WWE action figures by Mattel

On a recent episode of Smackdown, General Manager Theodore Long was backstage congratulating WWE Diva Maria Kanellis on her upcoming appearance on the "Celebrity Apprentice" reality TV show. Smackdown consultant Vickie Guerrero decided to get involved and asked Maria to demonstrate her business skills by trying to talk up the new line of WWE action figures by Mattel. Maria did a good job of showing off some of the new action figures including Rey Mysterio, Undertaker and John Cena. Teddy Long mentioned Vickie's action figure is probably the biggest one of them all, but once Great Khali entered the picture he changed his mind.

The new lineup of WWE action figures by Mattel was introduced via WWE.com on January 1, 2010. Previously LJN, Hasbro and Jakks Pacific all had contracts with WWE to produce their action figures. The last was Jakks Pacific which handled production from 1996-2009. A deal between Mattel and WWE was reached earlier this year, and there will be several different series of figures created for both kids and serious collectors. The new Mattel action figures look pretty true to form including many of the clothing items, accessories like MVP's gold chains, and tattoos that the current WWE favorites wear.

A WWE.com section showcases gallery pictures of the various series of Mattel action figures including the Basic Series 1, Elite Series 1, Flexforce Series 1, and Entrance Greats Series 1. A Two-Pack series features tag team partners and rivals, including a set of Shawn Michaels & Chris Jericho with HBK delivering a Superkick in the package.

See all action figure photos here

Amazon.com currently sells the new WWE action figures created by Mattel's brand new toy deal. Some of the WWE figures are almost sold out or sold out already. Upon last check, action figures depicting Kofi Kingston, Triple H and John Cena had just 1 more in stock. It's hard to tell if this first series of WWE figures will become rare and a highly sought-after collectible, but many other first series of figures have become so in the past including Star Wars, GI Joe and Transformers toys.

See all available Mattel WWE action figures here.

WWE focuses on younger fans

The World Wrestling Entertainment company has slowly been shifting all of its programming to a more "family friendly" format. All of its shows are currently rated under a PG level, whereas in the past you could expect to see sex, violence, alcohol and all sorts of mayhem on the shows. Some fans may recall the good ol' days of the HHH-Kane-Katie Vick saga, or the Dawn Marie and Torrie Wilson hotel rendesvouz. Those days are long gone, unless you relive them on YouTube. Now you can expect to see more Hornswoggle humor, and toned down lines on all of the shows. The WWE practically commands TV through the week with four different shows (every day but Wednesday). Most of all of this is done in an effort not to boost Linda McMahon's political campaign, but to hook younger fans. After all once the WWE captures the youngest of its audience, they could become lifetime viewers who get their own kids into it. And so on and so on...

According to a recent Reuters article, WWE is looking to woo toymaker Mattel as well. Mattel will be taking over the line of action figures and other WWE Toys which were made by Jakks Pacific Inc. The new line of toys is set to include new championship belts, megaphones, action figures and replica masks, as well as collectible action figures aimed at the older fans.

According to Reuters.com:

"Part of (WWE's) strategy has been to try to grow their fan base down younger," Hudson Square Research analyst Marla Backer said.

"They are having in-school initiatives, they just launched a kids magazine, they are doing a number of things to generate interest among younger children."

The PG rating for the company's TV shows helps reach young fans who can then grow with the brand, analyst Backer said.

The company also recently signed blue-chip advertisers like ConAgra Foods Inc (CAG.N), PepsiCo Inc (PEP.N) and AT&T Inc (T.N).

"We have taken away some of the edginess, and as a result have signed on a number of advertisers," COO Goldsmith said.

They claim that new fans will help replace those who may be lost in the wake of toning down all the violence. Some fans were brought up on that violence, others have gone through generations of WWE as it transitioned from the Hulkamania days to the Attitude Era. There wasn't as much violence in the early 80's, but it eventually progressed as they looked to push the limits. In fact, many fans claim the Attitude Era which included fan favorites like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin was the best era ever in WWE history. WWE's main competitor, TNA seems to be moving in an almost opposite direction as they continue "crossing the line" with blood, sex, wrestlers, and storylines that mimic the older WWE days. As for now the jury is still out on whether or not this new version of WWE is going to gain a large enough fan base to keep the product strong and evolving.

