By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

In Brief: Bret Hart, Yokozuna, and Hulk Hogan all had memorable moments at the 1993 King of the Ring. Here is a look at five key figures from that event.

The WWF held its first King of the Ring pay-per-view event 20 years ago this month, expanding from four pay-per-views per year to five. It was a transitional pay-per-view in many ways, as Hulk Hogan wrestled his last WWF match for almost a decade and Vince McMahon shifted his attention to a “New Generation” of stars.

At the time this pay-per-view was held, Hasbro was producing a line of WWF toys. Here’s a look at five Hasbro figures of wrestlers who played a key role in that pay-per-view.

(5) Hulk Hogan WWF Mail Away Exclusive. Hogan was gone for the WWF for almost a year from 1992 to 1993, but his absence didn’t make the fans’ hearts grow fonder. Hogan’s act was tired, and WWF fans were ready for something different. Still, fans were shocked when Hogan dropped the WWF Title to Yokozuna and sulked back to the dressing room.

Hasbro had produced several Hogan figures, but this unique mail away figure is one of the toughest to find, usually selling for at least $100. It has Hogan in a red tank top and matching red pants.




(4) Razor Ramon Series 10. Ramon opened the show, putting in a memorable match with eventual winner Bret Hart. A few weeks later he turned babyface and began a successful run that led to several Intercontinental Title victories.

Ramon had two identical Jakks figures with different paint jobs. This one presents Razor as a babyface with a purple vest and matching trunks, along with a removable gold chain.




(3) Bam Bam Bigelow Series 8. After a slow brawl with Hacksaw Duggan earlier in the show, Bigelow picked up the pace to put on a fantastic match with Hart in the finals. After a false finish that saw Bigelow win, Hart caught Bam Bam with a victory roll to win the tournament.

Bigelow is one of the few wrestlers to be included in sets by LJN, Hasbro, Toy Biz, and Mattel. His lone Hasbro toy was included in the 1994 Red Card series, which can be very tough to find.




(2) Yokozuna Series 11. Dating back to the days of Bruno Sammartino, the WWF had always been a wrestling promotion built around a babyface champion. So when Yoko beat Hulk Hogan for his second WWF Title, fans assumed it would be a short reign until Bret Hart, The Undertaker, or Lex Luger took the belt. Instead, the former Kokina Maximus held the title for 280 days, until WrestleMania X in March 1994.

Yokozuna has two Hasbro figures, but this is the more valuable of the two, usually selling for $30-50 loose and $50-60 packaged. This was part of the Green Card series, which was the last wave of Hasbro’s WWF toys.




(1) Bret Hart Series 8. After an unexpected six-month reign as WWF Champion, Bret Hart dropped the belt at WrestleMania IX in one of the worst, most convoluted finishes in WrestleMania history. Vince McMahon recognized Hart’s talent and loyal fan base, though, and used the King of the Ring PPV to keep Hart strong. He had three very good matches with three different opponents – Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and Bigelow – en route to winning the tournament.

Hart - like Ramon, Yokozuna, and others – has two figures that are identical except for the paint jobs. This figure is more up to date, featuring Bret with tanner skin, silver sunglasses, a pink top and black tights with four hearts instead of three. This figure – from the Red Card series – is also tougher to find, usually selling for $50-60 in the package.




Do you have a unique item or collectors to share with Torch readers? Contact PWTorch Collectibles Specialist Michael Moore at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com .

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