WWE 2K25is set to offer a number of immersive stages where players can hold memorable matches, as well as explore a new environment via The Island. One playableWWE 2K25stage that caught the attention of fans is a backstage area with a warehouse full of WWE relics, including the iconicSmackDownfist.
A screenshot recently shared byInstagram user pweofficial_highlighted thiswarehouse inWWE 2K25that’s filled with many memorable decorations from past eras. The giant fist is a recognizable symbol from the Ruthless Aggression era of the early 2000s, adorningSmackDown’s stage for over seven years. While it may be gone from weekly shows, theSmackDownfist still lives on in many wrestling fans' memories, andWWE 2K25honoring it will surely bring a smile to the faces of older fans who grew up seeing it every week.
WWE 2K25 Has a Chance to Bring Ruthless Aggression Back
A Brief History of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression Era
In 2002, the World Wrestling Federation lost a lawsuit to the World Wildlife Fund over the trademark of WWF. This prompted the company to change its name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and also debuted a brand-new direction for the sports entertainment brand. In the same year, Vince McMahon officially announced that WWE was entering the Ruthless Aggression era. Today, fans define Ruthless Aggression as the time when many would-be megastars, like John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Evolution’sRandy Ortonand Batista, made their mark in the industry.
Why the SmackDown Fist in WWE 2K25 Matters
According to aWWE Warehouse episode, theSmackDownfist is a 6,000-pound fiberglass piece reinforced with steel rods, which was divided into three parts and was hauled to every city in an 18-wheeler truck. It was used in over 300SmackDownepisodes, mostly during the Ruthless Aggression era, before it was officially retired in January 2008.
The fist hasn’t made a full return to TV yet, butWWE 2K23turned it into an unlockable stage, which players could access by playing through John Cena’s 2002 debut match against Kurt Angle in 2K Showcase mode. WithWWE 2K25bringing the iconic fist back via the playable backstage area, wrestlers are able to jump off it during No Holds Barred or Falls Count Anywhere matches. What would be particularly cool, though, is ifWWE 2K25would feature playable Ruthless Aggression matches in 2K Showcase mode, so players could relive some of the most iconic matches of this era, including wrestler variants from the early 2000s with different character cosmetics. While the main Showcase is confirmed to focus on the Bloodline, a group that began long after the Ruthless Aggression period, a smaller secondary showcase focused on this period would be a welcome surprise.
More than a throwback, theSmackDownfist represents a specific time in WWE that brought memorable moments inside the ring and even backstage. It was a reflection ofSmackDown’s action-packed shows, and gave any superstar who emerged beneath it a knockout moment. Likewise, the set design was the backdrop for many memorable matches and debuts in the program, which can be seen in nostalgic WWE images that fans look back on fondly. Although today’s WWE programming likely won’t bring theSmackDownfist back to its weekly shows anytime soon, unless there’s a special event, its legacy will always live on as part of the company’s exciting history.
