Kalisto & Sin Cara
WWE’s pair of masked high-flyers have had mixed fortunes since the demise of their Lucha Dragons team. Kalisto headed to cruiserweight show 205 Live and captured its championship; but Sin Cara has been all but forgotten, first on Raw and now on Smackdown. He, too, should really be on 205 Live – and anyone with sense will immediately reunite the pair in WWE 2K19.
Kane
Like the aforementioned Cena, there’s no way the Brothers Of Destruction were missing out on 2K19 despite sporadic in-ring appearances over the last year. Undertaker (who I'll get to in more detail shortly) last competed against Rusev at Greatest Royal Rumble, while Kane briefly returned over the summer to reform Team Hell No with old partner Daniel Bryan.
Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
Noisy fanfare accompanied Gallows & Anderson's switch from New Japan Pro Wrestling to WWE in 2016, to the point that the pair was allowed to skip developmental brand NXT entirely. Since then… almost nothing. Swallowed up in the midcard, a two-month spell as Raw tag-team champions early last year is their only contribution of note. Happier fortunes surely await in WWE 2K19.
Kassius Ohno, Lars Sullivan & Oney Lorcan
I've grouped this trio together as they're the stalwarts of NXT in recent times – all likely ready for the main roster, but kept around in developmental to give other, less experienced opponents a bit of 'shine'. Ohno and Sullivan (as DLC) debuted in the series last year, while this will be Lorcan's debut appearance.
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall
Nash and Hall stand tall (literally) among the great WCW heels of the 1990s, thanks to runs as The Outsiders and – alongside Hulk Hogan – the first members of legendary stable the NWO. 2K19 is too soon for the Hulkster's return after his 2015 racism controversy, but don't be surprised if he's back next year. The pair's WWF guises (Diesel/Scott Hall) are also in the game.
Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
After a brutal two-year feud with one another had run its course, these two real-life best pals reunited to form Smackdown's most dastardly tandem – but were then split again upon a switch to Raw. We'll have to wait until 2019 so see whether WWE renews faith in the pair at some point, as Zayn is currently sidelined following surgery to both rotator cuffs.
Konnor & Viktor
Tag duo The Ascension haven't won a meaningful match in two years, and every summer I predict that this will be their last videogame appearance – only to be proven wrong 12 months later. So no prediction this year. Instead, a hope that we never have to see them wrestle Titus Worldwide again, in either videogame or real life.
Kurt Angle
In what's become something of a series tradition, last year's pre-order bonus gets upgraded to the on-disc roster this year. Age and a catalogue of past injuries have kept Angle out of the ring for most of his run as Raw general manager, but there are no such concerns in the digital squared circle – meaning 2K19 offers dream match-ups against Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles which are unlikely to occur in real life.
Lince Dorado
WWE has blown hot and cold on this Puerto Rican veteran over the last year, sometimes pairing him with springy luchador Gran Metalik, others jobbing him out to any and every name picked from a hat. His inclusion here means almost the entirely of 205 Live is included, with the only questions marks surrounding Lio Rush and Buddy Murphy.
Lita
To most fans, two female names need to be first on each year's roster: Lita and Trish Stratus. Lita lacked the in-ring polish of Stratus and these days it's trendy to criticise her matches, but as a personality few 'divas' before her elicited such a reaction as the instant her music hit. The pair main evented Raw in December 2004.
