Wrestling Figures From The Land Of The Rising Sun

A silent crowd, polite applause, perhaps a few crepe paper streamers, and some of the best in-ring action you'll ever see.  These were the glory days of puroresu aka professional wrestling in Japan.  Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, Mitsuharu Misawa, Tiger Mask, and even domestically known names like Stan Hansen, Andre the Giant, The Funk's, and Abdullah the Butcher dominated Japanese culture for years perhaps even more than the country's other sports and entertainment icons.

It's actually quite unimaginable in the United States as to just how big professional wrestling and its stars were in the Land of the Rising Sun.  While domestic wrestling has always had niche fans and "boom" periods of fad popularity, wrestling in Japan enjoyed mainstream popularity and coverage for several decades.

That is, of course, where the memorabilia comes into the picture.

Not only was Japan the birthplace of many gimmicks, moves, angles, and ideas in pro wrestling, but it was also the home country to the very first wrestling action figures.  A company called Popy, also manufacturer of the Tiger Mask action figure line (based on the cartoon from which the Tiger Mask character was born), created a small line of wrestling figures in the early 1980's.  This series, including Inoki, Andre, Hulk Hogan, and Harley Race among others, is very hard to find and valued highly to this day.

In the 1990's when the Japanese in-ring product was often regarded as the best in the world, several lines of quality figures began being produced.  Every promotion of the time including New Japan Pro Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH and others got into the act with figures produced by a wide variety of companies such as Hyper Heroes, HAO, Character Product, and more.

Although figures were produced in several different sizes, the most popular would likely be the five inch figures which were made under each company's banner.  As much as the Jakks Classic Superstars line should be celebrated for including stars from so many different eras, these five inch Japanese figures cover eras, companies, and countries with stars ranging from Mil Mascaras and the Funk's to Jushin Liger and Ultimo Dragon.  Special outfits, accessories, and other "deluxe" features were included with many of the figures while others commemorated special matches or events based on their design.  Ring announcers, referees, managers, and even a pair of ring girls known as the "Break Bunnies" were produced into figures along with rings, belts, and even ring accessories such as barbed wire and (plastic) flames!

Nearly all of the five inch figures included a universal feature: removable arms.  For some of the figures this fact made no difference at all.  For others, like Jinsei Shinzaki/Hakushi, two pairs of arms were included with the figure to create different poses.  Others yet, like Satoru Sayama, included a different torso to transform the popular light heavyweight into his guise as the original Tiger Mask.

These figures hit the height of their popularity in the early 2000's which was a time when MMA was heavily crossing over with pro wrestling in Japan.  Many MMA figures were produced in the country by the same manufacturers and collections often include figures from both, especially of those who starred in both sports.  One notable example would be American "The Beast" Bob Sapp who was one of the biggest cultural stars in Japan at the time.

American collectors often wonder just how these figures measure up in size compared to popular lines from their country.  The main five inch Japanese figures fit perfectly with the Hasbro WWF and Galoob WCW lines making many dream matches...or displays...possible.

Of course the five inch figures were just one style.  Large figures, small figures, "big head" figures, and even 3 3/4 inch G.I. Joe-esque figures were released of stars from across the span of puroresu.  While some may argue that many of these pieces were more statues than figures, the attention to detail and quality craftsmanship place these at the top of any collection.

One interesting thing that I have come across in collecting Japanese figures is the reactions of the stars when seeing these pieces.  Dory Funk Jr. and Scott Norton were unaware that figures of themselves even existed.  Although the individual licensing rights are listed on the bottom of the back of the cards of many of the figures, perhaps the rights were attained in deals that the stars themselves were unaware of.

Over the past couple of years the figures have unfortunately ceased production.  With the popularity of wrestling on the decline in Japan, this did not come as much of a surprise.  When Jakks conceived their TNA line follow-up to the WWE Classic Superstars line, rights to New Japan Pro Wrestling figures were acquired.  The NJPW version of Hulk Hogan was ultimately the only figure to come from this deal, but at least the NJPW logo was included on the packaging.

