In January 1984, the pro wrestling landscape was forever changed when Hulk Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik to become WWE Champion. From that moment on, Hogan became a household name and arguably the biggest megastar the business had ever seen. It certainly didn't hurt Hogan to have WWE's well-oiled merchandising department behind him as well.
Since the 80s, WWE has produced more Hulk Hogan merchandise than they can even keep track of. One of the best-selling Hogan items over the years has been action figures. Whether he was in WWE or WCW, Hogan always had some exceptional figures. However, a handful stands apart from the rest.
10 Mattel Elite Series 91 Hollywood Hogan
Since taking over for Jakks Pacific as WWE's official toy manufacturer in 2010, Mattel has produced some truly great action figures. Still, by 2022, there were some glaring omissions to Mattel's WWE action figure catalog. One of the main figures Mattel had surprisingly never gotten around to producing was a Hollywood Hogan with red and yellow attire.
In early 2022, that wrong was righted when Mattel released this Elite Series 91 Hollywood Hogan. Some collector's main gripe about this figure was the torso being a bit small for a Hogan figure. However, the shirt, bandana, glasses, weight belt, and boa accessories make this a great figure regardless of the smaller torso.
9 Toy Biz Power Slam Hulk Hogan
In 1999, WCW switched manufacturers from The Original San Francisco Toymakers to Toy Biz. The switch was a massive upgrade for WCW action figures. OSFTM had been WCW's official toy manufacturer since 1994 but the figures they produced were honestly subpar to what WWE and Jakks Pacific were producing at the time.
When Toy Biz took over, they closed that gap significantly. Some collectors might even go as far as to say some Toy Biz figures were better than some Jakks figures from the same era. Regardless, one of Toy Biz's best releases of 1999 was this Power Slam Hulk Hogan figure. It featured Hogan in his red and yellow t-shirt and long tights. It was the best red and yellow Hogan WCW had produced up to that point.
8 LJN Series 1 Hulk Hogan
In 1984, Vince McMahon went all-in on Hulk Hogan as his top star and company flag bearer. It would prove to be a very wise decision. Hogan immediately became a cash cow for the promotion, selling everything from tickets to t-shirts. McMahon was also clever enough to transform Hogan into an action figure and set off another billion-dollar industry.
While WWE and LJN might not have produced the very first pro wrestling action figures, they were the first to take them mainstream. By today's standards, this 1984 Hulk Hogan LJN figure is nothing special. In hindsight though, it's perhaps the most important wrestling figure ever made. Its success led to the wrestling action figure game evolving into what it is today.
7 Toy Biz Smash 'N' Slam Hollywood Hogan
The sad truth about Toy Biz is that they got into the wrestling action figure game a bit too late. When they signed up to be WCW's official toy manufacturer in 1999, the company was in the middle of a steep decline. Had Toy Biz come into the picture two or three years prior, they would've undoubtedly produced figures that would've sold like hotcakes during the height of WCW's popularity.
Regardless, as soon as Toy Biz got the chance, they started producing some great WCW figures. That includes this Smash 'N' Slam Hollywood Hogan figure. By 1999, The nWo was on its last legs but this figure captured Hollywood in all his nWo glory. It's arguably the best figure Toy Biz produced for WCW.
6 Jakks Classic Superstars Hulk Hogan & Freddie Blassie 2-Pack
There was a point in time during the late 90s when wrestling fans thought they'd never get another WWE Hulk Hogan action figure. Eventually, though, WCW would go out of business and The Hulkster would find himself back in WWE. This opened the door for WWE to once again pump out some Hulk Hogan action figures. This time Jakks Pacific would be at the helm of producing them.
Jakks certainly didn't disappoint with their Hogan figures. Not every single Hogan figure they made was a home run but more often than not, they'd crush it. This particular Classic Superstars 2-Pack features a heel Hogan before his red and yellow days. It came with an entrance cape and included heel Hogan's manager, "Classy" Freddie Blassie. It's a must-have for any Hogan collector.
5 Ringside Collectibles Exclusive Wolfpac Hollywood Hogan
There are moments in life that at the time seem like the worst thing to have ever happened. After a while though, that bad instance can be looked back on through a happier lens. This Ringside Collectibles Exclusive Wolfpac Hollywood Hogan Elite kind of fits that bill. Looking back, The Finger Poke Of Doom and Hollywood Hogan joining The nWo Wolfpac signified the beginning of the end for WCW.
While WCW is dearly missed, even the staunchest WCW supporter has to be drooling over this beautiful figure. It technically hasn't been released yet. It was originally slated for a July 2022 release but has been pushed back to August 2022. Regardless, when it drops, it will immediately be one of the best Hogan figures ever. The accessories alone make it a stellar figure.
4 Hasbro Mail Away Hulk Hogan
In 1984, WWE released their first-ever action figure line through LJN. Unfortunately, to be totally honest, those figures weren't exactly great. Despite their grail-like status today, WWE's LJN figures are nothing more than fancy paperweights. They featured zero articulation and were honestly kind of bulky.
In 1990, WWE would switch to Hasbro as their official toy manufacturer. The results were massively upgraded figures. Hasbro's WWE line still had limited articulation but they were far superior to their predecessors. This Hulk Hogan mail-away Hasbro is among the rarest WWE Hasbros in existence. Landing one can cost upwards of $500. Owning one would put any action figure collection over-the-top though.
3 Toyfare Exclusive Jakks Classic Superstars Hulk Hogan
One of the coolest things about wrestling action figures is commemorating unforgettable moments. Another thing wrestling figure collectors love is limited releases. The lower the quantity available for a figure, the more collectors want it. This Toyfare Exclusive Jakks Classic Superstars Hulk Hogan fits into both categories.
The figure commemorates Hogan's appearance at the 1987 Slammy Awards. It also happened to be limited to only 3,000 units. The special attire and limited quantity make this not only one of the best Hogan figures ever but also one of the most sought-after. Depending on box condition, a mint on card version of this Hogan could run you up to $400 or $500.
2 Mattel Ultimate Edition Series 7 Hollywood Hogan
In 2006, Hulk Hogan put his foot in his mouth and spouted out some racially insensitive comments that eventually came to light in 2015. As a result, WWE parted ways with the legendary performer. Coincidentally, at the time, Mattel was working on a Hollywood Hogan Elite figure. Not surprisingly, that figure was scrapped.
This left many collectors yearning for a Hollywood Hogan figure for their collections.
In 2020, those prayers were answered. With Hogan now back in the company's good graces, Mattel dropped this Ultimate Edition Hollywood Hogan figure. Simply put, this figure is a gem. The myriad of accessories is simply icing on the cake. Surprisingly though, Mattel topped themselves just two years later with another Hogan.
1 Mattel Ultimate Edition Series 13 Hulk Hogan
Mattel has been producing exceptional WWE action figures since 2010. In that span, new advancements in technology have allowed Mattel to step up its game, especially as of late. 2022 could go down as one of the best years ever for Mattel and WWE from an action figure standpoint.
In 2022 alone, collectors have received two Hulk Hogan figures that had been desperately needed. The first is a red and yellow Hollywood Hogan from Elite Series 91. In 2022, Mattel also released this Ultimate Edition Series 13 Hulk Hogan. It is hands down the best 80s-era Hogan ever produced. The advanced articulation and abundance of accessories simply can't be beaten. It would be shocking to see Mattel top this Hogan anytime soon.