Yahoo Lifestyle Step Into the Ring With These Awesome Pro Wrestling Gifts
- 1/21
Step Into the Ring With These Awesome Pro Wrestling Gifts
Maybe you’re looking for a cute pro wrestling gift for a kid who counts John Cena and Cody Rhodes among their personal heroes. Perhaps you’re shopping for a quirky gift for that kitschy cousin of yours who’s all about luchadores. Or maybe you’ve just never forgotten that fateful fight between Macho Man Randy Savage and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat at WrestleMania III, and want to treat yourself to a little nostalgia.
Whatever your reasoning, one thing is definitely true: right now is the best time to be a pro-wrestling fan since the height of the Monday Night Wars of the 1990s (but thankfully with less leather jackets and nu-metal). WWE is having a creative resurgence with titans like Roman Reigns and Bianca Belair, All Elite Wrestling provides stiff competition for the first time in decades and launched a veritable pro-wrestling Super Bowl with the Forbidden Door crossover with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and with streaming services, fans can now stream countless hours of sports entertainment content from across the globe (back in our day, we had to trade tapes at conventions).
Which is all to say that pro-wrestling merch today is an embarrassment of riches. From awesome toys for kids to create their own shows, to workout gear for those trying to achieve that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson or Jade Cargill physique, we’ve found the gifts that will make the wrestling fan in your life feel like a champ the minute they unwrap it.
Best Products; Funko, Del Mex, WWE - 2/21
1) Pop! WWE — Hulk Hogan & Mr. T (2-Pack)
Funko
amazon.com
$15.50
Pro wrestling has existed for more than a century, probably originating as a carnival attraction. But pro wrestling as we know it today, as blockbuster spectacle, is all thanks to the brainchild of Vince McMahon and his World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), WrestleMania.
The now-annual event kicked off in 1985 at Madison Square Garden, and drew celebrity attendees such as Liberace, Mike Tyson, and Cyndi Lauper. But the iconic main event saw the company's top star Hulk Hogan team up with TV star (and Hogan's Rocky III co-star) Mr. T in a tag team match Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful.
There have been dozens of WrestleManias since, but fans will never forget the first. And now, they can commemorate it with this Amazon-exclusive Funko Pop! two-pack of the victorious main event duo.
More: The Best Funko Pop! Figurines For Every Fandom Out There
amazon.com - 3/21
2) WWE Sasha Banks Legit Boss Sunglasses
Sun-Staches
amazon.com
$9.99
Women's wrestling has come a long way since the objectifying days of the "Attitude Era," and few have been a stronger advocate — and catalyst — for that change than Mercedes Varnado, aka Mercedes Mone, aka Sasha Banks
The first Black woman to headline a WrestleMania (along with Bianca Belair), the third most-tweeted about female athlete of 2021, and co-star of The Mandalorian, Mercedes, who recently left WWE to have a title reign in Japan, is an undeniable icon of the sport. So if you have a young fan at home who already sees herself as a future champ, encourage that “vision” with a pair of Sasha’s signature sunglasses.
amazon.com - 4/21
3) Lycra Lucha Libre Adult Luchador Mexican Wrestling Mask (El Santo)
Del Mex
amazon.com
$24.99
Pro wrestling may be all about fun and fantasy, but in the world of lucha libre in Mexico, it's also serious business. Seriously, in 2018 the performance art was declared a practice of "intangible cultural heritage" in Mexico City.
No star of Mexican wrestling, or arguably any wrestling or any sport, was as big as El Santo. The silver-masked hero transcended the ring to become a movie star (with more than 50 titles to his name), comic book character, and a real-world folk hero, so embedded in Mexican culture that he even got a posthumous cameo in Pixar's Coco.
No lucha libre fan's collection would be complete without a replica of El Santo's signature silver mask, though replicas of more recent masks like Sin Cara and even Nacho Libre are also available.
amazon.com - 5/21
4) AEW UNRIVALED Sting & Darby ALLIN (2-Pack)
All Elite Wrestling
amazon.com
$44.99
Perhaps the coolest thing about All Elite Wrestling, the alternative wrestling company currently giving juggernaut WWE a run for its money, is the way they pair veteran wrestling stars from Gen X/millennial childhoods with the up-and-coming stars of tomorrow. Stars like Chris Jericho and Billy Gunn teaming up with the next generation.
And no team-up has been more exciting than the icon Sting with young skateboarding daredevil Darby Allin. This almost-paternal intergenerational partnership has been brilliantly rendered in this two-pack of posable figures from Jazwares, and makes for a great way to let your little tag team partner at home know that you always have their back too.
amazon.com - 6/21
5) The Wrestlers’ Wrestlers: The Masters of the Craft of Professional Wrestling
ECW Press
amazon.com
$19.95
For the folks at home, pro wrestling is a spectacle. A fun little show. But for those in the ring, the ones who really live for it? Pro wrestling is an art form. Sure, promoters will sometimes push muscle-bound models who can barely move and get the crowd to cheer, but to get the respect of the talent in the locker room, you gotta know how to move, how to think and how to treat your teammates right.