As in America, action figures were just a tip of the iceberg as far as wrestling merchandise in Japan.  Publications chronicling wrestling far surpass those in other countries due to the aforementioned mainstream appreciation that the sport achieved there.  From newspaper coverage to the famous Weekly Gong magazine, Japanese wrestling publications are abundant and a lot of fun to collect.  Many of the magazines include coverage of American wrestling as well, often providing a different look at events well known to many of us.

Video games, trading cards, plush toys, and of course tons of recorded media are all just as treasured in puroresu collecting as action figures.  VHS tapes of Japanese wrestling shows were among the top traded wrestling shows of the 1990's due to quality of matches and talent involved.  Games like Fire Pro Wrestling are often considered the best wrestling video games which, like the action figure lines, included stars from a wide spectrum.

When it comes down to it, the figures remain king.  Prices for almost all of the figures have risen since their initial release and continue to be discovered by new collectors.  At the height of their release, some online stores would take pre-orders for some of the figures due to the process of importing the items.  While the prices were higher than domestic equivalents even then, in retrospect they seem rather low compared to the secondary market numbers now.

Here is only a small sample of this great, and often overlooked, aspect of wrestling action figure collecting.  I'm sure that we'll revisit the topic in the future on the blog, and to see many more of these figures and loads of other great memorabilia, "Like" and check out the galleries on our Facebook Fanpage.

Ichiban!

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--Wrestling Revue, May 1972

Anyone who collects old wrestling publications knows that there's usually a plethora of gems in the pages of each issue.  Fun old articles, dated (and sometimes very politically incorrect) advertisements, spectacular photos, and a few surprises usually comprise just a single magazine.  These nuggets of interest compelled me to start doing "bonus" features at the end of unrelated entries that I like to call "From The Musty Yellowed Pages."

Met with a great response, it hit me that some of these issues could fill up an entire entry themselves.  Until about a decade ago, there were tons of different wrestling titles to choose from on the newsstand.  From those that treated the sport seriously to others that tried that either built upon or ignored kayfabe, they're all interesting and veritable time capsules of eras gone by.

I hope to present a wide variety of magazines and programs in entries such as this, but we will begin with a look back to forty years ago this month.  Wrestling Revue claimed right in the title on the cover that they were "The World's Largest Selling Wrestling Magazine."  This may very well have been true.  While the ubiquitous Weston magazines like Inside Wrestling and The Wrestler were going strong, Wrestling Revue was widely known for worldwide wrestling coverage and excellent photography.  The magazine also seemed to steer clear from stories that created angles and instead tried to cover wrestling as an actual sport.

The May 1972 issue of Wrestling Revue features two Hall of Fame legends, Cowboy Bill Watts and the late Chief Jay Strongbow, right on the cover.  Wrestling Revue seemed to often alternate between action shots or portraits like these for their covers.

The editorial inside discusses an absence that many fans probably noted as soon as they opened the issue--wrestler rankings.  A staple of most wrestling magazines to this day, editor Norm Kietzer explains that rankings or ratings lists were simply inaccurate and making it worse was the matter of which titles deserved "World" status.  Many fans will remember when the latter became an issue regarding the WWF Championship in the Weston magazines of the 1980's.  Across from the editorial is a full-page ad for the DynaPower bodybuilding supplements that Verne Gagne endorsed for years, complete with an iconic shot of the champ himself.

Page 15 features an article covering British grappler Billy Robinson's arrival in the United States.  A great photo of Robinson with AWA announcer Marty O'Neill and "Miss Minnesota Universe" is prominently featured.  In those days it looks as if Robinson was as styling as he was dangerous.  As one of the true toughmen of the sport utilizing the infamous British style, Robinson to this day teaches that style as well as MMA to young students.The article goes on to note that Robinson had a variety of tag team partners in the U.S. including Gagne and Wilbur Snyder.  Another is a very young and lean Don Muraco who appears remarkably different than he would a decade later in his NWA and WWF runs.

