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As the WWE 2K franchise finds its footing after a rough few years, there's a new challenger to its 3D fighting crown set to arrive in 2022. AEW Fight Forever is developed by Yuke's and published by THQ Nordic, marking the former's return to developing wrestling titles after WWE 2K19 in late 2018. Little is known about the project, as its roster is yet to be announced and the gameplay that has been shown is minimal.
AEW Fight Forever is clearly a smaller and less ambitious release than its WWE 2K counterparts, but there will be some similarities between the two franchises like intricate fighting mechanics, faithful character models, and a roster of talent that offers different gameplay quirks. The ratings of each wrestler is a big deal, and a massive deciding factor as to who players will gravitate toward when the game arrives in the near future. The system in which ratings will be decided is also not confirmed, so predictions will be based on the tried-and-tested WWE 2K22 scale of 75-100.
CM Punk - 95
Roman Reigns, the current WWE Universal and World Champion, is the highest rated superstar in WWE 2K22 with a 95 rating. The franchise doesn't typically adhere to what Madden does with its 99 Club, and 95 is the highest it goes. It's only fitting that as CM Punk is currently the lineal AEW Champion, he too should hold the highest rating.
Currently recovering from surgery for a broken foot, the Chicago-born wrestler made his debut on AEW television in August 2021, and ascended through the company by besting the likes of Darby Allin, Eddie Kingston, MJF, and Adam Page to capture the AEW's biggest prize. He's an all-round fighter, and could offer players the luxury of intricate combos and a technical wrestling move set. He's at the very top of AEW, so a 95 rating feels more than earned.
Jon Moxley - 94
Earning the right to fight for and subsequently win the AEW Championship after CM Punk took time out to recover, Jon Moxley made quick work of Hiroshi Tanahashi to gain the title on an interim basis. He's one of the most beloved characters in the company, recently forming the Blackpool Combat Club with Bryan Danielson and William Regal, and his skill set translates beautifully to the video game medium, as proven by his inclusion in WWE 2K14 through 2K19.
Jon Moxley is one of the most important personalities in the company, and he always feels like a character that elevates the surrounding talent. A 94 overall rating would honor the impact he's had on AEW, and placing him right below CM Punk would do well to show that his place as interim AEW Champion isn't just as a placeholder. The possibility of an exploding barbed wire deathmatch in AEW Forever would be made even better using Moxley, especially given his past in CZW.
Cody Rhodes - 88
The American Nightmare was the poster child of AEW for a long time, but his shock move to WWE means that his rating in AEW Fight Forever is a challenging one to determine. Cody Rhodes has to be included, but placing him as high as the top performers would be an admission that his departure to World Wrestling Entertainment was a huge blow.
He deserves a high rating though, as his contributions to the company during its early years were invaluable. Sticking with 88 does well to give Rhodes his due respect in AEW Fight Forever, making him a more than viable option to play as, but having him break into the 90s would be a little insulting to the performers beneath him that remain on the roster.
Darby Allin - 90
Darby Allin is one of the most exciting wrestlers in the business, sporting now-iconic face paint and signature moves like the Coffin Drop and Last Supper. He's one of the company's best prospects, and a 90 would be a great indicator of his upward trajectory, as well as his proficiency now.
His wrestling style is dangerous, putting his body on the line to perform stunts that leave crowds breathless. He typically does as much damage to himself as he does his opponents, and being a smaller wrestler than most of his counterparts, he's often portrayed as the underdog. In any case, Darby Allin is sure to be a serious contender in AEW for years to come, and 90 would show that AEW Fight Forever was ahead of the curve in predicting his career success.
AEW Fight Forever launches 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.