I just received my first ever order from Extreme Sets, and, just like that, all of the other groups and lines in my action figure collection got really jealous of my wrestling figure display.
As you may or may not know, I am pretty big classic wrestling fan. The mid-’80s to early ’90s were the golden years of the “sport,” and I have so many fond memories of matches and brawlers from that time period – it was so much fun. So, naturally, I am fan and collector of the Mattel WWE (or WWF, as I will always know it) Legends and Flashback figures, and I have amassed a pretty large collection of all of the guys from that era. It is a pretty safe assumption that I display my collection within the larger confines of my toy room (I do), but now, thanks to these new environments, the wresting display is a lot cooler.
To go with my figures, I have the “Real Scale” classic wrestling ring, and I display all of my figures in and around it. It makes for a decent display in and of itself, by the team behind these Extreme Sets figured that our collection displays could stand to be pushed to the next level. If you have not checked out their website yet, I suggest you do so to see what they have available. Are you back? Now, all of the environments that have created for classic and modern day wrestling figure fans are cool-looking, right? Well, I am now the proud owner of the classic backstage, classic ring mats, and arena display sets, and I suddenly have one badass WWE display.
These sets are made from strong foam core and are printed with images of the arena, mat, and backstage environments, and they work with your ring and figures to create a really impressive diorama display that replicates the houses that were “packed to the rafters” back in the day. The arena and backstage environments are specific enough that they work really well for the their intended year and purpose, but they will also go great with several other action figure lines for diorama-based displays, photo backdrops, or play environments.
While these are sturdy and well-built, and the graphics are nice and clean, the thing that strikes me the most about these sets is that they are MASSIVE. As in, the arena backdrop is easily 3 feet tall and can be displayed (all of the sets have multiple configuration options) in such a way that it completely envelops the real scale ring to provide that “live action feel.” When these arrived, my first thought was that I now have a really cool backdrop for when I do wrestling figure features, but, honestly, the arena will be on permanent display for my collection too. I am going to have to find a large space for my collection now, but there is no way these cannot be a part of the spectacle.
As I mentioned, the construction of these is really strong, and the largest piece, the Arena backdrop, does not require any configuration or assembly. It comes in a flat box and can be folded or changed via an accordion pattern. This allows you to angle and negotiate the setup in any fashion you see fit. I am currently using it as a flat backdrop to go behind the ring in the display, so it serves as a background. I think having two of these (as shown on the site) will allow you to completely surround the ring on three sides to complete the arena look. Now, that would take up a considerable amount of space, but I can tell you this: it will look really, really cool.
All of the printed artwork on the Arena shows crowds of people sitting in various rows of an event center, and everything is just slightly soft in terms of focus. This is actually perfect because if you imagine looking at a recreation of a wresting event through the lens of a TV camera, the crowds in the background would be out of focus. This is a nice touch and I really applaud the attention to detail. As I said, this pop-up is REALLY big, but Extreme Sets included several clips that you can use to help keep the background straight (if that is what you want), but to also help it balance.
The backstage set, while smaller in terms of overall height, is very configurable to be able to suit your needs. The set includes six pieces that can be configured in any order and at most right angles. The art comprises various things you have seen and would expect to see in backstage shots of yore. There are big metal loading dock doors, folded tables and chairs, voltage boxes, various hallway decos, and even the exit to the arena with curtains. All of these work well for wrestling, but you could also use them for various alleyways or abandoned buildings for your superhero or various action figures. The set also includes four black storage trunks that can be folded to a full 3D form.
Finally, the classic ring mats were probably the pieces I was anticipating the most because, well, a classic ring just doesn’t look whole without the signature blue mats. The mats come in four pieces, and, of course, snap together to form a large square with just amount of room for the real scale ring to fit. Honestly, if you are looking for a small upgrade to your display, or if you are space-challenged, this set is definitely the way to go — it works really well.
I have to say, these sets are a lot of fun and I am thrilled to have some good backdrops for some future classic wrestling pictures. I will incorporating the arena backdrop and mats into my regular display, but now I need to find another spot in the toy room so it will all fit. If you are interested in picking these up, head on over to Extreme Set’s site right now, and tell ’em Fwoosh sent ya. Oh, and if modern WWE is more your speed, they have those sets available too!