 

The next article features a blow-by-blow account of a match held in the world famous Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.  The match pitted Bull Ramos against Sicodelico who wore an awesome and somewhat psychadelic mask.  It should be noted that Sicodelico is the brother of Dos Caras and Mil Mascaras.  In the photos accompanying the article, the famous phone number R.I. 9-5171 appears in the background.  This was the phone number to the Olympic Auditorium's box office and was once one of the most famous phone numbers in the world.

The cover feature on Cowboy Bill Watts is quite extensive and again features some amazing photography.  It begins with a photo of Watts delivering his famous "Oklahoma Stampede" as well as one featuring Watts with fellow Oklahoma wrestling legends LeRoy McGuirk (father of former WWF ring announcer Mike McGuirk) and Danny Hodge.

Another name of note on the article is that of the author, Lil Al Vavasseur.  You'd be hard pressed to find a wrestling magazine of the era that didn't feature Vavasseur's name.  "Lil Al" was a well-known wrestling photographer of the day who created many of the most famous shots of wrestling's greatest legends.  To this day, Al's photography is circulated among collectors, still with the unique "Lil Al" name stamp in the corner.

Another place that "Lil Al" appears in not only this issue but most others of the time is in the "Fan Club Chatter" section.  Fan club's for wrestlers were all the rage at the time and you'll often be surprised as to the familiar names you will see listed as fan club presidents.  Mike Tenay, AWA/AWF Announcer Mick Karch, Ken "Lord Zoltan" Jugan, and PWI Editor Stu Saks are all listed in this issue back when they were just fans and before they went on to make their own names in the business.

Losing your hair?  Interested in girl wrestling pictures and movies?  Wrestling Revue has the answers for you!  These ads appeared in nearly every wrestling magazine of the day and are somewhat tame by standards of the day.  Other wrestling titles, sold to all ages, featured ads of much more risqué products that would have no chance of being sold to anyone under 18 today.  Even with ads like these for tamer fare, you'd probably have just as good of a chance of actually receiving these products today as you would've back then.  Caveat emptor, indeed!

One feature that I really enjoy each time that I pick up one of these old magazines is a section called "Fans' Candid Corner."  This section showcases shots taken by fans from all over the world and provides a fans-eye-view of the wrestling territories.  In this issue not only do we get to see a great shot of a pre-Mr. Wrestling II Johnny Walker, but also a bloodied Bobby Heenan being led to the back by police.  The latter photo fully illustrates a scene that we've heard described by so many stars from the era either in interviews or books: the hated heel relying on the local law enforcement to get them safely out of the arena before the angered fans are able to unleash their rage.  If this photo doesn't make you sit back and realize how great the territorial wrestling days were, nothing will!

While it would be great if more footage from these days existed, it's comforting to know that we have so many publications like this so that the era will never truly be gone.  The truth is that many of these magazines can still be purchased for under $10 per issue.  Remarkable bargains for the amount of treasures that are hidden in each one.  To see many more great wrestling magazines from the 1950's to now, be sure to "Like" our Facebook page which can be found here.

Memories (And Memorabilia) Of The Territorial Wrestling Heroes

It's a lot easier to be immortal in pro wrestling these days.  Any wrestler that's made any kind of stride in WWE or TNA will have any combination of a trading card, action figure, or video game rendering.  Being captured in any of those forms guarantees immortality, but does it necessarily equate a remembrance?

Sure we all remember stars of years gone by who had the immense WWF marketing machine behind them, but what about the gladiators that came before them?  The true regional heroes of the mat that, while they may have had some small national exposure, largely stayed confined to just a few areas.  To be remembered today by both fans who saw their battles up close and personal as well as those of us who were not yet even born is a true testament to their talent.  It's also the stuff of which legends are made.


