WWE 2K23 lets you edit a wrestler’s move set and assign finishers, so you can build an AEW-inspired custom wrestler. But the available evidence does not establish a reliable, complete list matching AEW finishers to selectable WWE 2K23 animations. Check each move in the game before treating it as confirmed. A usable animation for a created wrestler also does not mean the AEW wrestler is in the game’s roster.
What you can—and can’t—confirm
The official WWE 2K23 product page describes the roster as WWE Superstars and Legends. That is distinct from the move set: a player may be able to assign an animation to a custom wrestler without the real-world wrestler associated with it being playable.
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AEW wrestler directories can help identify the finishers wrestlers use, but they do not establish which animations WWE 2K23 offers or what those animations are called in its menus. Community discussions also make conflicting claims about individual moves, including the Buckshot Lariat. Those claims are not enough to confirm availability.
Accordingly, there is no defensible confirmed checklist of AEW finishers in WWE 2K23 based on the available sources. A resemblance is not proof of an exact animation: keep exact matches separate from close substitutes, and record the game’s label rather than assuming it uses the real-world move name.
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How to check and assign a finisher
Check catch finishers
TheSmackDownHotel’s WWE 2K23 catch-finisher guide gives this route for editing a catch finisher:
- Open Creations → Move-Set.
- Select the wrestler you want to edit.
- Open Moves → Finisher → Other.
- Review the available entries and select the animation you want to assign.
That guide addresses catch finishers specifically. It does not establish that every kind of finisher—such as standing, grounded, top-rope, or tag-team moves—is edited through the same category. Look in the corresponding move-set category for the position or setup you need.
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Record what the game actually offers
For a useful AEW-to-WWE 2K23 match list, inspect the move-set editor in the game version and on the platform you intend to cover. Record the AEW wrestler, the finisher they use, the exact WWE 2K23 menu label, whether the animation is an exact match or only a visual substitute, and the setup required. Mark an entry confirmed only after you find it in the editor.
Why move names and matches need care
The AEW wrestler and finisher directory identifies real-world wrestler-to-finisher terminology; it is not a WWE 2K23 move catalog. A game animation may have a different label from the AEW move name, and two moves that look similar may not be the same animation. Preserve the in-game name and describe any resemblance as an approximation rather than presenting it as an exact match.
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Setup matters, too. A move that requires a catch, a top-rope position, or another specific situation is not interchangeable with a standing finisher just because the animations look related. Compare moves within the right position or category, and use the manual for your platform if you need the controls. The official WWE 2K23 manual explains the finisher meter and platform-specific controls.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What a finisher does in a match
The official manual describes the Finisher as the player’s most powerful move and explains that filled portions of the finisher meter represent finisher stocks. The available stocks and the controls used to trigger a move are separate from whether a particular AEW-inspired animation is selectable; check the manual for the controls for your platform rather than relying on inputs from another version.
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