By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

Daniel Bryan isn't the first wrestler famous for his facial hair. Here is a look at figures of five other bearded wrestlers.

Daniel Bryan’s beard has become quite the marketing tool for WWE. D-Bry’s “Respect the Beard” T-shirt is a hot seller. Vince McMahon tried to shave the beard as part of a corporate makeover. And kids can play a game at wwe.com that allows them to groom Bryan’s beard.

But, Bryan certainly isn’t the first wrestler to sport some crazy facial hair. Some grew out their beards for comic relief, while others grew them to appear more menacing. Here are five wrestling action figures with beards aplenty.

(5) The Highlanders Jakks Pacific WWE Adrenaline Series 31. Robbie and Rory McCalister were two talented wrestlers whose bushy beards helped them look like crazed maniacs. Had they come along five or six years later, they might have been members of the Wyatt Family.

Instead, WWE creative turned them into the Bushwhackers more than 15 years after that gimmick had run its course. The supply was so high and the demand so low for this two-pack that you might still find it on clearance at your local Toys R Us – even though Jakks has been out of the WWE game since the end of 2009.




(4) Jim Neidhart LJN WWF Wrestling Superstars Series 4. Who could forget the sight of the big, burly “Anvil” stroking his long, red goatee during those pre-taped WWF promos from the ‘80s? Neidhart’s beard made him one of the most recognizable stars of the ‘80s and ‘90s. His first action figure was released in 1987 in the fourth series of LJN’s Wrestling Superstars.

While not as scarce or as popular as the figure of Bret Hart from the same series, it is still a popular toy with collectors, with loose figures in good condition commanding $30-50. Packaged figures almost never surface on the secondary market.




(3) Mike Knox Mattel WWE Series 5. Before Knox got a trim in order to fit under an Aces & 8s mask, he had one of the craziest beards that pro wrestling had seen in many years. Jakks made a few Knox figures before he grew out the beard, and Mattel released a bearded Knox toy after his WWE run came to an end.

This figure is part of the fifth wave of basic figures from Mattel, which many kids and collectors never saw in their markets. The Knox figure usually sells for $20-40 loose, and anywhere from $60-100 packaged. There is a rare variation that comes with a title belt serial numbered to 1,000.




(2) The Barbarian Remco AWA Mat Mania. Whether he was a barbarian, a lumberjack or a Viking, John Nord always rocked one of the best beards in wrestling. This figure is one of the scarcest and most valuable wrestling toys ever made. It was a part of the Mat Mania series, the final wave of AWA toys from Remco.

The figure came with a variety of accessories, including a furry vest and a chain. Finding a complete one with all of the original pieces is nearly impossible; a packaged figure, if you’re able to find one, will probably cost you more than $1,000.




(1) Bruiser Brody Jakks Pacific Classic WWE Superstars Series 8. Daniel Bryan wears a shirt telling people to respect the beard. Brody gave a look that demanded people fear it. Without Brody, John Nord, and Mike Knox – and a whole host of other wrestlers – probably would have had very different careers. Brody’s only U.S. action figure was included in the eighth series of Classic WWE Superstars.




PWTorch Collectibles Specialist Michael Moore can be reached at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com .

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