WWE Main Event / WWE Main Event Showdown 2-packs
Historically, Mattel's standard Basic figures were heavily limited to just 10 points of articulation up to Series 140. However, Mattel overhauled the budget line to implement a much-needed upgrade from Series 141 onwards. The line was re-branded "Main Event" from Series 147 onwards.
What Changed in the Upgrade since "Basics / Championship showdown"?
Modern Main Event figures stand at the 6-inch "Superstar Scale" and have closed the gap slightly on Elites by introducing these articulation points:
• Ball-Socket Hip Joints: This was the biggest physical upgrade, replacing the old, stiff T-tab hips to allow the figures to do splits, kicks, and much wider stances.
• Swivel and Hinge Wrists: The hands can now bend and rotate, which also allows them to utilize modern swappable hands.
• Single-Jointed Pinless Limbs: While they lack the double-jointed range of Elites, the elbows and knees are single-jointed and use seamless "pinless" molding.
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WWE Elite Collection
What is Missing Compared to Elites?
To keep the line budget-friendly, Mattel omits several key joints:
• No Ab-Crunch or Diaphragm Cut: The torso is a solid, single piece of molded plastic that cannot bend forward or backward.
• No Ankle Articulation: The feet are molded solid into the lower boot, meaning you get a basic boot-swivel but zero ankle hinge or rocker pivot movement.
• No Bicep Swivel: The arm rotation is handled directly at the single-jointed elbow rather than a distinct bicep cut.
Key Articulation Points
Standard modern Mattel WWE Elite figures typically include movement across these areas:
• Head / Neck: Ball-jointed head/neck movement
• Shoulders: Butterfly joints and/or ball-hinge shoulders
• Biceps: Bicep swivel cut
• Elbows: Double-jointed elbows (pinless on newer releases)
• Wrists: Swivel and hinge wrist movement (interchangeable hands)
• Torso: Ab crunch / mid-torso cut or diaphragm joint
• Waist: Waist swivel
• Hips: Ball-jointed/leg articulation (T-joint or drop-down hips)
• Thighs: Thigh swivel cut
• Knees: Double-jointed knees (pinless on current-generation figures)
• Boots / Calves: Boot-cut swivel
• Ankles: Hinge and ankle rocker pivot movement
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WWE Ultimate Edition
Compared to the standard Elite Collecton line, Ultimate Edition figures achieve their greater range of motion through several advanced joint mechanisms:
• Butterfly Shoulder Joints: Pectoral-area hinge cuts allow the arms to pull back deeply and cross forward over the chest, which is essential for locking in submissions, holding titles, or doing signature poses.
• Enhanced Torso Systems: They swap out the basic Elite ab-crunch for an advanced 360° upper diaphragm ball-joint paired with a lower waist or hip-swivel system, offering a massive crunch forward and deep arch backward.
• Drop-Down Hips: Leg articulation features hip displacement joints that allow the legs to pull down slightly from the pelvis, enabling perfect splits and high-boot kicks.
• Toe Hinges: A dedicated hinge at the ball of the foot allows the toes to bend upward, helping the figure balance realistically on its tiptoes during entrances or running poses.
Modern Innovations (2026+)
The line continues to evolve to give collectors even better engineering:
• Pinless Joints: Like late-stage Elites, modern Ultimate Editions feature seamlessly molded double-jointed elbows and knees with no visible metal pins.
• Upgraded Waist & Neck Joints: Users on Reddit highlighted updates introducing a highly flexible ball-jointed waist and disc-hinge neck articulation, which fixes older models' limitations by significantly increasing how far a figure can tilt or bend.
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WWE Knuckle Crunchers
- Head: A 360-degree neck swivel joint.
- Shoulders (2): Basic bicep/shoulder rotation cuts that move the arms up and down.
- Hips (2): Rotating hip joints to move the legs forward and backward.