With every release, the WWE 2K series features a superstar with a higher rating than every other character on the roster. In WWE 2K23, the highest-rated wrestler is Roman Reigns. With a rating of 99, he is one of the most challenging wrestlers to beat in the series' history.
Beating Roman Reigns in WWE 2K23 will reward players with the Trophy/Achievement called A New Head of the Table. However, beating him on the Legend setting can be a frustrating experience. Thanks to the customization options available to players, though, beating him doesn't have to be a painful experience.
Match Preparations
Before deciding to take on Roman Reigns, players will need to adjust the settings before the match. They should pick a wrestler with good stats, like Brock Lesnar at 97 or one of the John Cena variants at 96.
Settings To Change
- Press the R1/RB button to highlight the Options menu.
- Select Gameplay.
- Change Allow Held Input For Mini-Games. Instead of button mashing, this will allow the player to hold down the corresponding button to submit and break out of a submission. This method is far more reliable than mashing the buttons in the submission mini-game.
- Select a One-On-One match and choose the wrestler to take on Roman Reigns. Brock Lesnar is a solid choice because he matches up well with Roman, has powerful signature and finisher moves, and can submit him.
- Before starting the match, press the Triangle/Y button to access the Match Options Menu.
- Change the Special and Finisher to Fast.
Beating Roman Reigns
Beating Roman Reigns is no easy feat, and players must learn how to counter his signature and finishing moves. Thankfully, his actions have long animations, and players will learn how to reverse them after practice.
Things To Look Out For
Reigns' blue momentum builds up very quickly, so he can hit signature moves early in the match and use his Resiliency Payback to kick out of finishers. He often starts the match with a running attack. Players can Reverse it with the Triangle/Y button.
Roman Reigns will reverse and counter a lot, and will go for the pin cover frequently. He also has dangerous submission moves in WWE 2K23. If he has a signature stored, expect Reigns to use the Irish Whip in the corner for the Superman Punch followed by a spear. This can be countered by pressing the Circle/B button. Reigns will likely kick out after two finishers, but he will become vulnerable.
How To Beat Roman Reigns
Prepare for Roman's running attack at the opening bell. Throuhout the fight, don't keep going for the same moves; mix up attacks and grapple and try not to be predictable. Avoid using the signature move to keep the blue momentum bar full. The player can use it to kick out of Reigns' finishers with the Resiliency Payback and use the possum reversal from the ground to regain the advantage.
Use combos, but keep them short. Try using the combo chain Square/X, Square/X, Circle/B, and the L-Stick. It's a small combo that finishes with a grapple or a submission move if using Brock. Use high-impact moves like the suplex to keep Reigns grounded. When Reigns is stunned, hit him with a Finisher (or two), then go for the pin. He will probably kick out, but keep on the offensive. When Reigns' body or legs are in the red, start going for submissions with R2/RT and Circle/B. If Reigns is close to escaping the submission, then L1 to let him go and start again until he submits.
Roman Reigns is more vulnerable to submitting than by pinfall. The AI is designed to make Reigns seem as invincible as possible with the pinning system. So using submissions is the easiest way to defeat Roman Reigns on the Legend difficulty to obtain the New Head of the Table Trophy/Achievement.
WWE 2K23 is available now for the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.