COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: 2018 Topps WWE Undisputed Product Review

The Basics

2018 Topps WWE Undisputed

Price per box: $200

Number of packs per box: 10

Number of cards per box: 50

Hits per box (autographs and relics): At least 10

Box Breakdown

Autographs (6): Bayley, Big Cass, Velveteen Dream (basic autos numbered to 199); Cesaro, Baron Corbin (Orange parallels numbered to 99); Nia Jax (Blue parallel numbered to 25).

Autograph Relics (2): Carmella, Sasha Banks (basic auto/relics numbered to 99).

Relics (2): Alicia Fox (basic numbered to 99); Scott Dawson (Green numbered to 50).

Numbered parallels: Randy Orton 30 Years of Survivor Series Black Press Plate (numbered 1/1); Carmella (Blue numbered to 25); Paige (Green numbered to 50); Kevin Owens, Shawn Michaels 30 Years of Survivor Series (Orange numbered to 99).

Review

Topps WWE Undisputed returns for its fourth year, and continues to be the main event of Topps’ wrestling products. The product was originally scheduled for an early summer release, but was delayed until late August. Collectors are being rewarded for their patience, as there’s only one redemption card in the entire product (Lana).

Undisputed is a hobby-exclusive product, meaning you won’t find these cards at your local Target or Walmart. Each pack delivers one hit (autograph or relic card) at approximately $20 per pack; at 10 packs per box, each box runs around $200. While a $200 box of cards isn’t a product for everybody, Undisputed delivers incredible value thanks to a deep checklist, a handful of rare superstar autographs and some scarce dual, triple and quad autos.

This particular box delivered a pretty good mix of six autographs: basic autographs (serial numbered to 199) of Bayley, Big Cass and Velveteen Dream, Orange autographs (numbered to 99) of Cesaro and Baron Corbin and a Blue autograph (numbered to 25) of Nia Jax. The two basic autographed relics (numbered to 99) were Carmella and Sasha Banks, two of the more popular wrestlers in the product. The two relics – a Scott Dawson Green (numbered to 50) and an Alicia Fox basic (numbered to 99) – were nothing special, but the pack with the Fox relic also included a one-of-a-kind Randy Orton press plate.

Topps seemingly improves the design of Undisputed every year. This year’s cards are pretty basic, with just a color photo of the wrestler, along with a splash of color differentiating the parallels. This year’s design really works, especially the Green and Orange parallels.

Overall the autograph checklist is solid. Among full-time wrestlers, Alexa Bliss continues to be the top seller on the secondary market. Other popular signers in 2018 Undisputed include Charlotte Flair (who has one of the nicest signatures in wrestling), AJ Styles, Sasha Banks and Carmella, among others.

There aren’t a lot of first-time signers in Undisputed with the exception of Velveteen Dream, who may have the worst autograph in recorded human history. It’s a shame, too, because his first autograph probably would have been one of the top selling cards from this product if not for the awful “V” autograph. Topps has also cut back on the number of retired wrestlers in the product, as Sting is the only “WWE Legend” on the checklist. That’s good news for 2018 Topps Legends of WWE, due out later this year.

Many of the big name autographs in Undisputed are short-printed cards, including Undertaker, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. That’s the way it should be, too, because the biggest names should always feel like something special. It’s the same reason that Tom Brady, Steph Curry and Bryce Harper tend to be scarcer in other sports products.

There are several wrestlers who are curiously missing from this product, including John Cena, Roman Reigns and Randy Orton, although Orton does appear on a limited number of quad autographs of The Authority along with Stephanie, Triple H and Seth Rollins. It’s encouraging to see Topps hold back on some wrestlers. Not every wrestler needs to be in every product, and it’s better for the long-term value of the cards and the freshness of each new product if top names are scattered about.

Final Thoughts

Topps Undisputed has been a big hit every year since 2015, and this year is no exception. You won’t find too many other card products – wrestling, sports, non-sports or otherwise – that deliver one hit per $20 pack. Unlike a lot of products, you won’t be holding your breath hoping for a high dollar card to get your money back. The high dollar cards are nice (and rare), but each box delivers plenty of quality autographs, relics and trading cards to satisfy most collectors.

NOW CHECK OUT THE PRIOR COLUMN: COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: Wrestlers and Collectors Weigh in on All In Trading Cards