WWE 2K23 2K Showcase Guide – Everything You Need to Know

Every year, WWE 2K introduces a brand new Showcase and 2K23 is no exception. This time around, the wrestler in focus is John Cena and you’ll have the unique opportunity to fight and defeat him during some of the most memorable moments from his golden years. Here is a list of all the objectives that are included in this year’s showcase.

Vengeance 2003 vs. The Undertaker

Unlockable

Arena	Vengeance 03
Superstars	Undertaker 03
Creation	John Cena’s U Can’t See Me entrance

Objectives

1. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive.
2. Successfully land a Hammer Throw on John Cena.
3. While John Cena is grounded outside of the Ring, grab him.
4. Successfully execute two Uppercut moves and Body Blows as you’re standing in front of John Cena.
5. While John Cena is inside the ring and on Apron, successfully land the Apron Guillotine Drop.
6. Either Block or Dodge incoming attacks from the opponent three times.
7. Successfully land the signature move, Chokeslam, on a random opponent.
8. Successfully execute the Old School Signature on a random opponent.
9. Execute a successful submission on the standing opponent.
10. Either Reverse or Dodge incoming attacks from the opponent three times.
11. Try to disrupt/break one of John Cena’s attempts at a Combo or Grapple.
12. While John Cena is dazed, successfully execute two Front Heavy Corner attacks.
13. While John Cena is dazed, successfully execute two Front Light Corner attacks.
14. White John Cena is standing, execute the Flip Clothines move twice.

Backlash 2003 vs. Brock Lesnar

Unlockable

Arena	Backlash 03
Championship	WWE Undisputed Championship
Superstars	-John Cena 03, Brock Lesnar 03

Objectives

1. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive, twice.
2. Hit John Cena with a Toss or Backbreakers combo while standing in front of him.
3. When John Cena is attacking, try to break or reverse his attacks.
4. Successfully land a Fallaway Slam on John Cena.
5. Hit John Cena with a Grab or Heavy combo, twice.
6. Bind John Cean with a Front Heavy Grapple.
7. While inside the ring, hit John Cena with a Front Heavy Attack.
8. Either Break or Reverse one of John Cena’s moves.
9. While inside the ring, do a Running Clothesline.
10. Successfully land a Power Slam on John Cena.

ECW One Night Stand 2006 vs. Rob Van Dam

Unlockables

Arena	ECW One Night Stand 06 Arena
Championship	WWE Championship 05-13
Superstars	John Cena 06, Rob Van Dam

Objectives

1. Execute two Heavy Combos.
2. Do an Irish Whip.
3. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive.
4. Execute a Hammer Throw on John Cena.
5. While John Cena is outside the ring, execute a Diving Moonsault.
6. As John Cena is leaning on the South or the North Barricade, outside the ring, execute a Corkscrew Leg Drop.
7. While within the ring, use a steel chair to hit John Cena.
8. Successfully execute a Font Heavy Grapple.
9. Successfully execute the Rolling Thunder Signature move of RVD.
10. Execute a Hammer Throw on any random wrestler.
11. Execute a successful Dive Attack on a random wrestler.
12. Successfully execute a Light Combo on John Cena.
13. While John Cena is down for the count, place a table at the corner of the ring.
14. Land a Front Heavy Grapple on a random wrestler.

New Year’s Revolution 2006 vs. Edge

Unlockable

Arena	New Year’s Revolution 06
Superstars	John Cena 06 (alternate), Edge 06 (alternate), Lita 06 (alternate 06)

Objectives

1. Execute two heavy combos on John Cena.
2. While John Cena is inside the ring, hit him with the Spear combo twice.
3. Successfully Pin John Cena.

SummerSlam 2006 vs. Edge

Unlockable

Arena	SummerSlam 06
Superstars	John Cena 06, Edge 06, Lita 06

Objectives

1. Successfully hit the opponent with a light grapple attack.
2. Taunt the crowd.
3. Successfully hit the opponent with a grounded heavy attack.
4. Run up to the opponent and execute a single leg drop kick.
5. Approach a grounded opponent and bind him with a light grapple attack.
6. Climb up the turnbuckle and execute a Divine attack on the opponent.
7. Manage to land two Front Running attacks on the opponent.
8. Successfully execute three combos on John Cena.
9. Hit the opponent with the Edgecution signature twice.
10. While John Cena is within the ring, climb to the top at the corner.
11. When John Cena and Edge are both inside the ring, taunt the opponent.
12. While the opponent is attacking, attempt to break or reverse his blows.
13. Approach the corner and execute the Spear finisher.

