Wrestlemania XL weekend already has its first champion thanks to WWE 2K24

Before the first bell of Wrestlemania XL has even rung, WWE has a new champion.

As part of this week’s WWE World fan event, the wrestling promotion held a specialWWE 2K24 tournament in Philadelphia. The competition paired six Superstars up with celebrities, who fought in digital tag team matches to earn the shiny 2K Championship. It was a much friendlier kickoff to this weekend’s heated event, which includes street fights and ladder matches.

More than that, it acted as a good reminder of why the 2K series’ current iteration works as well as it does. In just a few short matches, the tournament gave way to some natural in-ring storytelling that had a crowd of fans gasping and cheering. It all ended with a dramatic conclusion that gave Wrestlemania weekend its first championship coronation — even if it was a Philadelphia Screwjob.

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Getting pumped

The WWE World event, housed in the Pennsylvania Convention Center this weekend, is a multiday fan event filled with interactive activities and merch. The show has a main stage that hosted several events this week, including a panel with Rey Mysterio and an appearance by Cody Rhodes. The WWE 2K24 tournament would close out Thursday night after a Q&A session with The Rock (who showed up two hours late, claiming he was delayed after watching videos of the Philadelphia Eagles’ playoff loss).

As the crowd impatiently waited for the Final Boss’ arrival, I caught up backstage with the WWE talent on hand who got in some pre-tournament matches. Competitors included Kofi Kingston, Johnny Gargano, The Miz, Jey Uso, Zelina Vega, and Bayley. Each was paired with celebrities, from Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias to rapper Wale. Kinda Funny’s Greg Miller served as a suitably grumpy referee for the event, too, playing the part of a loudmouth heel