was not signed with WWE. He re-signed with the company last month, so while he'd be a great addition to WWE 2K18, the timing for him to be in it is off.
Mustafa Ali (205 Live)
2K18 introduces the cruiserweight division from 205 Live, and while there is already a good amount of talent to choose from, we think there will be even more added later as DLC. One of the most entertaining--and underrated--wrestlers in the division is Mustafi Ali, who has shown up on Raw a few times.
Could he be added as DLC? If there is a 205 Live DLC pack, Ali will be a part of it. Frankly, it's a little surprising Gran Metalik got picked over a few of the other cruiserweights.
Tony Nese (205 Live)
While many of the stars of 205 Live are high-flyers, Tony Nese is a powerhouse, which adds a great dynamic to the division. While Nese wasn't included for the main roster, he had a good sense of humor about it, tweeting, "Sorry folks, they haven't created a game engine powerful enough to render a body like mine yet."
Could he be added as DLC? Like Ali, Nese is a shoe-in for a 205 Live DLC pack, if that happens.
Drew McIntyre (NXT)
Next to the Hardy Boyz, one of the biggest omissions in 2K18 is NXT Champion Drew McIntyre. It's important to note that he very recently won the title from Bobby Roode, so he's not a long-standing champion. The former 3MB member returned to WWE back in April. The last time McIntyre appeared in a WWE game was for WWE 2K14.
Could he be added as DLC? Much like the Hardy Boyz, McIntyre will have to be part of DLC because it would be crazy not to include him, seeing as he's the champ, and he should be around for a while. In addition, there's a part of me that would love to also have a 3MB skin for him, to reunite him with Jinder Mahal and Heath Slater again.
Aleister Black (NXT)
Aleister Black is quickly becoming one of the highlights of watching NXT, which is already filled with a ton of amazing talent. After the main roster was revealed, many fans felt leaving out Black was a bad move. Who doesn't want to play as Black, even if only to watch his entrance over and over again?
Could he be added as DLC? Depending on how 2K handles the DLC for the new game, Black should be in the game. He's a rising star in the company, and there is a demand to play as him.
Ruby Riot (NXT)
The women of NXT got a lot of love this year, with Asuka, Ember Moon, Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce, and Billie Kay making the cut., However, Ruby Riot was absent, even though she signed with WWE back in January and has been a big part of the women's division.
Could she be added for DLC? NXT has a lot of great talent, and while I'd love to see Ruby Riot make her way into the game, it's a 50/50 call, unless 2K is looking to add more female NXT stars to the roster.
The Velveteen Dream (NXT)
The Velveteen Dream is what happens when the musician Prince becomes a wrestler, in the best way possible. This character made his captivating debut this past spring, and he's one of the more entertaining gimmicks currently running on NXT.
Could he be added for DLC? Sure, there are other NXT stars, like Andrade Almas, who should be included over Dream, but there's nothing more fun than playing as a wrestler with a wacky gimmick. It's a long-shot, but Dream has a lot of playability.
Pete Dunne
Drew McIntyre wasn't the only champion left of the roster for 2K18. United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne also wasn't included for this year's game. While we don't see a lot of him on TV, WWE made a big deal about this new title and the UK Championship Tournament in the past year.
Could he be added for DLC? Even though the majority of casual WWE fans aren't aware of this title nor Pete Dunne, he should still be included in the game. Like the Hardys and McIntyre, Dunne's inclusion in 2K18 is more than likely.
Jerry Lawler (Legend)
Jerry "The King" Lawler has been a part of WWE since the '90s, and prior to that, he was a wrestling legend, so why does he get skipped over, year after year? Sure, Lawler does voice the commentary team for the games, but he hasn't appeared as a playable character since WWE '12.
Could he be added for DLC? WWE 2K17's DLC contained a Hall of Fame Showcase, which consisted of some classic matches with unlockable arenas and wrestlers. If 2K is bringing this back again, there is a chance Lawler could be included or at least we hope so. How awesome would it be if we could get to play as Lawler against comedian Andy Kaufman to recreate their feud from the early '80s? That's a bit of a stretch, but considering this series has included two versions of the Terminator, the Lawler/Kaufman match is a whole lot more plausible.
New Age Outlaws (Legend)
Oh, you didn't know that Jesse James and Billy Gunn weren't part of the roster this year? You better call somebody. When you think about WWE and the Attitude Era, you can't have a conversation about tag teams without bringing up the New Age Outlaws. However, neither of them appeared in this year's game, which is confusing because they've been a big part of the series.
Could he be added for DLC? Things get a little tricky here. If they're included in the new game, it's just repackaged characters from the year prior, which you have to pay extra for, and that's just totally bogus. It's a double-edged sword. Either we don't get them, or we have to pay for something that was in a previous game.
Vince McMahon (Legend)
In a really weird turn of events, Vince McMahon was not included in this year's edition. The man in charge of the company usually has a spot on the roster, so you can relive every moment Steve Austin beat him up, but in 2K18, he's mysteriously missing. Now, where are fans going to get their overconfident strut fix from?
Could he be added for DLC? There is no way McMahon won't be included in one of the DLC packs. Putting aside the onscreen ego of the head of WWE, he was a major player during the Attitude Era, and leaving him out, whether you like him or not, is a big mistake. Most likely, he'll be part of the Hall of Fame showcase, if 2K does that again this year. The only downside is you'd be paying extra for a character that existed in previous games.
William Regal (Legend)
William Regal is a man, such a man. He's a real man's man. Aside from Regal being a legend in both WCW and WWE, he is currently the NXT general manager. Considering the Raw and Smackdown GMs are playable characters in the game, shouldn't the NXT GM be one as well?
Could he be added for DLC? If NXT gets its own DLC pack--which it should--Regal without a doubt will be included. The only downside is that he's appeared in previous games, so fans will be paying for content that they've had before. This would be the perfect opportunity to give fans "Real Man's Man" Regal as a secondary skin.
The Dudley Boys (Legend)
The Dudleys had a fantastic return to WWE last year, but the tag team has now retired, with Bubba heading to Ring of Honor and D-Von running a wrestling school. Like Edge and Christian and the Hardys, the Dudleys were a staple for the Attitude Era. They may no longer be with the company, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be in the game, since they were a part of it last year.
Could he be added for DLC? This is a tricky one, since Bubba is still wrestling for another company. That hasn't stopped 2K from putting other wrestlers into the game in the past, but WWE tends to shy away from that. Hopefully, if and when the Hardys are included, the Dudleys will be added as well.
Owen Hart (Legend)
Owen Hart was a fantastic worker in the ring and was a really entertaining mid-carder who proved he wasn't a nugget. He has never appeared in 2K's series, and he's one of the most demanded wrestlers, year after year. Fans would love to relive his tag team days with his brother Bret or even his time with the Nation of Domination.
Could he be added for DLC? WWE fans love Owen Hart, and we'd love to see him in a new game and in the Hall of Fame. However, because of Hart's death during a live WWE event, his widow understandably wants nothing to do with the company and doesn't want him appearing in anything that has WWE on it.
Hulk Hogan (Legend)
During the '80s and '90s, Hulk Hogan was wrestling. You may have not watched during that time, but you knew his name because he was everywhere. He has been in the 2K series previously, but he's been absent the past couple of years, for good reason.
Could he be added for DLC? After a tape with the Hulkster saying some pretty nasty and racist things, WWE removed Hulkamania from its website and cut all ties with the Hulkster. Essentially, Hogan is dead to WWE. Until the two can work it out, chances are non-existent, brother.
Let us know in the comment section below which wrestlers you'd love to see in this year's game that didn't make the roster.
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