Snow is falling. All around you. Children playing… and you need to buy a Christmas present for a wrestling fan. Never fear, we have some suggestions prepped and ready that will help you buy a killer gift that will help give them a fantastic surprise on December 25th.
WWE Road to Wrestlemania Board Game
Price: RRP £29.99
Where to buy: www. rachellowe.co.uk
What would Christmas be without a family board game, and in 2019 WWE has hit a home run with a game that will provide fun for all the family? WWE Road to Wrestlemania is designed by Rachel Lowe, the mind behind the popular “Destination” series of games and it combines a simple set of rules with all your favourite WWE superstars as you have to traverse the route from NXT to the Wrestlemania main event. The gameplay is straight forward, but not so much that it won’t appeal to children and adults alike. When we playtested the game, it lasted around 30-45 minutes, which feels like a perfect duration for Christmas, even for those who’ve overindulged at dinner, to concentrate and play through. A superb offering and a must purchase for wrestling fans during the festive period, but also a game that doesn’t require even a passing interest in wrestling to enjoy.
AEW T-shirts
Price: £24.99
Where to buy: https://wrestlingstore.co.uk/ or https://www.allelitewrestling.com/t-shirts
While WWE has a variety of merchandise available this Christmas, AEW has mostly been focused on their continued partnership with Pro Wrestling Tees that has been incredibly fruitful for both parties. Whether it’s the AEW logo, a Kenny Omega shirt, something to represent The Young Bucks, The Lucha Bros, SCU, The Jurassic Express, or even Le Champion Chris Jericho, you can get it from AEW. Within the US you can pick these up from the official AEW online store, but in the UK if you’re worried about it shipping in time for Christmas, never fear, WrestllingStore.co.uk has you covered with these and a variety of licensed shirts from WWE, ROH and many other promotions to cover all your wrestling T-shirt needs.
WWE Ornament set
Price: £17.94
Where to buy: www.wwe.com/shop
Imagine the scene, you’re putting up your Christmas tree with all the tired, old ornaments to hang on the branches. Perhaps 2019 is the year that you can surprise the wrestling fan in your life with some brand new baubles, which luckily WWE are able to supply. In addition to various gingerbread options (including an edible Iron Sheik decoration, which surely ranks up there with some of the weirdest Christmas gift options available), WWE’s offering includes a set of six baubles featuring talent from the men’s division (Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, Kofi Kingston and Braun Strowman), as well as one that showcases the insignia of some of the stars in the women’s division (Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Naomi, Carmella and Charlotte Flair) meaning there is something for everyone. If you aren’t a fan of those performers it is also possible to purchase individual “elf” ornaments as well as a variety of the aforementioned edible options, as well as higher-end glass title belt decorations.
The Fiend Replica Belt (John Dinsdale’s choice)
Price: £4878
Where: shop.wwe.com
I imagine a lot of people’s eyes lit up when this excessively horrifying re-incarnation of the Universal Title was revealed by the Fiend on that fateful episode of SmackDown. However, rather than thinking of the belt itself, I imagine they were more interested in getting their own replica of the body horror nightmare Bray Wyatt had created. Well you can, if you’re rich. For the low low price of $6500 you too can own a limited edition, hand made a replica of the Fiend’s belt created by SFX master Tom Savini. So if you have a special wrestling fan in your life who is also a fan of horror then you may just want to give them something extra special… and extra pricey this year.
There you have it, some wonderful suggestions that will surely bring joy to the heart of even the most cynical grappling aficionado. It might not be a ticket to WrestleMania, but it will certainly help you impress on Christmas morning.
WWE Christmas Jumpers
Price: £32.64
Where to buy: www.wwe.com/shop
Christmas jumpers aren’t for everyone, but in recent years there has been a growing trend of “ugly” jumpers in the style that a grandmother or aunt might have knitted in the past. Every big brand from Sony PlayStation to Star Wars has got in on the act of kitting out their devoted fans in hideous festive sweaters, and WWE is no exception. From Undisputed Era to “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt, to legends like The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, Eddie Guerrero, and Macho Man Randy Savage, there are deliberately horrendous Christmas jumpers available to suit whatever WWE superstar past or present that you might wish to represent. Are they ugly? Oh Hell Yeah. Are they very much on-brand for the trends of Christmas fashion? You better believe it.
Luchador bottle opener
Price: £8.50 + postage
Where to buy: Amazon.co.uk
If there was ever a time of year to crack open a cerveza, it’s the festive season, and what better way than with a Luchador bottle opener. Whether it’s while watching some wrestling, socialising with friends and family or even just having some time to yourself, why not celebrate the art of Lucha libre and the many traditions of one of the oldest forms of professional wrestling at the same time. It comes in a variety of colours, it feels tactile for opening bottles of any size and the design is very pleasing on the eye. A fun gift for the luchador or Luchadora in your life.
WWE DVDs
Price: £14.99
Where to buy: www.wwedvd.co.uk
With the WWE Network providing a previously unimaginable library of content, for some, it will be difficult to understand why you might still want to purchase a WWE DVD or Blu Ray. However, for others, there is an urge to own physical media, and for that person WWEDVD.co.uk have you covered. Whether it’s a recent event from the WWE PPV calendar, a profile of a favourite superstar, or a collection of matches from a specific event or show it is all there. Recent releases include Hell in a Cell 2019, Clash of Champions 2019, Finn Balor – For Everyone, and Smackdown’s 20th Anniversary. The latter DVD set is excellent with matches from Smackdown’s run over the past two decades including some of the biggest matches, moments in the programme’s history, making it a superb gift option for any wrestling completionist.
Wrestlers books (Steph Franchomme’s choice)
Wrestlers are not always the best writers when it comes to their lives, excepted Chris Jericho who definitely seems to be able to do music as good as he writes and wrestles. But wrestlers’ biographies are usually a goldmine of information, not only on a fighter’s life but also on an era in the business.
Chris Jericho wrote 4 books that are all extremely well-written and stacked of funny, interesting or sometimes tough stories on the wrestling business. When you’ve been in this business for 30 years, you have witnessed a lot… During his time in NJPW, Shinsuke Nakamura was offered to talk about his life. The book was translated last year in English. It’s a conversation book but it offers a very different look on the kind of Strong Style.
Even if it’s not a very recent book, Daniel Bryan’s biography is also a treat to read because it really shows how the road can be epic for a wrestler to succeed. Soon to be 10 years out, but Bret Hart’s autobiography remains one of the most heart-on-sleeve ones, unapologetic on the man and the business.
If you search a little, you will find tons of wrestling books that will fit your wrestling fan’s tastes.
Price: £5 to £20
Where: amazon.co.uk and bookdepository.com
Kind regards to Steph Franchomme and John Dinsdale for their words. Images courtesy of Rachel Lowe/WWE/AEW/Amazon/BookDepository/PWTees.