One of these men will be celebrating his 80th year this Sunday, May 13th.  That man would be the one and only Danny Hodge.  An absolute God in amateur wrestling, Hodge beat out Kurt Angle as the first Olympic wrestler to make a successful transition into pro wrestling.  Hodge also beat out Hulk Hogan as the first pro wrestler to make the cover of Sport Illustrated, although after reading the SI article it is apparent that the NCAA champion had no intention of going pro at the time.

Ask any wrestler over the age of fifty as to who the toughest grappler of the golden era was and they will most assuredly answer with Hodge's name.  His feats of strength were often demonstrated by crushing an apple in his fist and swiftly turning it in applesauce.  Now nearly an octogenarian, Hodge is still fully capable of this amazing skill.

A perennial holder of various forms of the NWA Junior Heavyweight Championship, Hodge's career was ended after a car accident in the mid-1970s.  Despite not being active in the ring for almost forty years, Hodge's name is still widely bandied about when the all-time greats are discussed.  Although he is a member of many Hall of Fame's, Danny Hodge's name is one that many feel should be in the WWE Hall of Fame.  This is an opinion shared by fellow Oklahoma native Jim Ross who had the honor of inducting Hodge into the NWA Hall of Heroes in 2010.

Hodge stays active as chairman of the sports commission in Oklahoma as well as by making appearances at events such as NWA Fanfest.  The former champion often seems to have as much fun at the event as the fans.  A gentleman in every sense of the word, his handshake shared with fans is much more forgiving than the grips which he uses on apples.

While getting a handshake and photo with Mr. Hodge would be enough to thrill any true wrestling fan, it's actually the fact that I've met another territorial great that seems to surprise most people in conversation.  Maybe it's because this star made almost a second wrestling career out of being a menacing, scheming manager in the NWA.  The man in question would be none other than "Number One" Paul Jones.

Classic wrestling fans from Florida to the Carolinas remember Jones as one of the best ring technicians of the day.  Fans who were largely unexposed to the territories and instead grew up watching Jim Crockett Promotions' World Championship Wrestling will remember Jones as the conniving manager of stars such as The Powers of Pain, Rick Rude & Manny Fernandez, and others while constantly feuding with "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant.

Although all memories of Jones are valid, it's his wrestling years where he truly shines as a superstar.  Combined with ring technique that would match up to any current star was a flare for controversy that would fit right in with today's "sports entertainment" tastes.  From throwing title belts off of bridges to turning on various "babyface" tag team partners such as a young Ricky Steamboat, (to hear Jones tell it, they turned on him) Jones was a true athlete, entertainer and, in many ways, ahead of his time.

Speaking of those ahead of their time, imagine an accomplished wrestling star from the 1960's and 1970's who went on to design and create so many of the championship wrestling belts that we've dreamed of winning?  That would be Reggie Parks.

Even if you've never seen Reggie Parks wrestle, you have still seen his work.  Creating most of the memorable championships for the WWF, NWA, AWA, WCW, and more, Mr. Parks carved out a legacy in pro wrestling that will never be matched.  Now imagine all of that on top of a fantastic wrestling career.

Originally trained by Stu Hart, Parks' career was largely on the west coast where he wrestled under both his own name and as the masked Avenger.  Capturing many regional titles, word spread of Parks' talents for creating titles as well which began his second career in wrestling.  Since then, Parks' name has been synonymous with the highest honors in the sport that he devoted his life to.

This is just three great examples of men whose blood, sweat, and tears built a territorial industry into a global pastime.  There are many more like them, some more celebrated and some less, that I hope to be able to talk about in these pages in the future.  While memories fade and memorabilia deteriorates, stories can be passed down continually until the end of time, thus providing immortality for these legends that no other medium can.

Here we have three men that devoted their careers to a sport that they loved.  Three men who, without the aid of an action figure or video game appearance, are remembered by the fans who cheered them in smoke-filled arenas around the country.  Three men that paved the way for the stars of today and, even if just because of this article, are now known to the fans of today and hopefully thus will be remembered by the wrestlers and fans of tomorrow.

You Can Look, But You Can't Touch...

