WWE upcoming Survivor Series is happening on Sunday, Nov. 19 from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. With that being stated, we here at Alternativemindz would like to pit the most “current” contestants against each other in complete and total toy supremacy.
Even as this is being written, the card is not yet finalized, but with what we currently know we can set up a battle for survival.
So for this list, we will only pick a single, cross brand match and see if the toy victory can match the actual outcome on November 19.
However, to make this work I didn’t just want to pick the best figures in the line, I went with the purpose of actually seeing if you, the potential customer, could buy the figures legitly on the current toy shelf.
So, I set out on a toy hunt to find these figures. It soon became clear that I needed to just focus on one match and the World Championship would be the figures I’d go with.
So, my journey was to find Brock Lesnar (Universal) vs AJ Styles (WWE) together in the same store at the same time.
Could I find these two in a single store together? The hunt began first attempted at my local toy shop in Brooklyn, NY. Unfortunately, they didn’t have AJ styles or Brock Lesner. Honestly, they had No WWE wrestlers at all.
Sparing you the week long attempt, I was finally able to track down both AJ and Brock in a single store.
Now the Tale of the Tape can begin.
How it works is we pick each figure’s flaws or positives and have them compete against each other. Basically, we line up the packaging, the likeness the articulation, and the scale to declare the winner.
Tale of the Tape Part 1: Packaging
WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar versus Smackdown lives WWE world champion
Brock Lesnar’s packaging is considered special as it represents WWE Network spotlight. What makes this package any different than the standard toy is the WWE Network Spotlight title displayed at the top of the package and it’s shaped exactly like a standard package, nothing more nothing less.
Smackdown Live Championship AJ Styles comes packaged in a standard red packaging with a clear image of AJ Styles himself. The packaging is exactly like Brock’s so, in this regard, they both cancel each other out. No one wins anything in this round. No winner, no loser, so it’s a draw on packaging.
As we take the package and open them up, Brock Lesnar’s figure is wearing a Suplex City shirt, which is different from his standard figure that would regularly have no shirt. As for AJ Styles, since his figure is the standard one, he comes shirtless but wears his blue pants and his signature “Phenomenal 1” boots.
Tale of the Tape Part 2: Likeness
How does the Brock Lesnar vs AJ Styles figures look in actual sculpt. Brock Lesnar, we all know, is the Beast Incarnate, so is figure should look mean, determined, and angry, just like Brock Lesnar always looks like, but the figures face looks kind of complacent. He’s not angry, he’s not bitter, he’s not ready to deliver you to Suplex City. It’s kind of standard. Does it represent the wrestler? Yes, yes it does. Mattel sculpted a look that you know when you see this toy that this is Brock Lesnar. As for the AJ Styles figure, AJ is a guy who’s very charismatic. He’s been in the business for almost 20 years. His figure should represent a man who’s been there, done that, yet has the face of youth. Well, the figure does capture a young-looking face. Unfortunately, the young-looking face looks like that of the famous YouTuber Sean Long instead,
Image courtesy of Sean Long
looking nothing like AJ himself. AJ’s figure has a mouth open ready to yell and scream and be angry, very uncharacteristic of the actual wrestler. It does have AJ’s trademarked hairstyle, but it really doesn’t look like him at all. Round 2, likeness goes to Brock Lesnar.
Tale of the Tape Part 3: Articulation
Brock Lesnar’s articulation and AJ Styles’ articulation are exactly the same. There is nothing special or unique about either of these figures. They are both standard, super basic. That would work for Brock Lesnar, who is more of a grounded UFC style professional wrestler,
but AJ Styles is a high flyer. He’s an innovator. He is unique in the professional wrestling ring. He does the Pele kick.
He does things that most wrestlers don’t and that includes Brock Lesnar. If you’re playing with these toys, they should represent the wrestler. So, unfortunately, once again the point goes to Brock Lesnar with articulation.
Tale of the tape part 4: Size Comparison
Brock Lesnar is a beast, he’s over 6 foot something inches tall. AJ isn’t he is a small wrestler, but these two figures almost share the same exact size. This is a gripe with Mattel personally when wrestlers are depicted being all the same size as toys. It seems like they aren’t trying to make a new sculpt and wrestlers come in all shapes all sizes. That’s what makes them so special and unique. I don’t want to give the point to Brock Lesnar in this one so I’m calling this a draw since they are exactly the same.
With the final tally coming in to 2 to 1 for Brock Lesnar. Unfortunately, AJ Styles, you lose your match against the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar.
Being the Smackdown Live Champion is a great honor. AJ Styles is carrying his title like he has earned and deserved for so many years. His work in the business from TNA to New Japan and now in the WWE has earned him all the accolades in the world, but as for an action figure, his is lackluster. It does nothing to be considered “phenomenal,” and with that you have to give it up to Brock Lesnar. As simple as a figure is, it represents who he is and how he wrestles and what he does, it’s simply conquers.
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