Two toy-industry deals announced this month, for the fighting franchises WWE and UFC, respectively, are the latest of a number of agreements in this space to launch over the last couple of years. In addition to the loyal family audience attracted to the leading properties, fighting-related IPs offer a clear play pattern that makes them a natural fit for the toy industry, especially action figures (playable and collectible) and role-playing toys:
- WWE licensed Moose Toys for Heroes of Goo Jit Zu stretchy action figures featuring four WWE Superstars: John Cena, Rey Mysterioso, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes. This marriage of WWE and Moose’s proprietary, stretchy, goo-filled Goo Jit Zu line complements WWE’s master toy license with Mattel, which revolves around traditional action figures and has been ongoing since 2009.
- McFarlane secured the rights to make detailed six-inch posed action figures and digital collectibles tied to the martial arts organization UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). WWE and UFC are both part of an organization called TKO that was founded after the merger of the two properties in 2023. The UFC products are set to launch in the fall.
- Jazwares in March of this year launched new exclusive All Elite Wrestling and Ring of Honor figures available through the Jazwares Vault, its new direct-to-consumer online shop tailored for collectors. The company signed an action figure license with Ring of Honor in July 2023, and with All Elite Wrestling in 2020. The two wrestling organizations have operated as sibling companies since Ring of Honor was acquired by the owner of AEW in 2022.
- In December 2023, TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Wrestling paired with licensee PowerTown Wrestling for seven-inch articulated action figures and accessories, with the first series set to be shipped in August 2024 and the second in December 2024. Powertown was founded in 2021 and also produces figures of wrestling legends. A previously announced TNA toy deal with another company was canceled earlier in 2023 due to quality issues, according to the licensor.
- Major League Wrestling licensed Boss Fight Studio in 2022 for a line of deluxe action figures and collectibles, billed as its first entry into the toy category. (MLW was founded in 2002.) Boss Fight has also offered Legends of Lucha Libre figures and other playthings, under license from Masked Republic, since 2019.
Succeeding in the toy industry has proven difficult for many wrestling properties. The wrestling landscape itself is somewhat tumultuous, with brands coming and going (and sometimes coming back) frequently, and some experiencing changes of ownership that can affect their licensing deals. Some toy lines over the years have been plagued by quality issues or fulfillment problems. And some pairings just haven’t resonated with consumers.
That said, there are fighting-related properties that are making the category work, and none more so than Mattel and WWE. At the time of the partners’ latest renewal in 2021, which encompassed action figures, accessories, and toy title belts for children, the products were available in 50 markets around the world and consistently ranked among the top action figure lines in sales (ranking as number one at points during their lifetime). Mattel and WWE have also brought in the likes of Ghostbusters and Masters of the Universe for limited collaborations as part of the line. The two partners say their WWE Basic Action Figure series has become the longest-running continuous action figure assortment in history.
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