WWE 2K25 has had a steady stream of new content since launching in March earlier this year, and it has more in the coming months. The third WWE 2K25 DLC pack, called the Fearless Pack, is coming out on July 23, and it features five new playable wrestlers, including the controversial New Jack.
Known for his high-risk performances, New Jack made a mark on the wrestling scene as part of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling, and other hardcore promotions on the indie circuit. Although he was never officially signed to WWE, he reportedly worked dark matches for the company in the early 2000s. Nonetheless, it’s likely that his ECW legacy is the reason why he’s included in WWE 2K25‘s Fearless Pack DLC, further cementing his legacy of shocking fans with his dangerous antics. This also includes a controversial track record that WWE 2K25 fans may not want to look back and dwell on.
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The New Jack Controversy Could Be a Blessing or a Curse For WWE 2K25
What Happened to New Jack?
The world of professional wrestling is no stranger to controversies of varying scales, and New Jack had a number of them when he was still an active performer. As mentioned, he was known for doing high-risk, hardcore wrestling that often brought the shock factor to every match. New Jack would be perfect for WWE 2K25‘s extreme match types, like Ladder Matches and No Disqualification Matches, but in the real world, there have been cases wherein he took matches a bit too far.
Anyone who knows New Jack will often associate him with the Mass Transit incident, which was featured in an episode of Dark Side of the Ring Season 2. It took place during a 1996 tag match between The Gangstas (New Jack and Mustafa Saed) and the team of D-Von Dudley and then-17-year-old aspiring wrestler Mass Transit during an ECW house show. It was booked as a squash match, with The Gangstas double-teaming Mass Transit in the ring, and ending with New Jack cutting the young wrestler with a surgical scalpel on the forehead, which led to a life-threatening injury. Seeing blood during both regular and hardcore matches isn’t uncommon, and WWE 2K25 even made it possible for women wrestlers to bleed, but what happened to Mass Transit was terrifying for everyone involved and those who witnessed what happened during the match.
While New Jack and other people claimed that Mass Transit consented to the spot, it still became a big controversy because the latter wasn’t of legal age yet, and he had been seriously hurt. New Jack was sued by Mass Transit’s family and tried on charges of battery and assault using a dangerous weapon, but was later acquitted when he said that his colleague had allegedly asked to be cut with a sharp object during the match. Six years after the incident, Mass Transit passed away in 2002 due to complications with gastric bypass surgery. Likewise, New Jack continued to claim his innocence on Twitter the day before his own death in 2021. The whole situation is now part of ECW’s complicated history, and now, New Jack is considered a legend who will soon be part of WWE 2K25‘s playable roster.
There were other controversies surrounding New Jack, too, such as how he threw a fellow wrestler off some scaffolding in the most dangerous way possible in an attempt to kill him.
How the Mass Transit Incident Could Affect WWE 2K25 Fans’ Reception of New Jack
- WWE 2K25 Fearless Pack DLC characters: New Jack, Bull Nakano, Penta, Jordynne Grace, and KSI
The Dark Side of the Ring coverage of New Jack and Mass Transit’s near-death match brought on several reactions from wrestling fans. Their perception of the ECW star depends on whether they believe his side of the story or whether they’ve taken Mass Transit’s side. Likewise, this could extend to the reception of New Jack becoming a playable wrestler in WWE 2K25‘s Fearless Pack DLC, especially since it’s possible that the Mass Transit incident and other controversies might come up again. Fortunately, they could still enjoy the Dunk & Destruction DLC featuring NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal, Jalen Brunson, and Tyrese Haliburton for a couple more weeks before diving into New Jack territory.
On the one hand, discussions about New Jack could put more eyes on WWE 2K25 and its DLC packs. New and existing players might not be keen on controlling New Jack once they get the Fearless Pack DLC, but they can still play as Penta, Jordynne Grace, Bull Nakano, and celebrity guest wrestler KSI.
WWE 2K25
9/10
- Released
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March 14, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen // Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Multiplayer, Local Co-Op