By Michael Moore, PWTorch specialist

For more than 25 years, pro wrestling action figures have been a staple of toy and retail stores everywhere, from the big rubber LJN WWF figures of the 1980s to today’s current Mattel WWE products.

But, the very first wrestling action figures released weren’t modeled after Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, or any WWF star. Instead, the earliest wrestling figures featured the likes of Rick Martel, Ric Flair, Larry Zbyszko, and the Road Warriors, among others.

Starting in 1985, former toy giant Remco produced four series of AWA figures, which featured movable heads, legs and arms, and were very similar to the Masters of the Universe figures from the same era. Today, those figures are among the most collectible of all wrestling toys.

Unlike the earliest WWF figures, which were sold individually, the Remco AWA figures were initially sold in two-packs. Some were tag teams, like the Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal), High Flyers (Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell), and Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane), while others were famous rivals, such as Martel and Baron Von Raschke. One set of figures was labeled “NWA champion vs. AWA challenger,” and included Flair and Zbyszko.

The second series released in 1985 included two more tag teams, Gagne’s Raiders (Gagne and Curt Hennig) and the Long Riders (Scott and Bill Irwin). This series also included three different three-packs: the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts), the Road Warriors and Paul Ellering, and “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin, “Mr. Electricity” Steve Regal and Precious.

A third series followed in 1985, dubbed “Greatest Grudge Matches.” These were again sold in packages of two, and included some of the AWA’s most famous rivalries of the era, including Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah the Butcher, Garvin vs. Scott Hall, Stan Hansen vs. Jerry “Crusher” Blackwell, and Zbyszko vs. Nick Bockwinkel.




The fourth and final series was released sometime in late 1986 or early 1987, and was called “Mat Mania.” Unlike the earlier releases, the Mat Mania series consisted of individual figures. Included in this series were Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty, “Playboy” Buddy Rose, “Pretty Boy” Doug Somers, Nord the Barbarian, Boris Zhukov, Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie, and referee Dick Woehrle.




Remco also released a toy wrestling ring, which was made of thick cardboard covered by a cloth canvas with wooden posts and elastic ropes, as well as a steel cage playset. Two different “battle royal” packages were released, which included a ring and seven figures; the first of these included one of two referees, either Nasty Ned or Curley Brown.

Anyone looking to put together a set of these AWA figures today can get a pretty easy start. The earliest figures were mass produced and very easy to find, so tracking down figures of Martel, Flair, Zbyszko, and the Road Warriors is fairly easy, and the figures can be found online for only a few dollars each, depending on the condition. Some figures, like Brunzell, Hennig, and Precious, are a little more difficult to locate and will cost more.




The figures from the Greatest Grudge Matches series are considerably more difficult to find, and will cost you more.
The crown jewel of an AWA collection for collectors is the Mat Mania series. Far fewer of these were released than any other series, and they’re very difficult to find today.

Figures like the Barbarian and Al-Kassie will sell for right around $100 loose, and the figures of the Rockers aren’t much cheaper. If you’re looking to get one of these figures still in the package, be ready to spend some big bucks; they’re almost impossible to find and when they do show up, they’ve sold for as much as $700 to $1,200.

Be aware most of the AWA figures came with several accessories, such as jackets and title belts, and that their legs and heads were easily removed and could be interchanged. If you want to find out what the original figures looked like, check out the Facebook group that has been set up at facebook.com/group.php?gid=342393630924.

If you’re looking to complete figures in your collection and need a few accessories, check eBay for things like Flair’s robe or the Fabulous Ones’s suspenders and bow ties. Some collectors have even begun making and selling their own accessories to replace those that are difficult to find, such as Nord’s fur vest.

The Remco AWA action figures may not be as detailed or articulated as today’s wrestling figures, but they’ll always hold a special place in the hearts of wrestling fans who grew up in the 1980s.

What Sold on eBay this Week

Editor’s note: Each week, this column will look at unique wrestling collectibles that have sold on eBay during the past seven days.

(1) A pair of Playboy slippers worn by Torrie Wilson sold for $149.

(2) A vintage NWA Magnum TA t-shirt from the 1980s sold for $14.60.

(3) A VHS tape of the 1988 Crockett Cup tournament sold for $13.49.

(4) A 1982 Wrestling All Stars trading card of Kerry Von Erich sold for $113.75.

(5) An LJN WWF action figure of Demolition Ax still in the original package and signed by Ax sold for $499.95.

[All photos courtesy of John Cimino]

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