WWE 2K25 Superstar Ratings: 10 Biggest Surprises & Snubs

If any more proof were need that the WWE has truly changed, Sandman's whopping 86 rating duly provides it.

For a long time, WWE simply did not understand the appeal of ECW. Alongside the ill-fated ECW reboot, WWE spent years either belittling the smaller promotion or flat-out ignoring its fans. Given that, the 86 awarded to one of ECW's most iconic wrestlers feels a little like a mea culpa on the part of WWE.

Which is all well and good. But did they really need to slap an inflated rating on Sandman, of all wrestlers?

Sandman is arguably the biggest example of "...and then the bell rang" in wrestling history. Sandman got incredibly over due to his iconic entrance, where he would walk through the audience while Metallica's "Enter Sandman" blared through the sound system. Fans sang along, Sandman would chug a beer (or three) while walking among the adoring masses, and he looked for all the world like the next coming of Steve Austin.

Unfortunately, Sandman's take on the "beer-swilling brawler" gimmick placed an unhealthy amount of emphasis on the beverage-consuming part of the equation. As a result, his matches were... messy, to put it kindly. 

Given Sandman's in-ring failings (there's a reason he never got over outside the hardcore environment of ECW), his 86 rating seems way too high. He's not on par with Sheamus (86), he's not as revered as the Great Muta (86), and he's definitely not a bigger name than the Iron Sheik (85).

Oh, and "Enter Night" isn't even Sandman's entrance song in the game! That should knock 30 points off his score, right there.