As a kid, The Blot absolutely loved the 1989 professional wrestling film No Holds Barred starring WWE Superstar Hulk Hogan as Rip Thomas and Tom “Tiny” Lister as “The Human Wrecking Machine” Zeus! So I was really excited to learn that Mattel Creations will be releasing this epic San Diego Comic-Con 2022 Exclusive WWE Ultimate Edition No Holds Barred 2 Pack. Fans have been clamoring for Rip and Zeus action figures from Mattel for years, and their wishes have finally been answered with this SDCC exclusive box set!

This 2 pack of super-realistic WWE figures feature the immortal Hulk Hogan as Rip and Tiny Lister as Zeus in a super nostalgic VHS-themed case. In this new Comic-Con exclusive box set, “The Human Wrecking Machine” Zeus makes his long awaited debut in the Mattel WWE line facing off against the first ever action figure of Hulk Hogan as Rip Thomas! Zeus includes his signature entrance gear, headband, belt, swappable hands and an alternate swappable head.

Rip includes tear away “Rip ‘Em” shirt, white strapped Winged Eagle Championship title, swappable hands, including new “Rip ‘Em” gesture hands, and swappable alternate heads including the “What’s that smell?!?!” head sculpt. Limited to 2 box sets per person, this amazing WWE Ultimate Edition No Holds Barred 2 Pack can be purchased at the Mattel SDCC booth and online at MattelCreations.com starting at 9am PT on Friday, July 22nd, for $70.

Medicom Toy continues its fantastic Sofubi Fighting Series vinyl figure line of professional wrestlers with a new version of the legendary WWE Superstar, Hulk Hogan. Check out the First Edition Hulk Hogan, which features the wrestler’s look from the early 1980s when he traveled to Japan to wrestle for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) before he became the Hulkamaniac we all remember so fondly and the top star of the then known WWF. This edition features Hogan in black trunks with Ichiban written on them in white, which means number 1, and his right hand making the #1 sign. This new WWE figure stands 250mm tall and will retail for ¥9,680. It is scheduled to ship in March 2022.

When The Blot announced last week I was going to schedule a trial run of my live blogging through Twitter this weekend at the biggest sports entertainment event of the year, the speculation ran rampant. It seems like I unintentionally threw everyone off with my March Madness post. My buddy Sam (who lives in Detroit) even called and asked why I hadn’t told him I was coming up to Michigan for the Final Four. You see, while the Final Four is definitely the biggest sporting event this weekend, it’s not the biggest “sports entertainment” (a phrase popularly coined by the WWE) event of the year. That title goes to WrestleMania, the be all and end all event of professional wrestling.

Now as you may all remember The Blot doesn’t really follow professional wrestling anymore, but when I heard WrestleMania XXV was taking place in my own backyard I knew I had to go. As a kid I would have killed to go to WrestleMania and the 10 year old lil’ Blot inside me would have never forgiven the adult I’ve become if I didn’t go. Plus, I had the opportunity to go in college during professional wrestling’s resurgence in the late ‘90s and turned it down. Worried that passing up the WWE’s signature event a second time might mean I never end up going to a WrestleMania, I called my buddy Threefron and made plans to attend the 25th anniversary event.

So here I am, on the verge of attending my first WrestleMania and I have no idea what to expect. With this being the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania the WWE should be pulling out all the stops, including bring back more than a few surprises (rumors continue to circulate about the return of Hulk Hogan to the squared circle). Regardless, Houston is abuzz with talk of WrestleMania. Some analysts even predict the week of WrestleMania should bring a significant economic boost to the city in the upwards of $50 million dollars. (link)


As of now I am only planning on attending WrestleMania XXV Sunday night, but I might be convinced to attend a session of the WWE’s four day fanfest WrestleMania Axxess or Saturday night’s marquee event the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. If so, you can be sure I’ll be blogging live courtesy of Twitter. Anyone interested in knowing what’s going on at the event without having to pay your hard earned money to purchase the show on PPV should stop by The Blot Says… or Twitter.com/TheBlotSays to follow the action in real time.

WrestleMania XXV takes place this Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 7/6c only on Pay-Per-View (or here at The Blot Says… if you don't mind your news in 140 characters or less)

The Matches Set For WrestleMania XXV
WWE Championship
Triple H (c) vs. Randy Orton

World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat Match
Edge (c) vs. John Cena vs. Big Show

Intercontinental Championship
JBL (c) vs. Rey Mysterio

Extreme Rules Match
Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy

Unified Tag Team Championship Lumberjack Match
WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo vs.
World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison

Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Christian vs. CM Punk vs. Kane vs. Mark Henry vs.
Shelton Benjamin vs. Kofi Kingston vs. US Champion MVP

25-Diva Battle Royal

Legends Match
Chris Jericho vs. WWE Legends
(Rowdy Roddy Piper, Ricky The Dragon Steamboat &
Jimmy Superfly Snuka with Ric Flair)

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to see The Wrestler. Every review The Blot has read about Darren Aronofsky’s latest film has touted the movie as amazing and has praised Mickey Rourke’s performance as washed-up professional wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson. People are even mentioning Aronofsky, Rourke and The Wrestler as potential Oscar nominees.


Rourke’s Robinson sounds like the 80’s version of Hulk Hogan, but from an alternate reality where he was forced to retire while still in his prime due to a heart condition. The movie follows Robinson after retirement as he tries to forge a new life for himself even though he still longs for the fame his skills in the squared circle brought him. The Ram struggles to find meaning in the monotony of his new life while “he makes his way through the independent circuit, trying to get back in the game for one final showdown with his former rival” played by former WCW wrestler Ernest “The Cat” Miller. (link) It’s all very Rocky-like isn’t it? Check out the official trailer for The Wrestler below:



The Wrestler, which also stars Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood, opens in theaters on December 17, 2008.