This thoroughly researched book doesn’t wax nostalgic about the megastars that made all the money such as Hulk Hogan or The Rock, but focuses instead on the “Wrestlers’ Wrestlers,” the workers who earned the respect of the locker rooms, like Terry Funk, Jerry Lawler, and Dusty Rhodes.
amazon.com - 7/21
6) WWE Macho Man Ugly Christmas Sweater
Fun Costumes
amazon.com
$49.99
For ’80s wrestling fans, there were Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage, and then there was everyone else. Even an ill-fated run on commentary in the 1990s couldn't keep Randy Savage down, and he got a second wind in WCW, plus a cameo in the original Spider-Man movie!
So help someone celebrate the champ who was "the cream of the crop" with this ugly Christmas sweater of the tower of power who's too sweet to be sour. Whether they prefer his WWE days, his WCW run, or his ill-fated hip-hop career, this sweater is sure to make them say "Oh yeah!"
amazon.com - 8/21
7) Action Figures (3-Pack)
WWE
amazon.com
$64.99
Picking a single wrestling action figure for someone can be tough. Sure, the “babyface” is usually the good guy, and the “heel” the bad, but fans can be fickle. Fighters such as Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, and manager Paul Heyman, all get cheered and booed in equal measure.
So why not hedge your bets by setting them up with this three-pack that gives your young giftee all they need to stage their own "falls count anywhere" title match, and put the choice of who's good or bad in their own hands (they couldn't bungle it worse than Royal Rumble 2015)?
amazon.com - 9/21
8) ‘Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows’ Blu-Ray
OCN Distribution
amazon.com
$21.99
Known among fans as "the movie Vince doesn't want you to see," for a long time, this landmark documentary was hard to track down.
Known for pulling back the curtain on "the business" and acknowledging the scripted nature of matches, Wrestling With Shadows followed Bret “The Hitman” Hart in his final days with Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation, inadvertently capturing the most infamous controversy in the industry’s history, the “Montreal Screwjob” — which stripped Hart of his title, caused outrage in Canada, and sent shockwaves through the pro-wrestling world.
amazon.com - 10/21
9) nWo Retro T-Shirt
WWE
wwe.com
$22.49
For fans of a certain generation, you remember where you were when “the Outsiders” first rolled into WCW Nitro, or when Hulk Hogan turned heel to become the infamous "third man" of the nWo, the way some remembered hearing that the Titanic sunk. It was a big deal.
But the nWo transcended the microcosm of wrestling more than anything before. The minimalist, grungy black-and-white shirt design was radically different than the neon wrestling merch of the 1980s, and was seen on ’90s celebrities like NASCAR's Kyle Petty and the NBA's Dennis Rodman (who often joined the nWo in the ring). The iconic logo has even seen a pop culture resurgence recently, being spotted on celebs like Aziz Ansari, Kendall Jenner, and soon, in the wardrobe of your giftee!
wwe.com - 11/21
10) ‘Young Bucks: Killing the Business from Backyards to the Big Leagues’ by Matt and Nick Jackson
Dey Street Books
amazon.com
$15.99
Ever since WCW was bought out in 2001, if you wanted to be a pro wrestler in America, it seemed like you had two choices: grind on a grueling schedule for Vince McMahon's WWE monopoly, or wrestle in bingo halls for a hotdog and a handshake.
But brothers Matt and Nick Jackson, aka the Young Bucks, sought a third way. This memoir chronicles the journey that took them through backyard shows, across the ocean to Japan as part of the popular Bullet Club faction, to linking up with IWGP Champion Kenny Omega and Cody Rhodes and forming The Elite.
All that led to the founding of All Elite Wrestling, the first serious WWE competitor in decades, with the Young Bucks as a centerpiece of the show. All because, as the book shows, they bet on themselves.
amazon.com - 12/21
11) Cody Rhodes Kuricha 6-Inch Plush
WWE
wwe.com
$19.99
The younger son of wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes chose to follow in his footsteps in WWE, only to get saddled with a supervillain gimmick he despised, forever stranded in the company’s lower tier. But after years in Japan, and later All Elite Wrestling (which he co-founded), Cody returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 to thunderous applause.
In his own words, he went from “undesirable to undeniable.” Currently the biggest “babyface” (good guy) in the company, kids have flocked to Cody Rhodes in the way they haven’t for any wrestler since John Cena. That makes this adorable Kuricha plush the ideal gift for younger fans who consider the “American Nightmare” to be their hero.
wwe.com - 13/21
12) Acclaimed Every Wednesday T-Shirt
All Elite Wrestling
hottopic.com
$27.92
In pro wrestling, to “get over” means to get the crowd on your side, to use your skills, your gimmick, whatever it takes, to get the applause and move merchandise.
