Because WWE Impact was a mod, the gameplay mechanics were dictated by the base game engine, not the 2011 era of simulation wrestling.

WWE Impact 2011 was a bridge between the old-school WWF No Mercy style of gameplay and the high-definition era. It proved that there was a massive demand for WWE games on PC—a demand that wouldn't be officially met until WWE 2K15 finally landed on Steam years later. How to Play Today

It features a blend of the WWE roster from that era (John Cena, Randy Orton, CM Punk) alongside TNA legends like Sting, AJ Styles, and Jeff Jarrett. Aesthetics: