A Collector's Guide to Professional Wrestling Memorabilia: LJN's WWF Action Figures

Professional Wrestling had been around since the 1800’s in some form or another, but hit a massive boom in the 1980’s when Vince McMahon brought the WWF came into existence. The 1980’s were a golden era for professional wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) captured the hearts of wrestling fans around the globe with larger than life characters and personalities. Wrestling collectibles such as wrestling cards, figures and memorabilia are a major reason professional wrestling has so many fans. Wrestling figures were among the favorite toys of kids in the 80s and 90s.

Many of those kids have maintained their passion for wrestling figures to date even though they're all grown up now. If you're among the above then I'm betting that you go out of your way to find your favorite wrestling figures. Fortunately for you, wrestling figures and other wrestling collectibles are easily available and at affordable prices. However, to get the best deal, you must find out how much each wrestling figure/set is worth. Yes, you have a love for wrestling but that does not mean that you should throw money down the drain. Don't pay hundreds for something that costs less than $20. Most wrestling fans are guilty of doing this. Wrestling fans are extremely passionate about wrestling. They want to buy every wrestling figure and every version of it and why not: some wrestling figures are worth hundreds of dollars. Most collectors know that rare figure and also if that rare figure is just urban legend and doesn't exist.

While collecting wrestling figures is fun, there are some cons to it. For instance, the aftermarket of pro wrestling figures isn't as organized as some of the other toy franchises such as Barbie and Star Wars. Tracking value of professional wrestling figures is quite hard as there is no official price guide bible. So, how do you know if a wrestling figure or other collectible is worth a fortune? This is a problem that we hope to solve. After you've read this book or wrestling price guide, you'll know what wrestling collectibles are available and what their price is. This will ensure that you don't buy a wrestling collectible for more than what it's worth.

Once LJN Toys secured the licensing rights to produce action figures based on its wrestlers, they began releasing an impressive roster of wrestling legends from the colorful WWF. LJN’s action figures stood at an impressive 8 inches tall, making them significantly larger than many other toys on the market at the time. This bigger size allowed for intricate detailing, showcasing the unique features and trademark costumes of each wrestling superstar. These figures were made of solid rubber, giving them a substantial weight and durability that has definitely stood the test of time. While LJN’s WWF line were known for their size and fantastic detail, they offered limited articulation with each figure having almost no points of articulation.

There were a total of 64 unique figures to the line, with 6 other released figures that were repainted variations of a previous figure. Each of the figures came with a bio card on the back of the packaging and a rolled up poster of the character stored under the packaged figure’s feet. The first wave was released in 1984, and contained nine figures. Each wave moving forward got bigger with more figures and different variations of certain characters. Many waves even contained some of the iconic and popular Managers that accompanied the wrestlers. The final wave of figures was released in 1989, but were actually made by Grand Toy in Canada and not LJN. The packaging switched to a new black card and were a mix of a few new figures and several repackaged wrestlers from earlier waves. These black cards are tough to find, and can bring high dollars on the secondary market.

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LJN’s line of WWF action figures left an indelible mark on both wrestling and toy history. These larger than life figures allowed fans to bring their favorite wrestling superstars into their homes, fostering a real connection with the world of professional wrestling. LJN’s iconic line of WWF figures is a testament to the enduring legacy of the wrestlers and characters who captured the hearts of millions and the fans who cherished their memories through these beloved toys. LJN’s WWF action figure line remain cherished collectibles for the kids who grew up in that era and are always in demand. Carded figures from the various waves never last long on the secondary market nowadays and loose versions adorn many collections around the world. This bodes very well for collectors and fans of this line, with a healthy collecting market and a bright future.

LJN WWF Action Figure Waves

Let's delve into the specifics of each wave of LJN WWF action figures:

Wave 1 (1984)

The premier wave of WWF figures from LJN featured Nine figures in total, with some huge names and legendary characters, such as Hulk Hogan, Andre the giant, and Rowdy Roddy Piper.


Wave 2

The second wave of WWF Superstar figures featured six figures in total, with five brand new releases and a second “short hair” version of wrestling legend, Andre the Giant.

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Wave 3

The third wave of WWF Superstar figures featured a new high of 17 brand new figures in total, with all being new releases of characters never seen before. LJN released Two versions of Special Delivery Jones in this wave, with two completely different shirts. This wave also saw popular Managers joining the ranks of WWF Superstars figures. It should be noted that estimated values are only for the basic figures and not the harder to find versions, such as Corporal Kirchner variants.

Wave 4

The fourth wave of WWF Superstar figures featured 17 brand new figures in total, with all being new releases of characters never seen before. Once again, LJN continued mixing in popular Managers with their lineup of wrestlers, including a figure of WWF owner Vince McMahon himself. It should be noted that estimated values are only for the basic figures and not the harder to find variants, such as “Purple Skirt” Elizabeth.

Wave 5

The fifth wave of WWF Superstar figures featured 12 new figures in total, with two of them, Hulk Hogan and Tito Santana, being new versions of previously released characters.

Wave 6

The 6th and final wave of figures came out in 1989, but were actually made by Grand Toy in Canada and not LJN. The packaging switched to a new black card and were a mix of a few new figures and several repackaged wrestlers from earlier waves.

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Tag Teams and Playsets

LJN released a small series of two-pack figures called “Tag Teams” in 1986. This set depicted popular tag teams of the WWF at the time. These sets can be very pricey on the secondary market nowadays, due to collectors wanting boxed versions of their favorite Tag Team duos. It should be noted that each figure was released individually as well and were identical to the Tag Team versions.

One playset was released for the line, and appropriately, it was a wrestling ring for all these fantastic action figures. An accessory to the ring was sold that converted it into a cage match setting. LJN released one scaled playset for their WWF action figure line, and that was the Sling ‘Em-Fling ‘Em Wrestling Ring in 1985. The Cage Match set was an add-on to the wrestling ring playset.


Sidenote: The Sling ‘Em-Fling ‘Em Wrestling Ring was actually recalled in 1991 due to safety concerns, even though LJN had already went out of business at the time, further driving the demand for the popular playset.

Accessories: Four Cage Walls (2 Plain & 2 with Doors)Years Released: 1985Notes: This accessory was an add-on to the Sling ‘Em-Fling ‘Em Wrestling Ring and only contained the cage walls.

Other LJN Wrestling Collectibles

LJN released a series of 4.5″ rubber figures called Bendies in 1986. They were exact replicas of their 8″ counterparts, except more flexible. There was two packaging variations, with the first release being on a similar card to the 8″ line (White Lettering), while the second version was on a card similar to the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling erasers (Red Lettering).

LJN released a line of “Stretch Wrestlers” in 1987, that consisted of eight different wrestlers. These figures worked the same as as past stretch figures like “Stretch Armstrong”. They can still be found on the secondary market nowadays, but they will most likely be in damaged condition. Pristine versions of these figures will certainly have more value.


tags: #pro #wrestling #memorabilia