Never before has a theme song matched the action figure so well.

I have nothing against the Bella Twins personally.  I'm sure they're very nice girls.  Lord only knows why they wouldn't milk a WWE deal for all it's worth, but that's for them to know and the dirt sheets to find out.  That said, they're almost the Kardashians of the wrestling world, albeit much better looking.  In essence, they're famous for nothing.  They can't wrestle.  They don't seem to be particularly talented at anything else that we've seen in the PG-rated WWE Universe.  When they had the position of escorting Raw guest hosts to the ring it seemed like their talents were being used to the fullest degree.  Nonetheless, the twins have decided that they've had enough of the WWE.

Maybe I'm the crazy one.  After all, not only did I just mention the scourge of pop culture, the Kardashians, TWICE in an entry, but the rest of the entry is devoted solely to the Bella Twins.  They do have merchandise though, and one of the hottest current pieces of merchandise to boot.

I've mentioned in previous reviews that Mattel just doesn't understand that female figures will sell.  They don't have to be packed in shipping cases less than the male wrestlers.  In fact, if Mattel were to ask anyone who's been in a WWE figure aisle over the past year they would instead hear desperate pleas for them to make and ship less Randy Orton figures.  Yet, more "Viper" figures are on their way, folks.

Keeping with their one-track-minded decree of producing/shipping less females, Mattel has done the same with their first two-female figure pack, the Bella Twins.  If you see the tons of John Cena/The Rock two-packs clogging shelves, you've already missed the Twins.  You've missed Sin Cara/Daniel Bryan as well, but not to fear, more Sin Cara figures are on their way.  As for the Twins?  Never again.

Even if they weren't gone, this would most likely be their only shot at plastic immortality.  That fact actually helps answer a question that I'm often asked by non-collectors:  Why figures of less talented or less popular superstars can attain such popularity and value.  Even if they were the worst figures ever made (and they aren't), the fact that they're limited in distribution and that figures of the girls will most likely never be produced again automatically brings up that price. 

Are the figures worthy of their current position atop of the wrestling figure heap?  Let's take a look...but we can't touch.

When these figures were in the planning stages, Mattel promised that we would be buying two distinctly individual figures as opposed to two of the same figure in one package.  While they succeeded, I wouldn't call it a rousing success.  A slightly different smirk and cock of an eyebrow are the extent of the facial differences.  Though one could argue as to just how different twins can look, it would help if they looked more like the girls themselves.  Here, Brie looks passable while Nikki greatly resembles actress Alyssa Milano.  The hair mold used for each girl is different which shows some commendable effort, although the real difference is behind them.  No, really.  It's on their behinds.  "B. B." and "N. B." monograms are included on their derrieres so that children across the world can tell the difference.

As opposed to other Mattel Diva figures, you feel like you're getting something tangible here.  Their leggings are fully molded and detailed, while their tops are actually separate pieces from the figures which are not removable.  I feel I should mention that since the Bella's wore a variety of colors, black should've been the last choice for the figures.  The nice colors did wonders for the recent Layla figure and could have been repeated here.  Also included is the first-ever figure-sized replica of the WWE Diva Championship belt.  This ultimately has to factor into the popularity of this set, although only a fool would believe that we won't see it released with future Diva figures down the line.  Hopefully Mattel will actually color it in a bit for those releases.

I wouldn't advise against buying it, as if you want it grab it whenever you see it.  What I will say is that as opposed to the LJN Ultimate Warrior, Remco Buddy Rose, or even any of the rarer Jakks Classic Superstars, it isn't really worth the inflated prices.  Are any figures?  Obviously it's up to personal taste, but I'd have felt slightly ripped off had I paid more than $18.96 for the set.

Don't blame me if you end up wishing that you'd taken heed of the theme song's advice, "You can look, but you can't touch."  Honestly, I think another group of female wrestling figures deliver a Knockout to these twins, but that's just my opinion... 

