WWE’s Latest Collaboration With Mattel Celebrates ’80s Classic ‘No Holds Barred’
The San Diego Comic Con takes place next week, and it will feature some unique and exciting news for pro wrestling fans.
There will be new action figures unveiled, a must-see WWE panel with Cody Rhodes and Zelina Vega, and likely a few other pro-wrestling-related surprises. Mattel, WWE’s toy licensing partner, will also play a key role in the success of the SDCC by paying tribute to a moment from one of wrestling’s most famed eras.
WWE and Mattel are revealing a new “No Holds Barred” two-pack, Sports Illustrated has learned, capturing a moment in time when Hulk Hogan was the World Wrestling Federation champion, and his greatest threat came from “The Human Wrecking Machine” Zeus.
Hogan and Zeus—played to perfection by the late Tiny Lister—co-starred in the 1989 film No Holds Barred, released in June of that year. Hogan played the role of Rip, his first starring role in a film. It represents a fascinating point in pro wrestling, the end of a decade where Hogan led the industry to mainstream prominence.
Hogan and Vince McMahon were executive producers, so naturally, the story continued in the ring. Zeus made a lasting impression in the WWF during a Saturday Night’s Main Event in May ’89, ripping apart Hogan. Among those watching was future wrestling legend Rey Mysterio.
“I would always watch Saturday Night’s Main Event,” Mysterio says. “I never, ever imagined I’d get to know Hulk a few years later in WCW. I have really fond memories of that. Back then, Hulk would bring his son to shows, and I remember getting in the ring with him.
“All these years later, that Hogan-Zeus story line is larger than life. You couldn’t look away from Zeus. He got your attention—he kept your attention. To this day, over 30 years later, it’s still so well remembered.”
Despite limitations in the ring, Zeus helped headline SummerSlam in August 1989 in a tag match with “Macho King” Randy Savage against Hogan and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake. He was also part of a star-studded Survivor Series match that November, particularly memorable thanks to the commentary of Jesse Ventura, and then wrestled his final WWF match at No Holds Barred: The Match/The Movie, the payoff to the Hogan-Zeus story in a steel cage match that also included Savage and Beefcake.
The story line even connected internationally, with a young Drew McIntyre mesmerized by the action back in Ayr, Scotland.
“I was too young to appreciate it when it happened, but I found a lot of joy watching after renting VHS tapes at our local video store,” McIntyre says. “I’d look through the entire wrestling section, scanning those front and back VHS covers, and I remember being in awe of Zeus. Bret Hart was always my favorite, and I loved watching him wrestle, but I was amazed at the size of Hogan—and Zeus was even bigger.
“I ended up seeing the No Holds Barred movie after I’d watched SummerSlam ’89. I’m guessing I wasn’t alone, but as a child at the time, I remember thinking, ‘Hulk Hogan is an amazing actor. He can do it all.’ I’m still afraid to rewatch the movie because I don’t want to change those memories.”
P.J. Lewis, Mattel’s global head of action figures, helped launch the partnership with WWE more than a dozen years ago. He believes this particular product captures the magic of WWE.
“WWE is one of the most culturally relevant IPs in our industry, and in entertainment, and we take great pride in tapping into their superstars’ iconic moments,” Lewis says. “We thought this would be a wonderful one to do.
“There is this wonderful opportunity to create fun products, and we’re lucky to have such an incredible partner in WWE. Their talent is always so interested in working together. We’re particularly proud of what we’ve done for kids and collectors. We want to resonate with fans of all ages. That’s reflective of their brand, and we have specific designers that are WWE fans.”
The precision and detail on the figures are remarkable, and the packing is especially creative. The two-pack is boxed in a VHS box that also appears to contain a video tape, a fond memory for a certain era of wrestling fans. Bill Miekina, who is the key lead designer at Mattel, played an important role in its creation.
“Let’s say I did watch certain parts of the movie quite a bit,” Miekina says when asked how many times he rewatched No Holds Barred during the creation of the two-pack. “I wanted to make sure to capture all the details of Zeus’s entrance and make the in-ring look as accurate as possible. And of course, making sure to freeze on just the right frame to capture the ‘What’s that Smell?’ expression at the height of Hulk Hogan’s disgust.”