Read more about WWE's focus on young fans here.

WWE Action Figures

(Bring home the Brothers of Destruction!)

A great holiday gift for many members of the WWE Universe are the WWE action figures which resemble the wrestlers from World Wrestling Entertainment. You can buy them individually or in two packs, and also can find WWE Action Figures for sale online for decent prices. You might even find some of the hard to find action figures that are sold out in stores too.

Some of the bestsellers right now include the two packs you can buy which contain tag partners, popular rivalries or mangers with their wrestlers. Examples are Tony Atlas with Mark Henry, Kane & Undertaker in this classic package or the Hardy Boyz classic deluxe 2 pack. Check out their action figures here.

The WWE Adrenaline 2 pack series #37 features Jeff Hardy and The Undertaker. These are 6 inch action figures crafted to bear a strong resemblance to the real wrestlers. Also includes 2 battling accessories to go with them. Get WWE Adrenaline 2 Packs Series #37 here

Also in series 37 of these action figures for WWE Adrenaline is a two pack containing The Game Triple H and The Viper, Randy Orton. These two adversaries make for some great matches if you own the stunt action spring ring to go with it. Or just hold your own street fights around the house using your imagination!

Other popular figures sold in single packs include Rey Mysterio, Hornswoggle, Jeff Hardy, Evan Bourne, Tommy Dreamer, Mark Henry, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista, and John Cena.

On a side note, LJN produced the first ever WWE action figures back in 1984, made out of solid rubber and were 8 inches tall. They didn't have much movement despite looking a lot like the real wrestlers. As of 1989, LJN closed down their toy operations, so WWE contracted toy maker Hasbro for the job. They handled the duties until 1994, making figures with spring-loaded actions such as clothesline or punch motions. In 1996, Jakks Pacific began to product the action figures for WWE, but they will stop that in December of 2009, at which time Mattel takes over.

Check of the bestselling WWE action figures!

Poll: Money Spent on WWE?

Many fans from around the world enjoy the sports entertainment action of WWE pro-wrestling on a regular basis, whether it be from the TV shows (Raw, ECW and Smackdown), the Pay-Per-Views or other merchandise. There's also action figures, DVD's, Video Games, CD's and other items such as ringtones. In this latest poll we're going to find out what fans buy the most when it comes to WWE. Feel free to participate in the poll below or on the right-hand sidebar!

Which WWE product do you spend the most money on?
	WWE Tickets
	WWE PPV's
	WWE Toys
	WWE DVD's
	WWE Games
	WWE Music
	None of Above Other
pollcode.com free polls

2008 Holiday Gift Ideas for WWE Fans

The holidays are already upon us, with less than 3 weeks until Christmas day! You've seen the recent promos and skits on WWE television shows including D-Generation X and Kelly Kelly promoting the DX basketball jerseys as well as the Elimination Chamber toy. Recently Raw aired a GEICO insurance ad spoof with Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Duggan was hired to help a "real WWE customer" explain her story of how easy WWE Shop made it to buy gifts for everyone. If you're stuck for gift ideas for a family member or friend, consider the suggestions below. Any WWE fan will welcome the gift of music, DVD, toys or live entertainment!

Here's Holiday gift ideas if you need to buy for a friend or family member who is a die-hard WWE fan:

5) Elimination Chamber Toy

Most recently seen on Raw expertly demonstrated by D-Generation X, this may be the ultimate toy for younger WWE fans or any fan who collects the WWE action figures and toys. According to Triple H the sturdy chamber is a 1:1 scale replica of the real elimination chamber, includes 40 pieces, removable chamber doors and holds over 85 superstars. Fans can create & re-create all sorts of wrestling matches and scenarios with this item, plus it makes for a great place to store all those action figures!