JWs Best Wrestling DVD Bets

Something that wrestling has in spades over all other sports is rewatchability.  Yes, there are sports fans who will watch highlight after highlight over and over again, but aside from the occasional old game shown for nostalgia or DVD sets of specific teams, sporting events are rarely watched over again the whole way through.

Wrestling does have the advantage in that it's more of an art form than a competition.  With many matches you may pick something out upon the fourth or fifth viewing that you never noticed before.  There may even be an instance where a match that didn't necessarily appeal to you on the first viewing eventually becomes one of your all-time favorites.

Then there are times when absolutely nothing beats sitting back with your favorite snack and beverage and taking in some classic wrestling matches.  With the advent of DVD over a decade ago, that notion has become easier than ever to put into play.

Although "sharing" (or stealing) content via online means has become the norm, DVDs (and Blu-Ray discs) are still highly collectible and a very viable form of wrestling memorabilia.  Many are very inexpensive and most of the greatest matches of the past thirty years are available in crisp and clear quality. 

I can remember when it was still possible for one person to own every wrestling DVD produced.  Even after the first wrestling DVD was released in the form of WrestleMania XV, it took a few years for the market to truly kick in.  Over a decade later and many more commercially released wrestling DVDs exist than were ever produced on VHS or any other format.

Although Blu-Ray has entered the genre, DVD is still the leading format for pro wrestling.  Like many other DVDs, prices have been reduced drastically making it possible for a fan to accumulate quite a collection without much money spent.

While WWE and TNA rule the roost as far as pay-per-view and wrestler biography DVD releases, other companies with access to matches unavailable to "the big two" have released some great wrestling DVD product as well.

One of my favorites is the "Warriors of Wrestling" 4-disc set released in 2005.  This DVD is a collection of the first season of shows from the American Wrestling Federation.  The AWF was a mid-1990s promotion that starred many former WWF and WCW stars like Tito Santana, Sgt. Slaughter, Bob Orton, Tony Atlas, and Greg Valentine just to name a few.

AWF matches featured a round system similar to boxing.  It was a novel idea in a time where wrestling was getting stale for some fans.  Although some of the content consists of squash matches, there are many gems here as well.  An AWF championship match between Santana and Orton which makes full use of the round system is intact and required viewing for fans of either legend.  Many promos are also included from many of wrestling's best mouths including the last regular managerial run of the legendary Sir Oliver Humperdink.

A "season" set of shows like that is something that WWF fans have been requesting for years.  Tired of the same old pay-per-view matches featured on release after release, many fans young and old would love to see full sets of shows such as Saturday Night's Main Event.

A few hidden treasures in WWE's vast DVD library are the "Legends of Wrestling" releases.  These six one-disc releases not only feature one of the early roundtable discussions previously exclusive to WWE On-Demand, but also a variety of matches focusing on the same topic as the discussion.  Matches from WWF, WCW, AWA, Mid-Atlantic, and more were included as extras with the majority never being released on DVD prior.  Although many retailers sold a boxed set of three of the releases, the other three were exclusive to Best Buy and are no longer available in stores.

Perhaps the most celebrated wrestling DVD collection to date is the Wrestling Gold set.  This five-disc collection runs over ten hours and has perhaps the widest array of matches not owned by WWE.  Originally released in 2001, the set retailed for over $60 and came in five separate "keep cases" bundled with an illustrated cardboard sleeve.  Although many fans forked over the money for this original version, the set was re-released several years later into one large case at a greatly reduced price.

If a fan wants to take a look at the wrestling territories of the '60s, '70s, and '80s, there is no better way than with Wrestling Gold.  Matches from just about every wrestling hotbed are included and is a fun mix of both tv and arena bouts.  Adding to the historic value of the set is the alternate commentary provided by Jim Cornette and the godfather of wrestling journalists, Dave Meltzer.  Although you'll want to hear some of the original commentary, especially that of Memphis legend Lance Russell, you need to watch the entire ten hours with Cornette and Meltzer first.  From historic facts and figures being recalled at lightning fast speed to the reaction of both men seeing many of these matches for the first time, the commentary is sometimes even more entertaining than the matches themselves.  From early matches of Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage, and Kerry Von Erich to invaluable rare footage of Bruno Sammartino, Dick the Bruiser, and The Sheik, there is absolutely something for everyone.  And if you're a fan of Memphis...I need say no more.

