7 Incredible Stories Behind The Making Of WWE Video Games

6. Money Mayweather & Iron Mike (SmackDown Vs. Raw 2009/WWE 13)

Mike Tyson WWE 13
THQ

Floyd Mayweather worked a surprisingly good boxer vs. wrestler match with Big Show at WrestleMania XXIV in 2008. The match was so well-received in fact that THQ wanted to digitalise Mayweather for use in their upcoming SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 title. Talks progressed well, then lil' Floyd pulled out of negotiations.

The problem here was that developers had already created code for his entrance, move set and animations. Now, they had no purpose, and it didn't look like they ever would. Years later, when the team were working on WWE 13, Mike Tyson signed on to become a bonus character in the game.

'Iron' Mike saved the day.

Reportedly, according to TheGamer.com, Tyson's in-game model was animated with scraps left over from the Mayweather code. In effect, THQ swapped one boxer out for another, adjusted the height of the model and ran with it. His entrance and moves were the exact same.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.