WWE 2K23 Showcase Mode match list & How to complete

WWE 2K23's Showcase Mode puts a twist on the game mode, allowing you to control the opponents of iconic WWE Superstar John Cena. In last year's title, players controlled Rey Mysterio throughout some of his most exciting matches, but in WWE 2K23, you will challenge John Cena as other wrestlers. Here are all the matches in Showcase mode, the Superstars you will play as, and how to complete them.

Rob Van Dam vs. John Cena - ECW One Night Stand 2006

• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Hammer Throw John Cena
• Perform Two Heavy Combos (Any combo with A/X)
• Use an Irish Whip
• Perform a Diving Moonsault on Cena outside of the ring
• Use a Corkscrew Legdrop on John Cena
• Hit John Cena with a Chair inside the ring
• Perform the Rolling Thunder Signature move
• Do a Front Heavy Grapple
• Perform a dive attack
• Hammer Throw John Cena
• Hit a Light Combo
• Grab a table and set it in the corner of the ring while Cena is down
• Do a Front Heavy Grapple

Kurt Angle vs. John Cena - Smackdown

• Hit Two Front Light Grapples
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Perform an Ankle Lock Finisher
• Perform a Heavy Combo
• Hit a Light Attack
• Hit the Angle Slam
• Dodge or Reverse Cena's attacks three times
• Hit three German Suplexes on Cena in-ring (B/Circle to grab Cena, then hold Left Stick left and A/X)
• Perform a Light Combo

Related: WWE 2K23 Locker Codes (March 2023)

Undertaker vs. John Cena - Vengeance 2003

• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Use a Hammer Throw on Cena
• Grab Cena when he is down outside the ring
• Perform an Apron Guillotine Drop
• Perform two Body Blow and Uppercut moves (Move left stick towards Cena and press A/X)
• Dodge or Block Cena's attacks three times
• Perform the Old School Signature Move
• Hit Chokeslam Signature Move
• Dodge or Reverse Cena's attacks three times
• Perform any submission
• Reverse a Grapple or Combo attempt
• Hit Front Heavy Corner Attack (With Cena dazed in the corner, press A/X)
• Do Two Flip Clotheslines (Run towards Cena and press A/X)
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Hit Front Light Corner Attack – With Cena dazed in corner, hit X/Square

Undertaker Vs. John Cena - Wrestlemania 34

• Hit five Front Light Attacks on Cena in the corner
• Hit Flip Clothesline on Cena
• Hit Old School on Cena (Grab Cena with B/Circle, then hold left stick up and press A/X)
• Perform a Snake Eyes/Big Boot Combo (Cena dazed in the corner, press B/Circle to do front grab, then, pull the Left Stick away from Cena and press A/X)
• Hit Cena with Running DDT
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Hit Chokeslam Signature Move
• Perform Tombstone Piledriver
• Pin John Cena

Triple H vs. John Cena - Night of Champions 2008

• Perform a Rebound Attack
• Hit a Hammer Throw
• Perform a Vertical Suplex on Cena at ringside (Grab Cena and hold Left Stick up and press A/X)
• Perform an Irish Whip on Cena
• Dodge or Reverse three of Cena’s attacks
• Do an Opponent Taunt (Left Pad Left)
• Attempt a Pedigree
• Dodge or Block three of Cena’s attacks
• Reverse one of Cena's moves
• Do another Pedigree
• Perform a Light Attack on Cena
• Hit a Carry Attack
• Perform a Spinebuster Signature Move
• Hit another Pedigree
• Perform another Pedigree
• Pin John Cena

AJ Styles vs. John Cena - Summerslam 2016

• Hit a dropkick on Cena on the rebound of an Irish Whip
• Dodge or Block three of Cena’s attacks
• Hit a Slingshot DDT on Cena (Stand on apron outside of ring and press B with Cena close)
• Perform a Submission on Cena while he’s grounded
• Hit a Front Heavy Attack on Cena
• Do a Front Heavy Grapple
• Perform the 450 Splash Signature Move
• Attempt a Wheelbarrow Facebuster (Get behind Cena, grab, and hold Left Stick left and press A/X)
• Perform a Grab Combo
• Perform a Light Corner Attack
• Attack Cena's legs while he is on the ground
• Perform Springboard Moonsault DDT (While standing next to ropes while in-ring, Hold LB/L1 and press X/Square)
• Do a Front Heavy Grapple Attack
• Do the Phenomenal Forearm Finisher
• Pin John Cena

Related: Is WWE 2K23 available on Xbox Game Pass?