Following the success of the aforementioned set, Wrestling Gold did go on to produce four more DVDs under their banner.  Featuring footage from Smoky Mountain Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling, these additional sets also featured insider commentary from Cornette and Meltzer.  Shown in very early matches are such names as John Cena, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Lance Storm, Batista, and Brock Lesnar.  The best of the four is a complete release of SMW's Night of Legends show featuring southern wrestling legends and then-up-and-comers.

Wrestling fans are lucky.  If the business should ever change so much that it is unrecognizable or fails completely, fans will always have hour upon hour of classic matches to treasure and enjoy.  Year after year, new fans can be introduced to the greatness of the past and that, perhaps, will give them an even greater appreciation of the squared circle and the men whose blood, sweat, and tears defined it.

TNA Makes An Impact On The Fanfest Scene

It's hard to believe, but 2012 marks the 10th year of TNA/Impact being part of the professional wrestling landscape. Through countless changes in presentation, personnel, and even ownership, the company has continually served as an alternative to WWE. Although the company has not always done it's best to differentiate itself from the often wacky land of the WWE Universe, the fact that there is a viable alternative at all can, at times, be very comforting.

TNA has always had one area where it has shined far brighter than WWE: fan friendliness. Some might argue that a smaller company has to be fan friendly in order to grow, but TNA has often gone above and beyond in this area.

With the rise of wrestling fanfests and conventions in the last decade, TNA went ahead and merged the concept with that of a traditional wrestling show. At even the smallest TNA house show you are nearly guaranteed to meet a few of the stars. Some old school fans may scoff at the idea of being able to actually meet the stars of the evening, but kayfabe isn't quite as healthy as it was years ago. It has been said that WWE still does not care for the concept of fans being able to meet the stars at their shows. While they do run their Axxess event during WrestleMania weekend and infrequently sponsor appearances (always run by "representatives" whose drill sergeant-esque actions would make Adolf Hitler blush), the company truly lacks where "meet and greet" concepts are concerned. This is where TNA picks the ball up and runs with it. Far.

Although I had attended several TNA house shows in the past (one of which I documented here), I don't feel that I truly witnessed just how fan friendly the company was until I attended their Bound For Glory Fanfest in 2011. Autographs and photos with nearly their entire roster of stars, including Sting, Ric Flair, and Hulk Hogan.

To put this in a monetary perspective one only has to do simple math. Hulk Hogan is in many categories all his own and that includes appearance pricing. A serious autograph collector already knows that Hogan has never actually appeared at a wrestling convention. His signings have largely been limited to sports shows with appearances from baseball and football legends. The price? Usually between $100-$200 per autograph (usually depending on the item). A photograph? If you're lucky, the organizers of the show MAY allow a lean-over-the-table photo.

The price to attend a TNA Fanfest? $200. Included on the lineups of both that I've had the pleasure of attending? Hogan. Flair. RVD. Kurt Angle. Jeff Hardy. Bobby Roode. James Storm. The Knockouts. I will stop there, as it already speaks for itself.

This past weekend I was once again able to partake in this incredible deal by attending the Lockdown Fanfest in Nashville, Tennessee. The event was organized identically to the Bound For Glory event in that you are permitted two autographs and a photo with any of the stars in the first three signing sessions and one autograph and a photo with the legends in the "Main Event Session" which features Hogan, Flair, and Sting.

It was announced prior to the doors opening that Sting would not be part of the event as advertised. In lieu of his appearance, TNA allowed fans to get two autographs from Hogan and Flair and gave out an Impact Wrestling t-shirt that would be signed by all of the stars in addition to your own items. To many of us in attendance, the announcement boiled down to this: three autographs each from Hogan and Flair. No matter how long you have been collecting wrestling autographs, you know that multiple signatures from these two is a real treat and made an incredible bargain all the sweeter.