Night of Champions 2008 vs. Triple H

Unlockable

Arena	Night of Champions 08
Superstars	John Cena 08, Triple H 08

Objectives

1. Successfully Land a Rebound on John Cena.
2. While John Cena is at the ringside, stand in front of him and execute a Vertical Suplex.
3. When John Cena is attacking, try to break, dodge or reverse three of his attacks.
4. While John Cena is within the ring, execute an Irish Whip.
5. Execute the four Pedigree finishers.
6. Taunt John Cena.
7. Either Break or Reverse one of John Cena’s moves.
8. Either Block or Dodge incoming attacks from John Cena three more times.
9. Successfully execute a Light Attack on John Cena.
10. Successfully execute the Spinebuster signature.
11. Successfully land a Carry attack on John Cena.
12. Successfully Pin John Cena.

SummerSlam 2008 vs. Batista

Unlockable

Arena	SummerSlam 08
Superstars	John Cena 08, Batista 08

Objectives

1. Taunt the crowd.
2. Bind Cena with a Front Heavy Grapple, twice.
3. Get right in front of John Cena and successfully land a Sidewalk Slam.
4. Get behind John Cean and hit him with a Release Back Suplex.
5. Keep hitting the opponent’s leg until it turns orange.
6. Stand beside John Cena and successfully bind him with a Figure Four Leglock.
7. Hit John Cean with any Heavy or Light combo, twice.
8. Perform the following moves at least once:
9. Bearhug Submission
10. Spinebuster (signature)
11. Batista Bomb (finisher), twice.

9. Either Break or Reverse one of John Cena’s moves.
10. Successfully Pin John Cena.
11. Wait until John Cena is on top of the turnbuckle and then execute a Heavy Front Attack on him.

Hell in a Cell 2009 vs. Randy Orton

Unlockable

Arena	Hell in a Cell 09
Superstars	John Cena 09, Randy Orton 09

Objectives

2. Get to the ringside and perform an Irish Whip on John Cean and slam into the stairs.
3. Get to the ringside and perform a Light Front Grapple.
4. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive.
5. While John Cena is in the ring and Randy Orton is on the apron hit Cena with a Face Scrub.
6. Bind John Cena Heavy Front Grapple.
7. Get in front of John Cena and hit him with a DDT.
8. While John Cena is within the ring, hit hi twice with a chair.
9. Hit John Cena with a heavy combo.
10. Wait until John Cena is grounded and hit him with a Punt Kick.
11. Taunt the crowd.
12. Successfully Pin John Cena.

SummerSlam 2014 vs. Brock Lesnar

Unlockable

Arena	SummerSlam 14
Championship	WWE Championship 13-14, World Heavyweight Championship
Superstars	John Cena 14, Brock Lesnar 14

Objectives

1. Successfully land a three Heavy Attack Combos on John Cena.
2. Hit John Cena with a Suplex, fifteen times.
3. While John Cena is in the ring, successfully execute a Front Corner attack.
4. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive on a random opponent.
5. While John Cena is in the ring, successfully execute a Heavy Rear Grapple.
6. Successfully use a Submission while you’re inside the ring.
7. Taunt John Cean twice.
8. Successfully land a Stomp Leg Limb Attack on John Cena.
9. Use the F-5 finisher on John Cena.

SummerSlam 2016 vs. AJ Styles

Unlockable

Arena	John Cena 16, AJ Styles 06
Superstars	SummerSlam 16

Objectives

1. Perform an Irish Whip on John Cena and on the rebound, follow it up with a Drop Kick.
2. Either Block or Dodge incoming attacks from John Cena three times.
3. While John Cena is grounded, initiate a Submission.
4. While John Cena is inside the ring standing on apron, execute a Slingshot DDT on him.
5. Successfully bind John Cena with a Front heavy Grapple twice.
6. Successfully hit John Cena with a Front heavy Attack.
7. While you’re within the ring and standing behind an opponent, successfully do the Wheelbarrow Facebuster.
8. While John Cena is grounded, execute the Styles’ 450 Splash signature.
9. Successfully hit John Cena with a light attack.
10. Use the Grab Combo to hold onto a random enemy.
11. Target one of the opponent’s grounded legs and keep attacking it.
12. Successfully execute the Phenomenal Forearm finisher.
13. While you’re close to the ropes and inside the ring, execute the Springboard Moonsault DDT.
14. Successfully Pin John Cena.