WWE Elimination Chamber Toys

4) WWE T-Shirts & Gear

DX recently unveiled their new basketball jerseys complete with neon-greenish logos (which looked great on diva Kelly Kelly). Get your friend or family member one of the many stylish and cool-looking WWE T-Shirts featuring DX, Edge, Batista, Jeff Hardy or John Cena! There's also replica championship belts, Rey Mysterio and Kane masks and much more for the ultimate WWE fan!

Find WWE Clothing and Gear here

3) Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 video game

This one may top the lists of many WWE fans all over the WWE Universe. It's the latest installment in the hottest pro-wrestling video game series there is, Smackdown vs. Raw 2009. This version packs even more of a punch as it includes all sorts of great new features including new tag-team moves and the Create a Finisher feature as well as the Road to Wrestlemania storylines. Game includes many of today's wrestling favorites as well as a few hidden characters such as Hornswoggle.

Buy Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 at Amazon

2) WWE DVD's or Music

There's a ton of great titles available from the WWE including the recent Eddie Guerrero and Intercontinental title DVD's. Also choose from DVD's about The Rock, John Cena and Ric Flair. There's two DVD's coming out this month which feature the Rated R Superstar, Edge and Kane. These DVD's will allow for hours of entertainment as fans can relive moments and matches from Raw, Smackdown, ECW and various Pay-Per-Views. Most of the DVD's are multiple disc sets including behind the scenes interviews and special features never seen before!

View WWE DVD's here

WWE Music - Nothing's better than being able to listen to your favorite superstar's theme music over and over. You can choose to give the gift of MP3 Downloads via Amazon or iTunes or give them the actual Compact discs complete with liner notes and other info. There's many songs and albums to choose from with recent Raw Greatest Hits albums and WWE the Music Vol 8. The WWE Anthology multi-disc collection contains many classic theme songs as well as a few current favorites.

Find WWE Music at Amazon.com!

WWE Music at iTunes:
RAW Greatest Hits


WWE Anthology Vol. 3: Now!


WWE Anthology Volume 2: The Attitude Years


WWE Anthology Volume 1: The Federation Years

1) Tickets to Wrestlemania 25

Not only is it the superbowl of pro-wrestling, it's also the silver anniversary of the event. Wrestlemania 25 will be held in Texas and promises to be a spectacular show, possibly breaking attendance records set by last year's show. Get tickets for your WWE fan so they can see all the action close up with matches involving their favorite superstars such as Triple H, Jeff Hardy, Batista, John Cena, Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho! Buy the tickets along with a cool WWE CD or DVD and give as a gift set. It'll make for one Happy Holiday for your favorite WWE fan!

Get Great Tickets on StubHub.com!


View Amazon.com's WWE items here

ALSO SEE: 2007 Gift Ideas for the WWE Fans

The Hogans, WWE Toys & Divas

This past week's pro wrestling news saw stories featuring Ashley Massaro, Hulk Hogan, WWE toys and WWE Divas.

It's been a tumultuous past several months for the Hogan family. There was the news that Linda filed for divorce, which Hulk Hogan said he first received from a reporter. And there is the car crash which involved an alleged speeding and intoxicated Nick Hogan. According to recent E! Online news, Nick Hogan's friend who had been left in a vegetative state has shown signs of improvement. The young man who was riding shotgun, John Graziano was recently reported as "semiconscious" and his mother said he's opened his eyes several times. Very good news for all involved and let's hope his improvement continues. Wrestler Hulk Hogan also has American Gladiators starting up soon

Read more: Signs of Improvmeent for Hogan Crash Victim

WWE has entered into a bit of its own feud with a toy manufacturer. New York Governor Eliot Spitzer asked retailers to remove four Wrestlemania figures from its shelves due to the fact they have excess lead paint used on them, making them unsafe. WWE has gone on the record to say they never licensed these toys and are looking into who makes them so they can file papers against them. WWE also released a statement on its corporate website advising parents not to buy these toys and only to buy those with the official WWE hologram on the package. Read more here.

