WWE 2K25's latest DLC is an eclectic mix of longtime wrestling vets and NBA star dream scenarios. The Dunk and Destruction pack adds pro basketball players Shaquille O' Neal, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jalen Brunson to the virtual squared circle. It may not be the most popular idea with fans, but the additions are done with some serious wrestling fandom in play. There's an Easter egg that made me chuckle quite a bit when I encountered it.
Haliburton is probably the star of this pack, although his wrestling interaction is limited to attending live WWE events and teasing a feud with Brunson. The Pacers All-Star gives real secret character energy with athletic moves he would never be able to hit in an actual WWE ring. But my favorite move of his is a deep cut shoutout for longtime wrestling aficionados.
While your opponent is prone on the mat, doing a heavy strike to their torso will trigger Haliburton's version of the elbow drop with flourish. It was popularized by MVP, who termed it the "Ballin' Elbow." Commentator Byron Saxton even implores Michael Cole to holler "Ballin!" with him as Tyrese does the move.
For those who weren't following WWE in the early 2000s, Montel Vontavious Porter (His initials spell MVP, get it?) was a caricature of the pampered athlete. Before his debut, fans were told he was the highest-paid acquisition in the history of Friday Night Smackdown.
At one point, he went on an incredibly lengthy losing streak, which is the kind of problem real athletes face sometimes. It makes a lot of sense that a pro basketball player would love MVP so much that he would borrow one of his signature moves.
These days MVP is working in AEW, and any return to WWE seems a long way off. In an interview with Betideas, MVP said he has "zero respect" for HHH because of the way Bobby Lashley and the Hurt Syndicate were booked under his watch.
Tyrese Haliburton's tribute is a great way to acknowledge MVP's work in WWE without being able to include him in the game. The pack is $9.99 sold separately, but included if you bought the Season Pass. WWE 2K25's Standard Edition is currently on sale on Steam for 40 percent off.