The Opening Grapple
When you first begin a match, there's a good chance you'll start off with a grapple. When this begins, you'll see two circles pop up on the screen. This will allow you and whomever your opponent is (AI or human) to eventually find a grappling position to move into, whether it's a headlock or a reverse arm hold. Eventually you'll get to the point where you can begin wearing an opponent down, or fling him or her into the ropes for a quick strike.

There’s no right or wrong decision to make per se, so select a choice and prepare to get out of the grapple or turn it in your favor. After you get into the position, you'll see a circle icon with a small blue circle inside of it. The goal here is to find the "pressure spot" with the analog stick and hold it there. If your red circle fills up first, you'll either take control of the grapple or get out of it. If your opponent's fills first, he or she assumes control.

Getting a grip (literally) on the grapple system will help you gain momentum when it comes to starting the match right. Prepare to get out of it if you need to – the last thing you want is to give your opponent an advantage.

Master of Submission
Submission maneuvers are a great way to wear down an opponent and/or win the match, like with the Undertaker's Hell's Gate. Once you get an opponent in a submission move, this is when a mini-game kicks in. 

The goal is to overlap your opponent's moving meter with your own around a circular path. They're going to move around quite a bit (and sometimes even change direction), so the best thing you can do is try to keep up with them. You can make your bar move faster by holding down the left trigger, which will enable you to catch up with their bar. Be prepared if they change direction, though, to stay out of submission.

If you can match up with an opponent's bar for several seconds and keep it there (it'll flash when you do), they'll have no choice but to tap out to your submission move – and that'll give you the victory. Be prepared for a fight if you're on the opposite end. Avoid the bar as much as possible, and don't be afraid to use the boost to escape.

Reversal of Fortune
The reversal system once again returns in WWE 2K17, and per usual, you need to have utmost timing when it comes to mastering it. You'll see a right trigger prompt appear when an opponent is about to perform a move, but it'll only last for about a split second. If you hit this at the right time, you'll reverse the move and strike back with one of your own.

This can be crucial when it comes to changing the momentum of a match, so you'll want to get a hang of the system. Early on you'll see how the timing works, and even receive indications on when you hit the button too early or too late. The goal here is to try and perfect the timing – it can take a bit, and you might even have a few losses as a result – but once you do, you'll be able to get out of most moves with ease and throw in a few of your own.

Remember, practice makes perfect – and even when you think you have it down, you could still miss a reversal or two. It's the way the system is set up. Work on your timing.

Kicking out of a Pin
If your opponent attempts to pin you, there will be a small circle that shows up with a highlighted green area. The circle lights up in red with each hand count the referee makes, and it'll pass over into the green section with a limited amount of time. The way the kick-out works is to hit the proper button when the bar is within the green section. Otherwise you won't kick out. If you miss it twice, your opponent will likely score the pinfall.