Wrestling Superstars were the first action figures based on the wrestlers of the WWF. Wrestling action figures were the brainchild of Richard Derwald of Buffalo NY who sold the idea to LJN in the summer of 1984. (Video in references). They were made by the toy and video game company LJN from 1984 to 1989. The figures were made of solid rubber and paint and were very accurate in appearance to their real life counterparts.
LJN closed its toy division in 1989, canceling the Wrestling Superstars line with it. The last six figures produced were only distributed by Grand Toys of Canada making them rarer than most of the other figures.
The line was restarted in 2021 by Jazwares, which produced an action figure of Cody Rhodes with LJN branding for All Elite Wrestling. Wrestling Superstars figures for AEW wrestlers Darby Allin and CM Punk have also been announced for 2022.
In 2025, the 8" line was revived in a retro toyline by Mattel titled LJN WWE Superstars. Exclusive to Target, the figures resemble the design of the original line down to the card art and pack-in poster, and include wrestlers from the LJN days as well as newer wrestling stars. The first wave includes Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes, John Cena, and Logan Paul.
8" Series The 8" series was the main line in the Wrestling Superstars collection. Each superstar came with a biography card on the packaging and a poster inside. There are 64 figures with unique molds, plus an additional 6 major repaints that change the figures look significantly. The major repaints are Hulk Hogan in a white shirt (red shirt), Tito Santana in Strike Force attire (purple trunks), S. D. Jones in a Hawaiian shirt (red shirt), André the Giant (short hair version) with black strap attire (blue trunks), Corporal Kirchner with a painted beard, and the Referee in a white shirt (blue shirt). There are also numerous minor repaints and several minor mold changes.
Series 1
André the Giant Big John Studd Hillbilly Jim Hulk Hogan The Iron Sheik Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka Junkyard Dog Nikolai Volkoff "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
Series 2 André the Giant Brutus Beefcake George "The Animal" Steele Greg "The Hammer" Valentine King Kong Bundy "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff
Series 3
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan Bruno Sammartino Captain Lou Albano "Classy" Freddie Blassie Corporal Kirchner Davey Boy Smith Magnificent Muraco Dynamite Kid Jesse "The Body" Ventura Jimmy Hart Mr. Fuji "Macho Man" Randy Savage "Mean" Gene Okerlund Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat S. D. Jones Terry Funk with branding iron & hat Tito Santana
Series 4
"Adorable" Adrian Adonis Billy Jack Haynes Bret "The Hitman" Hart B. Brian Blair Cowboy Bob Orton Elizabeth King Harley Race with crown Hercules Hernandez Jake "The Snake" Roberts Jumping Jim Brunzell Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart Ken Patera Kamala Koko B. Ware Outback Jack Ted Arcidi Vince McMahon
Series 5
Ax Bam Bam Bigelow Hacksaw Jim Duggan Honky Tonk Man Hulk Hogan One Man Gang Referee "Luscious" Johnny Valiant Rick Martel Slick Ted DiBiase Tito Santana
Series 6 André the Giant Big Boss Man Haku Rick Rude Ultimate Warrior Warlord
Re-released (on series 6 black cards)
Hulk Hogan Big John Studd Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake Bam Bam Bigelow Honky Tonk Man Jake "The Snake" Roberts Demolition Ax Randy "Macho Man" Savage Miss Elizabeth Bret "Hitman" Hart Ted DiBiase Hacksaw Jim Duggan Adrian Adonis
Tag Team Box Sets (each set came packed with a poster, and 2 brown tag team champion belts. Strike Force, however, came with black belts)
The British Bulldogs Brutus Beefcake and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine Hart Foundation Hulk Hogan and Hillbilly Jim The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff The Killer Bees Strike Force
Value Packs (included 2 posters) (usually Series 1-3 overstock) Two random figures
Accessories Sling 'Em-Fling 'Em Wrestling Ring Cage Match Accessory
Notes
Bendies The Bendies line was fashioned after the original 8" series using the same paint scheme and pose as their taller version. The difference was that they were much smaller and had metal wire inside allowing the toys to bend. There were 18 figures with unique molds plus variations. There are a total of four figures which include wrestlers who were produced both with and without laces on their boots: Hulk Hogan, Paul Orndorff, Roddy Piper and Iron Sheik. Hulk Hogan has a third variant which has blue knee pads instead of red, and is .25" taller than the rest of the line. There is a variant of the Cage Match Challenge ring set that came with red posts/turnbuckles and tan colored cage, instead of the standard blue color posts/turnbuckles and grey colored cage.
Single Figures
André the Giant Big John Studd Bobby Heenan Brutus Beefcake Captain Lou Albano Corporal Kirchner George "The Animal" Steele Hillbilly Jim Hulk Hogan (red knee pads with laces on boots, red knee pads without laces on boots, or blue knee-pad versions) The Iron Sheik (with laces on boots, or without laces on boots) Jesse "The Body" Ventura Junkyard Dog King Kong Bundy "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff (with laces on boots, or without laces on boots) Nikolai Volkoff "Macho Man" Randy Savage Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (with laces on red boots, or without laces on brown boots)
Tag Team 2 Packs Hulk Hogan & Junkyard Dog The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff George Steele & Captain Lou Albano King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd Randy Savage & Jesse Ventura Ricky Steamboat & Corporal Kirchner
Accessories Cage Match Challenge. Includes Hulk Hogan with blue knee pads and one other figure. (with blue or red posts/turnbuckles, and grey or tan cage)
Thumb Wrestlers The Thumb Wrestler line consisted of only 12 figures which were sold in two-packs. Jake Roberts and King Kong Bundy were produced in very small quantities in comparison to the other 10 figures. There is one variant which is the Roddy Piper thumb wrestler figure with either red or brown boots.
