The Untold Story Behind Sonya Blade's Wrestling Inspiration in Mortal Kombat 1

In the Mortal Kombat series, drawing inspiration from sources outside of video games is nothing new, as evidenced by Sonya Blade's use of a famous pro wrestling finisher in the original 1992 game. This trend dates back even further, with nods to cult-classic films like Bloodsport and Big Trouble in Little China present in the earliest entries. Mortal Kombat 1 continues this tradition, boasting an impressive roster of famous actors and movesets that pay homage to iconic characters from various media. Sonya Blade's moveset, in particular, stands out as a testament to this diverse range of influences.

As the second reboot of the franchise following 2011's Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 1 marks a fresh start for the universe under the guidance of Fire God Liu Kang. With the defeat of Kronika in the previous game, familiar characters have been given new paths to explore, resulting in surprising alliances and unexpected changes. For example, former rivals Sub-Zero and Scorpion have become trusted allies as Earthrealm champions, while Raiden, once a deity, has taken on a mortal form while still retaining his formidable lightning powers.

The Kameo fighters pay homage to the series' early entries through their move sets and appearances, despite the narrative changes made to the game's main roster of fighters. However, fans can expect new surprises from these characters during fights, such as Sonya Blade's move inspired by WWE's Randy Orton, the RKO, which catches opponents off guard. One Reddit user, Lolitsrock, humorously pointed this out by adding WWE commentary to gameplay clips of the move. Orton originated the RKO in 2003 while he was with Evolution, using it as a quick and efficient finishing move that could be executed from almost any position. The RKO, which is an altered version of Johnny Ace's cutter, rose to fame due to Diamond Dallas Page's Diamond Cutter and has since become an iconic move in the wrestling world, inspiring countless memes, GIFs, and videos.

The first Mortal Kombat game drew inspiration from various sources, including Sonya's use of the RKO and the addition of Jean-Claude Van Damme as Johnny Cage. Fans were thrilled when Ed Boon announced that Van Damme will be the face and voice of the Earthrealm champion during the 2023 Summer Game Fest. Mortal Kombat 1 is set to launch on September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.