SummerSlam 2021 vs. Roman Reigns

Unlockable

Arena	SummerSlam 21
Superstars	John Cena 21, Roman Reigns 21

Objectives

1. Get behind John Cena and execute a hit on him with a Headlock Punch.
2. Successfully execute an Irish Whip on John Cena.
3. Approach John cena and successfully land a Front Shoulder Tackle Heavy Gapple Attack.
4. Stand in front of John Cena and hit him with a Snap Suplex, twice.
5. While John Cena is attacking, attempt to block, dodge or reverse his blows.
6. Hit the opponent with a Heavy Combo.
7. Hit John Cena with a DDT.
8. Perform the Front Running Attack on an opponent, twice.
9. Hit John Cena with the Carvate Sleeper finisher.
10. Hit a grounded opponent with the Superman Punch.
11. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive.
12. While John Cena is attacking, attempt to block or reverse his blows.
13. Hit John Cena with two Spear finishers.
14. Starting at the corner, execute the Spear finisher.
15. Successfully Pin John Cena.

WrestleMania 34 vs. The Undertaker

Unlockable

Arena	Wrestlemania 34
Superstars	John Cena 18, The Undertaker 18

Objectives

1. Successfully execute a Flip Clothesline on John Cena.
2. While John Cena is dazed, successfully execute five Front Light Corner attacks.
3. Successfully execute the Old School Signature on John Cena.
4. Successfully land a Running DDT on John Cena.
5. While John Cena is dazed, successfully execute the Big Boot or Snake Eyes combo..
6. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive.
7. Successfully land the signature move, Chokeslam, on a random opponent.
8. Successfully land the signature move, Tombstone Piledriver, on a random opponent.
9. Successfully manage to pin John Cena.

WrestleMania 28 vs. The Rock

Unlockable

Arena	Wrestlemania 28
Superstars	John Cena 12, Roman Reigns 12

Objectives

1. Get behind John Cena and hit him with a headlock punch.
2. Successfully hit John Cena with a rebound attack.
3. While John Cena is attacking, attempt to block, dodge or reverse two of his blows.
4. Approach the opponent and successfully execute an Irish Whip.
5. Stand in front of John Cena and perform an Arm Wrench DDT finisher on him.
6. Successfully execute a Rock Bottom on John Cean on a table.
7. While inside the ring, perform a Jumping Clothesline.
8. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive.
9. Hit a random enemy with a Light Combo.
10. Take John Cean out of the ring and execute an Irish Whip on him by slamming him into the steel stairs.
11. Hit a grounded John Cena with the Sharpshooter finisher.
12. Either break or reverse an incoming attack from an opponent.
13. While you’re inside the ring, execute the Rock Bottom move.
14. When John Cena is standing, perform a Diving attack on him.
15. Taunt the opponent.

Smackdown vs. Kurt Angle

Unlockable

Arena	Smackdown 02
Superstars	John Cena 02, Kurt Angle

Objectives

1. Execute two successful Light Front Grapples.
2. Use the Ankle Lock Finisher on John Cena to end a match.
3. Execute a successful grapple, attack or dive on a random opponent.
4. Successfully execute a heavy combo.
5. Successfully execute an Angle Slam on a random opponent.
6. Successfully execute a Light Attack on a random opponent.
7. While John Cena is inside the ring, perform three successful German Suplexes.
8. Either Reverse or Dodge incoming attacks from John Cena three times.
9. Successfully execute a Light Combo on a random opponent.

The Choice (Bonus Match)

Unlockable

Superstars

Super Cena

Objectives

1. Choose a superstar from the above list of unlockables (from among all the matches you played before this bonus match).

2. Your defeat at the hands of John Cena is displayed in a small cutscene.

3. A new revenge Didn’t See That Coming match is scheduled where you’ll have to defeat John Cena in any way you see fit. No special combo or win condition is needed like before.

4. After the win, you unlock the Super Cena superstar. It’s a secret unlockable character with overall stats of 100.

Council of the Legends (Bonus Match)

Unlockable

Superstars

80’s Hulk Hogan, Bruno Sammartino

Objectives

1. This is the last match of John Cena’s WWE 2K23 Showcase Mode.

2. You’ll face off against the best superstars of every iconic decade, namely Bruno Sammartino, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan.

3. It’ll be an elimination match, and in order to win, you’ll have to successfully pin all three of them.

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