Highlights

  • WWE 2K24 will include Muhammad Ali as a DLC character, highlighting his connection to professional wrestling.
  • The game's 2K Showcase Mode will focus on WrestleMania's 40th anniversary, allowing players to experience iconic matches.
  • Ali's inclusion as a playable character reflects his historical ties to WWE, even though he never competed in a WWE match.

WWE 2K24 has just confirmed a major celebrity as a possible DLC character: the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali. While Ali is remembered largely for his boxing career and activism outside the ring, he also has a surprisingly deep connection to the world of professional wrestling. In 1976, Ali faced legendary wrestler and WWE Hall of Fame member Antonio Inoki in a special “boxer vs. wrestler” match in Tokyo, Japan that ended in a draw. About a decade later, Ali served as the special guest referee for the main event tag-team match at the first WrestleMania, setting the stage for several memorable celebrity appearances at the Showcase of the Immortals.

WrestleMania will be the primary focus of WWE 2K24’s 2K Showcase Mode, which will commemorate the annual event’s 40th anniversary by allowing fans to play through some of the biggest WrestleMania matches in history. Some of these confirmed WWE 2K24 Showcase matches include Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant’s memorable clash at WrestleMania 3, The Ultimate Warrior and “Ravishing” Rick Rude’s Intercontinental Title bout at WrestleMania 5, and Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair’s show-stealing confrontation at last year’s WrestleMania 39. Visual Concepts has four decades' worth of matches to mine for this year’s Showcase, and this might include one of the matches that started it all.

wwe 2k24 roman reigns
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WWE 2K24 released a new “Legacy” trailer, highlighting some of the matches and playable characters that will be included in this year’s wrestling simulator. This includes long-requested gimmick stipulations like Casket Matches, Ambulance Matches, and Special Guest Referee Matches, as well as improved Backstage Brawls. However, a big surprise came at the very end, when a digital version of Muhammad Ali entered the ring. This confirms that Ali will be part of WWE 2K24’s roster of over 200 playable characters, but it isn’t clear if he core line-up or if he will be added as DLC later on.

Muhammad Ali Will Make His WWE 2K Debut In WWE 2K24

WWE 2K24 will mark Muhammad Ali’s first playable appearance in a mainline WWE game, but the late boxer was previously included in the WWE Champions mobile game. He has naturally been featured in countless boxing games over the years, and was even playable in the recent EA Sports UFC 5 alongside fellow boxer and WrestleMania alumni Mike Tyson as a Heavyweight fighter.

A screenshot of Muhammad Ali in WWE 2K24.

Muhammad Ali’s confirmed appearance as a playable character in WWE 2K24 is a pleasant surprise for fans, especially since the boxing legend never actually competed in a WWE match despite his history with its flagship event. That history could be a major factor in Ali’s inclusion in WWE 2K24’s roster, and is a sign that the original WrestleMania’s tag-team main event might be featured in the 40 Years of WrestleMania Showcase. At the very least, fans will be able to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee as Muhammad Ali when WWE 2K24 launches on March 8.