WWE 2K25 Adds Shaquille O’Neal and More in New Dunk & Destruction DLC

Image via WWE 2K25

The second downloadable content (DLC) pack for WWE 2K25, titled Dunk & Destruction, is now available, bringing with it a surprising blend of basketball stars and wrestling legends. Among the most talked-about additions are NBA icons Shaquille O’Neal, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jalen Brunson, who join the virtual WWE universe for the first time.

This isn’t Shaq’s first brush with the world of wrestling. His appearances date back to WCW days and include a memorable stint in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32. He even faced off against Cody Rhodes in AEW. While Haliburton and Brunson have yet to wrestle in an official match, they did appear on WWE SmackDown in a brief on-screen altercation, signaling a growing crossover between sports entertainment and the NBA.

Balancing out the hardwood-to-ring transition are two heavyweight additions from wrestling’s own history: TNA legend Abyss and WWE Hall of Famer The Great Khali. Abyss—who currently works as a producer backstage in WWE—makes his first official in-game appearance in the 2K series, complete with his brutal signature weapon, Janice, a spiked 2x4 that’s now available as a usable object in matches.

Here’s a quick look at what the Dunk & Destruction pack includes:

• New Playable Characters:

  • Shaquille O’Neal

  • Tyrese Haliburton

  • Jalen Brunson

  • Abyss

  • The Great Khali

• New Usable Items:

  • A basketball (yes, you can actually throw it during matches)

  • Abyss' weapon “Janice”

• 30+ New Moves and Taunts, including:

  • Abyss' Black Hole Slam

  • Khali’s Vise Grip

• Exclusive MyFACTION Cards for all five characters

This update also ties into WWE 2K25’s Patch 1.16, which adds two new arenas. One of them is the much-awaited WrestleMania 41 Arena, replicating this year’s event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This arena is accessible to players who own the Bloodline Edition or purchase the WrestleMania 41 Pack separately for $9.99. In addition, 2K has gifted all players the Crown Jewel 2024 Arena, celebrating the Riyadh event just in time for Night of Champions.

The Island mode continues to evolve as well, with Chapter 3 now live. Players can dive into 11 new quests that feature characters like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Johnny Gargano, and even a robotic version of Cody Rhodes, called Cody RhodesBot. Other unlockables include Firefly Funhouse Alexa Bliss, her doll Lily, and an older version of Nikki Cross.

Despite the buzz around this update, some players are still unhappy about the missing “celebrity” promised in the first DLC, the New Wave Pack, which launched on May 14. According to earlier datamining and speculation, names like Travis Scott and KSI were expected—but one of them is still absent, and 2K has not yet addressed the delay.

Looking ahead, WWE 2K25 has three more DLC packs on the way as part of its Season Pass roadmap:

• Fearless Pack (July): Featuring ECW’s New Jack, NXT’s Jordynne Grace, Penta, Bull Nakano, and a mystery celebrity.

• Attitude Era Superstars Pack (September): Includes D’Lo Brown, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, Victoria, and Mark Henry.

• Saturday Night’s Main Event Pack (November): Showcasing 1980s legends like Jesse Ventura, Mr. Wonderful, Tito Santana, Junk Yard Dog, and Sid Justice.

The Dunk & Destruction DLC is available now for $9.99 or as part of the WWE 2K25 Season Pass and Ringside Pass. For full details, players can check out the official Ringside Report on WWE 2K’s website.