Edge vs. John Cena - Summerslam 2006

• Perform a Front Light Grapple
• Perform a Grounded Heavy Attack
• Hit a Crowd Taunt (Left Pad left)
• Perform a Running Single Leg Dropkick
• Hit a Diving Attack while Cena is standing
• Do a Grounded Light Grapple
• Do two Front Running Attacks
• Perform Edgecution Signature move
• Hit Cena with three Combos
• Run to the Corner to Climb to the Top Rope 
• Perform an Opponent Taunt
• Reverse one of Cena's attacks
• Perform Edgecution Signature move
• Perform a Spear

Edge vs. John Cena - New Year's Revolution 2006

• Hit Cena with two Heavy Combos
• Perform a Spear on Cena in ring
• Hit a Spear on Cena
• Attempt to pin John Cena

Roman Reigns vs. John Cena - Summerslam 2019

• Perform a Headlock Punch (Stand behind Cena and press B/Circle, then, hold left stick downward and press X/Square)
• Hit a Front Shoulder Tackle Heavy Grapple Attack (With Cena in the corner, press B/Circle, then hold left stick towards opponent and press X/Square)
• Perform two Snap Suplexes (Grab Cena, then hold left stick downward and press X/Square)
• Use an Irish Whip on Cena
• Block, dodge, or reverse two attacks from Cena
• Hit a DDT on Cena
• Perform a Heavy Combo
• Use the Cravate Sleeper
• Go for a Front Running Attack
• Go for the Superman Punch Signature move
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Do a Front Running Attack
• Block or reverse two attacks from Cena
• Perform a Spear in the corner
• Hit another Spear on Cena
• Attempt to pin John Cena

John Cena vs. The Rock - Wrestlemania 28

• Perform a Headlock Punch
• Block, dodge, or reverse two attacks from Cena
• Hit a Rebound Attack on Cena
• Use an Irish Whip
• Hit Cena with a Rock Bottom Finisher on a table
• Use an Arm Wrench DDT on Cena (Grab Cena, then hold left stick up and press A/X)
• Do a Jumping Clothesline
• Do a Light Combo
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Attempt a Sharpshooter Signature move
• Irish Whip Cena into the steel stairs
• Hit a Rock Bottom in-ring
• Reverse an attack or break a combo
• Do an Opponent Taunt (Left Pad Right)
• Hit a Diving Attack

Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena - Summerslam 2014

• Perform a Heavy Combo on Cena 
• Do a Front Corner Attack
• Suplex John Cena eight times
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Attempt a submission in ring
• Do a Rear Heavy Grapple
• Suplex Cena seven more times
• Opponent Taunt Cena two times
• Perform two heavy combos on Cena
• Hit Cena with a Leg Stomp Limb Attack (Press B, then A/X while near Cena's legs when he is down)
• Go for an F-5 Finisher
• Pin John Cena

Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena - Backlash 2003

• Perform a Backbreakers/Toss Combo Grab Cena, then, hold left stick left and press A/X)
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Hit a Fallaway Slam
• Reverse a move or break a combo
• Do two heavy or grab combos
• Perform a Front Heavy Attack on Cena in the ring
• Go for a Running Clothesline in ring
• Reverse a move or break a combo
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Hit a standing Powerslam in Cena (Grab Cena, then hold left stick downward and press A/X)
• Do a Front Heavy Grapple

Batista vs. John Cena - Summerslam 2008

• Do a Crowd Taunt (Left Pad Left)
• Go for a Front Heavy Grapple
• Perform a Release Back Suplex (Stand behind Cena, grab him, then hold left stick left and press A/X)
• Hit a Sidewalk Slam
• Go for a Figure Four Leglock (Hold RT/R2, then press B next to Cena's legs when he is down)
• Damage opponent’s legs to Orange level
• Perform a Front Heavy Grapple
• Perform three Combos
• Hit the Spinebuster Signature move
• Perform the Batista Bomb
• Do a Bearhug Submission (While standing in front of Cena, hold RT/R2 and press B/Circle)
• Reverse an attack or break a combo
• Hit Cena with a Front Heavy Attack while he is on top turnbuckle
• Hit a Batista Bomb
• Pin Cena

Randy Orton vs. John Cena - Hell in a Cell 2009

• Irish Whip John Cena into stairs at ringside
• Attack, grapple, or dive at your opponent to cause big damage
• Do a Front Light Grapple ringside
• Perform a Face Scrub (Face the ring from the apron and press A/X when Cena gets close)
• Hit Orton’s DDT on Cena (Grab Cena, hold left stick right, then press A/X)
• Do a Front Heavy Grapple
• Hit Cena with a chair two times in ring
• Perform a Heavy Combo
• Hit a Crowd Taunt (Left Stick left)
• Perform a Front Light Attack on Cena in the corner
• Perform the Punt Kick Finisher
• Pin John Cena

Completing all Showcase mode objectives will unlock secret matches, which allow you to take on Cena with any of the previous wrestlers. Be careful, this match will be more of a boss fight, as you will take on invisible Cena. The next secret match allows you to control Cena in a Fatal-Fourway match at Wrestlemania. Eliminate all opponents to win and complete Showcase mode.

For more on WWE 2K23, check out How to get the Action Figure John Cena skin in WWE 2K23 here on Pro Game Guides.