Hulk Hogan Big John Studd The Iron Sheik King Kong Bundy Nikolai Volkoff "Macho Man" Randy Savage Jake "The Snake" Roberts "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (brown or red boots) Hillbilly Jim Junkyard Dog Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff
Available in these two-packs
Hulk Hogan vs. Big John Studd Hulk Hogan vs. The Iron Sheik Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy Hulk Hogan vs. Nikolai Volkoff Hulk Hogan vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage Hulk Hogan vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts Hulk Hogan vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper Hillbilly Jim vs. The Iron Sheik Hillbilly Jim vs. Big John Studd Hillbilly Jim vs. Nikolai Volkoff Hillbilly Jim vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage Hillbilly Jim vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper Junkyard Dog vs. The Iron Sheik Junkyard Dog vs. Big John Studd Junkyard Dog vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper Junkyard Dog vs. Nikolai Volkoff Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Nikolai Volkoff Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff vs. Big John Studd "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff vs. King Kong Bundy "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
16" Series Hulk Hogan (with title belt & shirt) "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (with kilt, belt & shirt)
Stretch Wrestlers The Stretch Wrestlers line from 1987 consisted of only 8 figures and were not produced in very high numbers, thus commanding high prices on the secondary collector market for figures that are in good condition. The main gimmick to these figures was that they could be stretched and retain their elongated state for a short time before shrinking back to its original shape.
These figures were originally based on the same technology as the Stretch Armstrong toy that Kenner produced in 1976. Each WWF Stretch figure was packaged in an attractive colorful box which contained a plastic tray and clear plastic cover for the tray. The figures have a thin layer of latex rubber skin which is extremely condition sensitive. Because of the fragile nature of these figures, the latex rubber skin is prone to cracking and the gel-filled inner contents is prone to leaking.
The only variant in this series is King Kong Bundy, which had red boots instead of black boots.
George "The Animal" Steele Hulk Hogan Junkyard Dog King Kong Bundy (with black or red boots) "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff "Macho Man" Randy Savage Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
Prototypes, rarities, and errors Various different prototypes were photographed in various LJN advertising and packaging, such as, Adrian Adonis with scarves, Rick Steamboat with red trunks, Tito Santana with an entirely different mold, Fred Blassie with a painted cane and glittered jacket, Hillbilly Jim with a black undershirt, Jimmy Hart with a pink megaphone, Kamala with an alternate paint job, Koko B. Ware with light blue tights, Haku as 'King Haku', and Rick Rude with green tights among others.
As for the Bendies Series, there are documented issues of the LJN Toy Catalog for retailers in the year 1987 that show prototype bendies for Tito Santana, Magnificent Muraco, Bruno Sammartino, and Terry Funk. There have never been any documented showings of anyone possessing these figures.
Photographed prototype versions of George Steele with painted on chest hair, as well as a Roddy Piper figure with a panther shirt are rumored to have actually been produced.
The Bendies series figure cards featured a Mail-In promotion for a brass die-cast metal belt buckle that was a replica of the WWF Championship Belt. The requirements for the "Free" mail-in offer were four proofs of purchase (Wrestling Superstars points on the card backs) and $1.00 to cover postage and handling. The "WWF Championship Belt Buckle mail-in offer" expired on March 31, 1987.
LJN also produced a child size "WrestleMania Championship Belt" in 1987. The belt featured an action lever which could change the frontal belt image into a new image featuring Hulk Hogan holding the belt. The side plates that were attached on the straps of the belt featured WWF champions of the past and included Buddy Rogers, Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, The Iron Sheik, Ivan Koloff, Pedro Morales, and Superstar Billy Graham. The packaging for the title belt featured pictures of unproduced large size "Wrestling Superstars Muscle Grip" action figures of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage complete with title belts.
A "Wrestling Superstars Jumbo Collectors Case" was produced in 1986; however, this action figure case was not produced by LJN and was produced by Tara Toys. The case is officially licensed and features artwork from the Hulk Hogan's Rock 'N' Wrestling cartoon from 1985.
There were also Canadian release "Value Packs" which contained a randomly assorted two-pack of figures generally taken from, but not limited to, the first three series of the line.
The final series of figures that were scheduled but never produced included: Bad News Brown, Brother Love, Bushwhacker Luke, Bushwhacker Butch, Demolition Smash and The Barbarian. Photographs of the wrestlers appeared on the backs of the black Series 6 Superstars '89 cards and they were mentioned in various ads by a company called The Wrestling Ring contained in 1989 issues of Pro Wrestling Illustrated and their various publications, but photographs of the actual figures have never been seen. Miss Elizabeth was also pictured on the back of the black cards as an available re-release. To date, there has not been any verifiable proof that it was released as one has yet to turn up in circulation.