The VHS-style packaging of Hogan and Zeus is instantly recognizable, similar to the way Mattel seized people’s attention at the SDCC three summers ago with its “Macho Man” Randy Savage action figure in a Slim Jim box. Those who walked through a video store will be flooded with memories.
“I think all departments—design, marketing, and packaging—just knew from the outset that any execution of these two figures together needed to replicate the face-off seen in the movie poster,” Miekina says. “And I personally feel we have the best packaging team in the entire toy industry working on our brand, so I was not surprised when they exceeded my very high expectations for the final package.”
Mattel has partnered with WWE since 2009, and the combination has led to some remarkable collectibles. The action figures are authentic, utilizing new technologies like TrueFX face printing and new pinless joint articulation. There is great attention to detail in this project, including new hands for Rip doing his trademark “RIP ’EM” hand pose.
“When you see the final product and look at a miniature Hulk Hogan as Rip flashing his signature hand gesture at an enraged Zeus in his full entrance regalia, there is such a feeling of accomplishment,” Miekina says. “And a giddiness and excitement over how people are going to react when they see this for the first time.”
The Hogan-Zeus encounters were far from technical classics, but their staying power speaks to the relevance of two characters knowing their role and playing it at a heightened manner. Credit also deserves to be shared with Savage and the late “Sensational” Sherri, who brought a whole new dimension, full of intensity and passion, to the program between Hogan and Zeus.
“It doesn’t always need to be a classic in the ring to be remembered fondly,” says McIntyre, a two-time WWE champion. “U.K. wrestling fans remember Big Daddy–Giant Haystacks, and that would be panned now as terrible. That even took place at Wembley, and people couldn’t wait to see it. One of the moments I remember most from this era in WWE was an interview from Randy Savage, Sherri, and Zeus. I was cracking up the whole time. They’re all so committed. Their eyes are exploding, their veins are popping, it’s incredible.
“The wrestlers were so over-the-top with their facial expressions, and we loved that. I remember watching Zeus’s mannerisms and I couldn’t look away. Sometimes I laugh when I hear people critique the fact I come out with a sword. If I were a kid, I would have loved seeing someone like that. My newest figure has my kilt, my sword, the metal wrist cups, it’s unbelievable. It’s cool to be part of the evolution between WWE and Mattel.”
Mysterio’s newest figure captures another iconic moment in his career, when the luchador broke seemingly impenetrable barriers for a masked superstar and reached the top of the WWE hierarchy as world champion.
“That figure makes me think of my uncle,” Mysterio says. “I always wanted to change the design of my outfits, especially my tights, and that’s something I learned from my uncle. Looking at it, I’m amazed—and I’ve always loved combining the colors of red, black and white. I can’t wait to add it to my collection.”
Mysterio’s first action figure was part of a line created for Mexican promotion AAA in 1994, which is also a highlighted part of his legendary collection at home.
“You should see it,” Mysterio says. “My very first action figure was when AAA had an action figure line of 12 superstars, along with Psicosis, Heavy Metal, Konnan, Perro Aguayo, La Parka, Mascara Sagrada. It’s a pink outfit with white boots, there’s three white falcons on each leg, a white type of tank top, and a pink mask.
“I have two of them, one in the box and one out of the box. The one that’s in the box I gave to my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time. We just moved out to Vegas a year ago. During the move she said, ‘I’ll sell you something.’ I said, ‘What do you got?’ And she showed me the action figure ... It’s very special to me.”
A true wrestling figure aficionado, Mysterio has a deep appreciation for the collectibles Mattel is creating.
“I’ve been through so many scanning processes, and the design keeps getting better and better,” Mysterio says. “Mattel always wants to include my new tattoos, and they’re so precise and detailed.
“I’m just amazed at the improvement over the years, and everything Mattel continues to do. Hopefully I’ll add those Hogan and Zeus figures to my collection.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
