I want to make my bias clear. I didn't know it was true. wwe I've been a fan for years and am also a very passionate AEW supporter. I prefer the latter perspective, with its focus on actual wrestling (and Tony Khan's respect for the wider industry). Because I am consistently impressed by the variety of styles on display at every show the company puts on. On the other hand, there are so many things about modern WWE that I don't like. The Saudi Arabian show and the platforming of politicians I disagree with on every issue are issues that keep me from even considering watching, but beyond that, WWE is not for me. The overly predictable style of wrestling, filled with 20-minute promo fights, endless commercials, non-stop recaps where the story is explained to the viewer, and DQ finishes and roll-up endings, clashes with what I love about wrestling.
Naturally, I was disappointed when Mariah May (now Blake Monroe) left my chosen company for a brand I couldn't support. I understand that going to WWE was her decision and dream, and I'm glad she seems happy there. It's good that wrestlers have options so they can succeed in the system that works best for them. But from every clip I've seen so far, her WWE run wasn't just disappointing, it was insulting. It was an early sign going from my 2025 Match of the Year against Toni Storm in a Hollywood ending to a not-so-intense official cage match. The awkward kickout error that occurred on a recent episode of NXT would not have happened if Mariah had been on the main roster where she belonged from the beginning. But perhaps the worst thing is the character Mariah is attached to.
Blake Monroe is one of more than 30 wrestlers. WWE 2K26 until now.
Perhaps WWE feared that her gimmick was too similar to Tiffany Stratton's and Mariah May didn't connect with fans because of that, but turning Blake Monroe into “We've got Toni Storm in the house” certainly wasn't the way to go. It's painfully awkward to see her dressed similarly to Toni while trying to play an Unhinged character. Because that attempt completely lacks the things that make Timeless characters special. It's insulting that WWE saw the great things Mariah May did in AEW (including great matches with stars like Willow Nightingale) and decided to mold her character into a cheap version of her biggest rival. This makes it seem like WWE doesn't want Mariah at all and just wants to take one of their top stars and stick her with AEW. The promo's over-the-top filming and overly scripted nature goes directly against the unpredictability of the character that WWE imitates Mariah, and I actually cringe every time I see what's going on with one of my favorite women in wrestling. So if I get it WWE 2K26Sir, the first thing to do is to fix Mariah May's booking issue.
WWE 2K26's MyGM mode is a godsend for frustrated fans
Some of the many mistakes AEW Fight Forever The only downside was the lack of a deep create-a-wrestler or GM mode. WWE 2K The game has been mastered. I will be using both to book Mariah May the way I want her to be used. First, let me drop the name Blake Monroe. Yes, it's a simple change. But Mariah May has been associated with great accomplishments and arguably the greatest rivalry in women's wrestling history. Blake Monroe, on the other hand, has been involved with the awkward Jordynne Grace feud, which has both women looking weak, bad kickouts, and an obvious attempt to reshape a character that didn't need to change in the first place. To be more honest, a name similar to her previous ring name would have been much better, so it's also a much less catchy name. I know why WWE changes their stars' names. They want to own their work. But this is another issue I can't stand because overly corporate companies regularly limit opportunities for talent. So this is the first thing to change.
Additionally, Mariah May's outfit was changed to remove any Toni-like characteristics. Since she has her own personality for WWE to lean on (Ava Raine's “nepo baby” jab on social media was really funny), I'll even leave aside any hints about the NXT promotion where she talks into the mirror and acts like a clone Toni Storm. It's also worth noting that one of the funniest moments of AEW's feud with its biggest stars saw them impersonating each other, and Mariah did a great job playing Toni there. This suggests that WWE's writing, direction, and script are to blame here. Just as the company wanted a copy of Toni Storm, Mariah could theoretically deliver it. Instead, she's in a weird middle ground where only some of Toni Storm's special effects are stolen. So, if it were up to me, I would completely eliminate these elements in order to reclaim the “old” Mariah and be herself.
Most of my current favorite wrestlers (Will Ospreay, Kyle Fletcher, Darby Allin, Hangman Adam Page, Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, MJF, Toni Storm, Kris Statlander, Mercedes Mone, etc.) have become Mariah May fans primarily because of her in-ring work, as have many of my favorite AEW stars. Yes, her betrayal of Toni Storm was unforgettable, and it was a lot of fun to watch unfold, but we never get tired of seeing Mariah knock her opponent's head off. She's a great wrestler, but unfortunately WWE's overly safe and repetitive match style doesn't play to her strengths. But in video games, they could book great matches for Mariah on AEW TV every week, and they wouldn't waste any time bringing Mariah from NXT to the main roster like WWE did. Here are some feuds that will have me cheating on Mariah May.
- Rhea Ripley — Two contrasting styles that can create fun matches
- bailey — A fun feud I'd like to see before Bayley inevitably goes to AEW.
- Tiffany Stratton — Instead of ruining Mariah's character, embrace similar feelings.
- Stephanie Barker —You'll find out how they both came to WWE primarily as a result of their AEW work, how Vaquer found more success and did so so quickly while Mariah struggled, and how they broke the fourth wall a bit for promotions like filming.
- Bianca Belair — Phenomenal in-ring performance, Bianca and Mariah's match will be a guaranteed banger.
It won't take long for your AEW bias to show up if you buy WWE 2K26, but you won't regret it.
Because it's consistently as good as AEW. fight forever The game was nowhere near where it needed to be. Despite the fairly expensive DLC pack, it's lacking some of the company's biggest stars, as Mercedes Mone, Will Ospreay, and Kazuchika Okada are still unplayable. Luckily, custom rosters are included. WWE 2K26You can download and create custom versions of everything you like. This means I can give Mariah May a few matches. I'm still disappointed that I didn't get a chance to see her before she left. Kris Statlander, Mercedes Mone, Athena, and Jamie Hayter are all opponents that May would have liked to have seen feud with while she was in AEW, and they're just the tip of the iceberg. Alex Windsor, Thekla, Megan Bayne — The talent pool on the women's roster has grown rapidly since Mariah jumped ship.
If you don't need it, you might as well not give WWE any money. I wish there were more legends and current stars taking on the morally corrupt company like Mick Foley recently, but if I can find a used copy I'll probably pick it up to fill the void left by the lack of quality (current) AEW games. Of course, WWE has stars I really respect, including Bayley, Ilja Dragunov, Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles, and Rhea Ripley, but I'd like to build a custom roster with AEW stars. If so, it could have been cured. WWE 2K26 Like the game AEW wanted to have. Still, my top priority is to provide Mariah May with the care I believe she deserves.
So far, Mariah May's portrayal of Blake Monroe has felt cursed by Toni Storm's words during the final promo battle. She “sentenced Mariah to a lifetime of mediocrity” and so far her run has indeed been mediocre. Yes, Tony's feud set a bar that neither woman could pass, but the WWE version of Mariah didn't come close to meeting that bar. I don't think she is to blame for this. WWE's lack of promotional freedom, strict rules for matches that prevent her from using violence when necessary, and instructions to embrace her character are all reasons why Blake Monroe didn't click. If Mariah May is happy with how her game is going, more power to her. But everything I saw only added to my distaste for WWE. Mariah didn't waste a few years in AEW, but her first year in WWE saw her tread water in NXT when she should have been on Raw or Smackdown from day one. A more bitter AEW fan might say it's her karma for using AEW as a stepping stone, but as someone who was once a huge fan of Mariah, I'm just disappointed in her wasted potential. She doesn't need video games to be well booked, but for some strange reason that seems to be the situation we're in.