In that sense, few acts in the game today have “gotten over” as strongly as The Acclaimed. Beginning as a goofy gimmick rap duo, heels (bad guys) meant to take a beating, they’ve grown so beloved by the crowd that their merchandise (including foam fingers) regularly sells out, and their matches drew such cheers that the company had no choice but to make them tag team champions. That led to their latest catchphrase (and one of the only ones you could wear on a shirt in public), that AEW now stands for “Acclaimed Every Wednesday.”
We know your giftee will love this shirt, because as they say, “Everyone Loves the Acclaimed.”
hottopic.com - 14/21
13) Project Rock Legacy Tank Top
Under Armour
dickssportinggoods.com
$45.00
Inarguably, the biggest breakout star in all of professional wrestling is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The man is a movie star, a business mogul, and even has a sitcom based on his life. Heck, there’s probably a whole generation of young people who don’t even realize he started out as the most electrifying wrestler of the ’90s (which makes us feel old).
Recently, Johnson teamed with Under Armor to launch his own line of workout gear, Project Rock. So if you’re shopping for someone who watches wrestling, not for the fantasy stories but for the fitness goals, hook them up with some Rock-approved gear for their next gym trip.
dickssportinggoods.com - 15/21
14) Championship Coffee Maker and Mug Set
WWE
wwe.com
$39.99
As a kid they feasted on WWE Superstar ice cream bars. In college they guzzled beer like Stone Cold Steve Austin. Now, most days the closest they come to wrestling is laying the smackdown on that snooze button on the weekends.
But you can hook them up with a championship belt-worthy breakfast drink with this WWE coffee maker and mug set. This single-serve coffee maker comes with mugs depicting both the World Heavyweight Championship and Universal Championship titles, and will always brew the perfect “cup of coffee in the big time.”
wwe.com - 16/21
15) ‘Butts in Seats: The Tony Schiavone Story’ by by Dirk Manning
amazon.com
$26.09
If they were watching wrestling during the famous Monday Night Wars of the 1990s, odds are former WCW commentator Tony Schiavone was the “voice of their childhood.” Unfairly maligned by fans for decades, who associated him with the decline of WCW through forces outside his control, Schiavone had a career resurgence and reappraisal as a major figure in All Elite Wrestling. For the first time, Schiavone tells his life story, and in graphic novel form no less, from his childhood to the infamous “butts in seats” comment that has haunted him the rest of his career.
amazon.com - 17/21
16) Undertaker Classic Hat
WWE
wwe.com
$29.99
One of the most infamous “dark forces” in pro-wrestling history, the horror-tinged Undertaker was an instant icon, in part because of his distinctive costume. WWE has made available a replica of the Undertaker’s famous wide-brimmed hat, perfect for any Halloween costume, memorabilia collection, or playtime costume for the tiny ’Taker in your home. Plus, if they're an AEW fan, it can double as a Julia Hart hat!
wwe.com - 18/21
17) Championship Slippers for Adults
WWE
fun.com
$5.00
Nothing is worse than “stylin’ and profilin’” around the house, only to strut across cold tile in bare feet. Treat them like the champ they are with these plush slippers sporting the Universal Championship title. They’re so comfy, they’ll even make Hell in a Cell feel like a day at the spa.
fun.com - 19/21
18) WrestleMania Women's Championship Title Belt Fanny Pack
WWE
entertainmentearth.com
$28.89
There have been some abysmal belt designs across WWE's decades of history, but the Smackdown Women's Championship, introduced in 2016, knocked it out of the park straight from the drawing board.
Sported by stars like Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey, now the champ in your life can sport this Entertainment Earth-exclusive title replica that's also a convenient fanny pack. Hauling around chapstick and credit cards never felt so heroic.
entertainmentearth.com - 20/21
19) Luchador Wrestling Cover and Decal for Rear Vehicle Wipers
WiperTags
amazon.com
$17.95
Some gifts are only a gift for the giftee, while others are also a present for their friends and family to share. In this case, this luchador wiper cover is not only a gift for whomever you're buying it for, but also whoever is sitting behind them in traffic on a rainy day. Any time that rear window wiper gets turned on, the red-masked luchador launches into an awesome elbow drop on their opponent.
amazon.com - 21/21
20) ‘Ali vs. Inoki: The Forgotten Fight That Inspired Mixed Martial Arts and Launched Sports Entertainment’ by Josh Gross
BenBella Books
amazon.com
$13.90
The late Antonio Inoki was many things. A pro wrestler, a movie star, even a politician in Japan. But when Inoki faced off against boxer Muhammad Ali in 1976 for a controversial, and at the time despised, “mixed-rules contest,” neither athlete could have known that their bout would plant the seeds for the modern-day sport of mixed martial arts, or MMA.
This history book by Josh Gross delivers behind-the-scenes info on how the fight came together, the bizarre ups and downs along the way, and shows how Inoki and Ali were unintentionally ahead of their time with this “sports entertainment” match.
amazon.com