Before entertaining the convention room, the employees at registration hand each fan a package of official 8x10 promotional photos to be autographed. Fans also have the opportunity to purchase many other items, including the current Impact Wrestling program, to be signed. One qualm I did have was that the company only had action figures available of stars that are no longer on the roster, much less at the event. Don West told me personally that the figures of Matt Morgan and Rob Terry were "down the road" at the warehouse. Why they were not available to be purchased and signed at the event as opposed to figures of Kevin Nash and Shark Boy is a mystery that we'll never have the answer to. Luckily many of us came already armed with the new figures of many current roster members.

At the house show signings it seems that security is occasionally instructed to refuse items for talent to sign. While it isn't a major problem, I have seen WWF/WWE items turned away. This "rule," if it is indeed official, is completely ignored at these pay-per-view fanfests. This allows many collectors to get classic items signed by stars like Hogan, Flair, RVD, Taz, Hector Guerrero, and even agents like Al Snow, Bruce "Brother Love" Prichard, and D'Lo Brown.

In a special surprise, TNA President Dixie Carter arrived early on in the event. Although she was not advertised, Carter quickly found a spot and signed autographs, posed for photos, and talked graciously with fans for hours. Ms. Carter was also very interested in what the fans thought of the current product and asked for opinions and suggestions. If the company truly listens, I think that it can become what the fans want it to be.

On this afternoon, I cannot imagine a wrestling fan in attendance who wasn't feeling pure happiness. Seeing the stars interact with the fans, parents sharing these moments with their children, and an overall feeling of "Damn...I love wrestling" filled the air as the autographs piled up. Even taking into consideration events like Axxess, a wrestling company has never held an event with such a casual feeling. From witnessing some interactions, it seems as if many fans follow the company around to various cities for these events. After attending even one, it's easy to understand why.

As mentioned above, the "Main Event" session is held at the end of the show. Although the line can last a few hours, it's truly worth the wait once you are in the presence of these legends. I've met quite a few wrestlers in the past quarter-century, but meeting The Hulkster is really an experience unlike any other. Love him or hate him, looking into his eyes and having a short conversation is somewhat surreal. Much to his credit, Hogan does indeed take that time with each and every fan and knows how to make the meeting extra special. Brother.

If this were a review, I would absolutely have to grade an A+. TNA goes above and beyond with these fanfest events. Some would say that they have to. I say that they don't have to do anything of the kind. Are they making money? I'm sure that they are. They also have the means to have names like Hogan and Flair at a more than reasonable price for fans. If you ask me, everyone benefits. If you have the opportunity, don't pass it up. It may be a once in a lifetime shot. And if the parting shot below doesn't make you want to go, nothing will...


****"From The Musty, Yellowed Pages..."****

Inside Wrestling, May 1978, Page 39 & Wrestling Revue, March 1973, Page 56

If you've followed the blog for any amount of time, you're probably familiar with our recurring "bonus" feature called "From The Musty, Yellowed Pages..." where we look at items found within the great old wrestling magazines.

It was about ten years ago that I first found "Lil Taz" in the Pen Pals section of Inside Wrestling. Yes indeed, Taz himself was once 9-year-old Pete Senerchia, a fan of Bruno Sammartino. Last year it become our very first "Musty" feature. Upon looking through a 1973 issue of Wrestling Revue, I discovered a great young shot of his current broadcast partner, Mike Tenay. Seeing that they would both be at the Lockdown Fanfest, I decided to pack the magazines and get a reaction...and hopefully an autograph.

Both seemed to really enjoy seeing their first magazine appearances. Tenay, who ran a newsletter of his own in that era, claimed that he did not even have the issue himself. Both agreed to sign and pose with the classic issues. Just another magic moment from the event...and luckily I didn't become "just another victim."