WWE 2K25 interview: Abyss on dream matches and fostering talent

This week, the latest DLC for WWE 2K25 launched with the release of ‘The Dunk & Destruction Pack’.

The DLC, which is available to season pass holders at no extra cost, includes WWE legend The Great Khali, NBA icon Shaquille O'Neal, as well as current NBA stars Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson.

However, the star of ‘The Dunk & Destruction Pack’ is none other than TNA/Impact Wrestling legend “The Monster” Abyss, real name Chris Parks. He is now a WWE producer backstage, helping to put epic matches together as well as mentoring the stars of today and tomorrow.

As with any Superstar in WWE 2K25, the developers at Visual Concepts have done an amazing job at creating the men and women of the roster with incredible authenticity, and Abyss is no exception.

“It makes me feel great,” Chris told me in a recent interview, responding to seeing his entrance for Abyss in WWE 2K25. “And to have the authentic theme, something that’s been with me during my entire TNA career from 2002 to 2019, is awesome. I’m just so thrilled and floored being part of this game.”

Now that TNA wrestlers are being included in the WWE 2K series as part of a real-life partnership, which has seen the likes of Joe Hendry as a surprise opponent for Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41, the dream match possibilities have been blown open wider than ever before.

Having such a rich and historic career in TNA - which saw Abyss win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, multiple Tag Team Championships, become the longest-reigning Television Champion, and the heaviest wrestler to win the X Division Championship - means there’s not much that Chris hasn't done in the world of professional wrestling.

However, for reasons unknown to the average wrestling fan, the Abyss character never crossed over to WWE, which would have seen countless dream matches. But now in WWE 2K25, in the world of video games, at least, those dream matches are possible.

“The first dream match that always pops into my head is Abyss vs The Undertaker. Once I get this DLC downloaded, I’m sure that’s going to be a match I’ll play, for sure,” Chris said.

“I had incredible opportunities in my career,” he continued with a beaming smile. “I got to wrestle so many legends of the industry, such as Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Hulk Hogan and ‘The Icon’ Sting on multiple occasions. Another star is AJ Styles, who’s still active in WWE today.”

“If there were a current wrestler I’d love to take on, it would be TNA’s Joe Hendry. But that’s the great thing about WWE 2K25; fans from around the world can make all sorts of dream matches, especially now with WWE’s working relationship with TNA. That’s a reality now.”

At the time of writing, unfortunately, Joe Hendry is not part of the WWE 2K25 roster.

One of the best modes of the WWE 2K series is Showcase, a campaign that lets you relive some of the best moments in the history of WWE, inspired by the likes of WrestleMania, John Cena, and this year, the Anoaʻi family bloodline.

If Chris could choose just three chapters from his career as Abyss, should there ever be a Showcase mode dedicated to TNA, I wondered what they would be.

“I had a lot of matches with AJ Styles, but one that comes to mind is our steel cage match at the Lockdown PPV in 2005. That was the very first Lockdown event, and that’s probably my favourite match that I’ve ever had,” he revealed.

“I had a ton of great matches with Sting. We did at least five or six PPVs together. Competing against a legend like Sting provided some incredible moments for me. I’d also put my matches with Hulk Hogan in there. I had a great run with Sabu. Our Barbed Wire Massacre match at the Turning Point PPV in 2005 was groundbreaking. But if I had to pick just three, I’d say my matches with AJ Styles, Sting and Hulk Hogan.”

As is a tradition of mine, to conclude our conversation, I asked Chris over the last 12 months, whether it's professionally or personally, what had given him the most joy in life.

“That's an easy answer, it's my job as a producer,” he replied. “It's the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. To work with young talent and help them craft their trade and tell a story, and incorporate that into the match, it’s an incredible feeling.”

“The amount of pride, the amount of joy that it brings to see a talent go out there and achieve their goals, achieve the company's goals, and to watch that come to life is a feeling I can't describe. It's one of the greatest feelings I've ever had in my life.”

“I love game planning. It's one of my favourite things to do. And when you're surrounded by brilliant talent all the time, it's such an unbelievable process of minds coming together to strive and to achieve the same goal. Then, when I’m in the back watching that match we planned unfold, there's no better feeling in the world.”

WWE 2K25 is out now on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.