Courtesy of EA Sports
EA Sports announced earlier today that “Iron” Mike Tyson will be making his UFC debut as an MMA fighter in their upcoming game EA SPORTS UFC 2. If you haven’t picked up a UFC game in the past, this just might give you the incentive to pick it up when it drops this March. Here’s some major info from the official press release EA sent us:
Fans who pre-order EA SPORTS UFC 2 will get instant day-one access to Tyson, and all players can unlock him by progressing in the game and making it to the Hall of Fame in Career Mode. The former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world packs the strongest punching power of any fighter in the game and will fight across two different weight classes: light heavyweight and heavyweight. For a first look at the former champ in EA SPORTS UFC 2, watch the Mike Tyson reveal video.
“When you think about the most devastating fighters of all time, Mike Tyson is either around, or at the top of everyone’s list. It’s fun to think that if MMA was as popular back when he was competing as it is today, you might have seen Tyson put on four ounce gloves and step into the Octagon®,” said Creative Director Brian Hayes. “This is one of those great ‘what ifs’ that we get to create when making a game like EA SPORTS UFC 2.”
Two versions of Tyson are coming to the game: “Iron” Mike Tyson based on his climb to stardom and string of invincible fights in the eighties; and “Legacy” Mike Tyson, developed with the end of his illustrious career in mind. Fans who pre-order the standard edition of EA SPORTS UFC 2 will get day-one access to “Iron” Mike Tyson. Those who opt for the Deluxe Edition will receive both “Iron” Mike as well as “Legacy” Mike Tyson. Both versions are available to unlock by progressing in the game.
“As a huge fan, I’m honored to be part of EA SPORTS and explore the world of mixed martial arts,” said Mike Tyson. “I follow UFC very closely and it’s going to be very cool to see how I would stack up against these amazing MMA athletes.”
EA SPORTS UFC 2 takes the franchise’s stunning character likeness and animation to another level, adds an all-new Knockout Physics System and authentic gameplay features, and introduces the biggest ever roster of real-world fighters in a MMA game who will step back into the Octagon on Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Full feature and mode details can be found at http://easports.com/ufc/features.
Fans excited to step into the Octagon® can pre-order EA SPORTS UFC 2 and get day-one access to three legendary fighters: UFC Hall of Famer and three-time King of Pancrase, Bas Rutten; Japanese MMA legend, “The Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba; and Mike Tyson.* The deluxe edition of the game also includes up to $60 of UFC Ultimate Team™ Premium Packs**.
Here’s the official reveal video. It chronicles Mike Tyson’s fictional mixed martial arts career from his youth to the present. It’s actually pretty cool, especially for us old heads that grew up with Tyson whooping asses in the ring:
My brother is going to piss himself with excitement. He’s a Mike Tyson stan! EA Sports UFC 2 debuts March 15 in North America and March 17 worldwide on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. If you’re an EA Access member, stay tuned. You’ll be able to play the game before the official debut.