In diva news, Ashely Massaro recently wrapped up her reality TV series, Survivor China. She also is part of Playboy's contest to vote on their best cover. Another former diva, who's now with the TNA wrestling brand, is also in the cover competition. Ashley has blogged about Survivor and Playboy. There's other diva squabbles going on too. Former diva Jazz has blasted Kelly Kelly and Chyna, and Sable and Sunny are having a Myspace fight. It's also been reported that the 2007 WWE Diva search winner, Eve, will begin her wrestling training after the holidays, in 2008.

UK Toys R Us Sells Benoit

Internet site icWales.co.uk, the national website of Wales, reports on the fact that the Chris Benoit Ruthless Aggression figure is still selling at UK Toys R Us.

From icWales.co.uk:

"A TOY store has sparked outrage by selling figures of a real-life child-killer.

Cardiff’s Toys R Us was yesterday stocking figures of former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler Chris Benoit.

Benoit strangled his wife Nancy and seven-year-old son Daniel before hanging himself at his home in Georgia, USA, on June 25. A police investigation is ongoing.

After the tragedy, WWE’s Shopzone merchandise website pulled all stock related to Benoit. But the Echo was yesterday able to buy a four-figure pack featuring the wrestler at Toys R Us off Cardiff Bay Road.

The packaging was labelled Micro Aggression and the Chris Benoit figure stood in the package next to another figure called the Undertaker.

Former professional wrestler David Dimond, 30, from Barry, was horrified to see the Benoit figure on the toy store shelves.

The hospital security guard, who has a daughter and three stepchildren, said: “I was shocked. It’s disgusting.

“You might as well have Charles Manson in there."

Read the full article here at icwales.co.uk

View the Chris Benoit Squidoo here, complete with You Tube videos of Mr. McMahon related to the tragedy.

Benoit Action Figure and Ebay

A friend of the WWE Fanatics' Myspace, Randy, found the Chris Benoit Ruthless Agression figure selling at the local Target in Brighton,MI. The figure is pictured above. Randy was able to obtain this the day after the tragic deaths were announced. At that time nobody knew the full details of the situation, so WWE had yet to pull references to Benoit and his merchandise from its site. The figures continue to sell in K-Mart and Target. If you've seen them selling in other stores, let me know.

A check of Ebay has revealed some of the top selling Benoit auctions right now are for a WWE Chris Benoit Ring Giants 14" Action Figure which was selling for over $40, an autographed Pegasus Kid photo going for almost $250 and a Chris Benoit Hard Knocks DVD (sealed) which was going for $41. There are fans willing to sell and buy. (Note: I do not have any Benoit merchandise and am not selling any on Ebay).

See some of the latest Benoit Ebay Auctions displayed here at this Squidoo page.

Benoit Figure Still Sells at Target

TMZ.com a celebrity gossip blog recently ran a story that WWE has pulled all Chris Benoit merchandise from its website. However, someone has reported that there is a set of WWE "Micro Agression" figures still selling at Target stores. The package includes the Undertaker, Kane, and Chris Benoit.

From TMZ.com:

A loyal TMZ reader has informed us that all merchandise related to the dead wrestler has been pulled from the WWE website, you can still find Chris Benoit (or at least his action figure) at your local Target store.

Even more unbelievable, we found this little gem on the toy aisle at a Target in Atlanta, which is less than fifty miles from where the murders/suicide took place. Note the toy's now-prophetic title: "Micro Aggression." Eek.

The toy set comes complete with the evil Kane, the Undertaker (insert bad taste joke here), and alleged double murderer Benoit. Steroids not included.

Calls to Target reps have not been returned.

As we mentioned, this story came from an anonymous source. If you are inside the wresting community with a real story to tell, email us. All information will be completely confidential.

Update: A friend of the WWE Fanatics' Myspace page, Raisor, has indicated that there are also Benoit figures selling at K-Mart stores.

New WWE Action Figures

Toy News International announced that Ruthless Aggression Series 27 figures will be released soon, including 6inch tall action figures of John Cena, Chris Masters, Mr. Kennedy & Batista. One in every 500 test figures will include a special WWE Championship belt as part of a special promotion. The figures will retail for $7.99 approximately and be sold in Toy & Collectible stores across the US.

To see pics of the figures and find out more, please go to:
http://toynewsi.com/index.php?itemid=11237