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Two Fan-Favorite Match Types Reportedly Set to Return in WWE 2K26

Ask, and you just might receive. The WWE 2K series is almost comically committed to the idea of giving gamers as much content as possible, with a broad collection of match types and a positively massive roster of wrestlers. That doesn’t mean there weren’t some things we wanted to see in WWE 2K26, and now we can confirm that at least one of those requests will be met in the next edition, as a trio of returning match types, plus one series debut, have been revealed, according to reporting by Insider Gaming.

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The report comes with news of four match types that were not available in WWE 2K25 including something new and a few returning favorites. The new match types will be:

  • “I Quit” Match: Responsible for some of the most iconic bouts in WWE history, an “I Quit” match is the ultimate submission-only bout. There are virtually no limits to what is legal in a match like this, with the ultimate goal being to beat down the opponent until they can no longer continue. There are no referee stoppages or count-outs; there are no taps. The only way the match ends is when one wrestler speaks the fateful words into the mic for the whole arena to hear.
  • Inferno Match: This match is all about pyrotechnics with active flames surrounding the ring. To win the match, a wrestler has to put enough of a hurting on their opponent that they can bring them over to the flames and light them on fire. While real-world Inferno Matches require special safety precautions, which make them quite rare, in the virtual world, there’s no holding back.
  • Three Stages Of Hell Match: The ultimate feud-ender, a Three Stages of Hell Match is a best-of-three match between two rivals, with the match types getting more grueling and more dangerous with each new fall the wrestlers contest. In WWE 2K26 the matchmaking will be in your hands, allowing you to book your dream trio of matches to battle with a friend or the computer.
  • Dumpster Match: The one match type making its series debut. Details have not been released yet on the particulars of a Dumpster Match, but strong inferences can be made. The match will likely operate similarly to other matches about closing an opponent in something like a casket match. Wrestlers will likely be tasked with battering their opponent until they are so weak they can be picked up and deposited in the dumpster, with a closed lid signalling the end of the match.

While the WWE 2K series may not have been struggling for content, that doesn’t mean it’s not still exciting when something new, or in the case of three of the matches, something old and missed, comes around. These four new match types mean new ways to play, whether you’re contesting the matches yourself or booking your own cards in Universe Mode.

How do you feel about the announcement of the latest additions to the game’s arsenal? Is your most-wanted addition or return going to be in the game later this year, or is there another match type you’d still love to see and are bummed to have to wait another year for?

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Robert Preston
Robert Preston is a sports and gaming journalist with nearly two decades of professional experience. He has covered a broad range of sports both on the field and on a console from lacrosse to MMA and football to football.