I’m a self-confessed vintage toy nerd. I collect vintage wrestling action figures from the 80’s & 90’s. I started purchasing some vintage toys out of nostalgia. Well, WWE and Mattel sucked me into their new stuff. I now buy a few figures a month. You can view photos of my collection on my Instagram account.
The lineup for WWE Elite series 62 is a huge improvement over Elite 61. You have three first-time elites (Dude Love & AOP) and a WCW flashback Sting in a new attire.
The WWE Superstars included in Elite 62 are Dude Love, Authors of Pain (Akam & Razar), Sting, Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns.
Dude Love – Mattel has been trying to get a Dude Love elite released for years. There was a period when Mick Foley wasn’t under a licensing deal and the Target exclusive Hall of Fame series and Toys R Us Network Spotlight series were both cancelled. There weren’t as many avenues to release Dude Love, so Mattel squeezed him into the main elite line. This figure completes the three Faces of Foley. This is a must-own for any wrestling figure collector.
Sting – There have been a few Sting elites released, but I like this one more than his ‘Great American Bash’ Defining Moments elite. There have been too many USA themed elites, so this green and black attire is a step above. I also like that it comes with the Heavyweight title.
Authors of Pain (Akam & Razar) – It’s about time AOP get elites. They come with updated NXT tag titles and they are in the attire they wore during NXT Takeover: Orlando. The headscans are amazing and way better in person. Mattel really knocked these out of the park.
Roman Reigns – I really hate that Roman Reigns hasn’t changed up his attire over the years. He has some new colors on his vest, but he needs an overhaul. Mattel keeps releasing Reigns elites, but they are very similar. They tend to update the headscan more than most guys, which is a plus.
Braun Strowman – Strowman is another guy that may need to freshen up his attire. Mattel has released too many Strowman elites this year as there has been no need for an updated elite. He basically wears the same stuff and this figure doesn’t even have a new headscan.
Elite 62 should be found at retail in mid-to-late October.
Elite 63’s lineup has leaked, but I will write up a post once MOC pictures are released, which should be in the next couple weeks.
You can pre-order everything at RingsideCollectibles.com. I’m not getting paid to plug them (although it would be nice to get a nice discount – wink wink). I just recommend them. I’ve been pleased with every purchase. You can also check out WalkOutWear.com for pre-orders with free shipping.
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About the Author…
Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.