Mattel Elite Two-Packs

In recent times, Mattel has released various Elite two-packs and it looks, for now at least, it could be something they continue with so in this blog I'll take a look at what we have had so far.

First, I will quickly go over what two-packs they have released in the past, drop me a line if I have missed any off.

In 2011 there were the All-Stars packs, these were like fantasy match-ups, there was CM Punk & Stone Cold Steve Austin, I am currently looking for the Austin, so, well, get in touch if you have one for sale. Also, there was Randy Orton & Jake The Snake Roberts and the final one was John Morrison vs Randy Savage, Savage is the only one of these 6 figures I have, you'll know if you have it or ever stumble across it as it has green trunks with white stars.

In 2016, there was a Nation of Domination pack with Faarooq & The Rock. Nice set, Rock comes with the oval IC title.

And in 2019 Ringside Collectibles had an exclusive to their site and it was The Hardy Boyz based on their look when they were in The Brood, again, a nice set, figures come with a set of tag titles.

So, in 2020 Mattel brought back these two-packs and it looks like they could run for a while, so far there have been 5 sets, no news to my knowledge, what the next set will be. I am going off memory as to what order they came out. 

First we had an AJ Styles/Demon Finn Balor set, this was based on the match the two had at TLC 2017. I believe this wasn't the original plan but an opponent for Balor was unable to compete so Styles was drafted in and I don't think ANYBODY complained. You can watch the match HERE

Both these guys were leaders of the Bullet Club in NJPW, in fact, Balor, under his previous guise of Prince Devitt pretty much founded the group. It is a decent pack, what really stands out about it is the fact it comes with the 'too sweet' hands. This was a hand sign from the mid-90's in the WWF that The Kliq (Shawn Michaels, Kevin 'Diesel' Nash, Scott 'Razor Ramon' Hall, Sean '123 Kid' Waltman & Hunter Hearst Helmsley) would use but it became more prevelant when Hall & Nash went to WCW and formed the nWo with Hulk Hogan and they used the handsign as that of the nWo. Over in Japan, the Bullet Club adopted the hand sign too. in Japan, other members of the Bullet Club included Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows and if you have the Anderson Elite figure you will see the hand sign all over his tights and I think he even has #BC on a kneepad. In fact, a few years back, when the Young Bucks were using the term 'too sweet' the WWE sent them a cease and desist letter.  

After the match, both guys celebrated with the 'too sweet' hand sign so was great to see them included in this pack. Balor comes with a choice of two heads a painted one which looks like the pain is wearing off and a non painted smiling head, this head also came with a Balor singles release in the Elite line.

Next up was a Samoa Joe/Rey Mysterio pack based on their match against each other at Wrestle Mania 35. Both guys have had many releases in the Elite line but these ones are some of the very best.

Then I think, we got Triple H & Chyna. This was significant as it was the first figure released by Mattel of Chyna, this followed her being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Although I have all the figures still from these two-packs the Chyna one I sold as most of you will know, I don't collect figures of the female wrestlers, not that I collect to make a future profit but it probably would be the most valuable of any of them.

Next was a very intriging one, it was a Roddy Piper/Mr. T set based on their boxing match from Wrestle Mania 2. Very different for a wrestling show. It was no secret Piper didn't like Mr. T at all, at least around this time, not sure if they ever got along in later years. Comes with entrance robes, boxing gloves and of course, they are in boxing shorts. Really unexpected set, this was the second Mr. T figure released by Mattel following his SDCC release which was going for silly money at first, I paid way over the odds for mine but in various places you can get it for a more respectable price. There was a lot of people, and I can't say I wasn't miffed myself, that were disapointed that he wasn't in the gear from his match from Wrestle Mania I where he tagged with Hogan to face Piper & Orndorff. It he SDCC one he came in blue tights as opposed to the red ones he wore at that WM. He did wear blue ones I believe on a Saturday Night's Main Event. I have mine displayed slightly different which you can see HERE

 

And the last one released that I personally have was a WCW based set which was Bret 'Hitman' Hart & Goldberg. The pack comes with a first time in the line WCW US title as well as a WCW t shirt and a 'steel plate' that Bret wore in an angle on Nitro, to counteract Goldberg's spear. There was a few things wrong with the pack, first, for me, the US title is slightly too big, then theres the shirt, the one one with the set was a WCW Nitro one however the one used on the angle was a Toronto Maple Leafs one, due trade marks I'm guessing this was the reason this wasn't included and finally, the Bret figure just doesn't seem right, if I was to compare it to anything else, it screamed of a JAKKS BCA figure and the head scan is atrocious, I have changed the one on mine.

So, that's all the 2 pack since they started doing them again that I have, recently Mattel have released a two-pack with Triple H & Jeff Hardy based on a match the two had which saw Hardy cause an upset and win the IC title from Triple H, the pack does include the oval IC title as well as an extra shirt for Hardy. There is talk this may not have been the original plan, may we'll never know but some think that maybe the original plan was supposed to be both Hardy boys from around this time but as Matt Hardy left the WWE and went to AEW that the release was changed. Not the first time I have seen this happen, back when JAKKS were doing the WWE figure line they were going to release a 'dream' match-up set of Bret Hart and Kurt Angle but Angle left for TNA and he was replaced with funnily enough, Jeff Hardy. And we all know about the very first Elite series from Mattel, Jeff Hardy was supposed to be released in that one but he left and went to TNA, he wasn't replaced in the line, he just wan't included. Those figures are around, I'd love to get one eventually. So I will be getting this set too, I will be getting it from Rock And Roll Collectibles

 

So that's them all guys, which ones do you have if any and which ones are your favourites? Also, if you already have the Triple H/Hardy set, how is it?

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