11 Best Gifts for Anyone Who's Obsessed With Pro-Wrestling
Wrestling fans can be notoriously hard to shop for. Like with any kind of sports fandom, passions run niche: Some might only care about certain wrestlers, like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and other well-known superstars, while others tune in weekly just to follow certain promotions, like All Elite Wrestling (AEW). And if you don't follow wrestling at all, it can be tough to figure out what constitutes a good gift in the first place.
Whether your giftee still marks out every time The Rock returns to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) or they dream of the day they can head to Japan to catch a New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) event live, this roundup of the best gifts for wrestling fans offers a little something for everyone. Best of all, you don't need to be a wrestling expert personally or head to subreddits like r/SquaredCircle to get help finding the perfect present for the wrestling-obsessed person in your life, because this will give you a good spread of options to choose from.
1. A Streaming Subscription; Prices Vary
From WWE Raw to AEW Rampage and everything in between, there's no shortage of shows to watch if you're a wrestling fan. But if the person on your gift list doesn't know (or have access to) the streaming platforms that offer this programming, gifting them a subscription could be a thoughtful choice this year. Depending on which promotion they follow, certain services are better than others, however.
If your giftee is or once was a big WWE follower, Peacock is the best choice for them, as it offers exclusive access to WWE Network programming, including all live pay-per-view events, with prices starting at $4.99 per month. If they're less interested in WWE these days but are obsessed with AEW, a subscription to either Sling TV Orange (prices start at $10 per month) or Fite (prices from $4.99 per month) is the way to go. With the Sling TV subscription, your giftee can also catch Impact Wrestling shows and episodes of Dark Side of the Ring, the wrestling documentary television series produced by Vice Studios. With Fite, they can watch select Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), Ring of Honor (RoH), Impact, and NJPW programming, alongside AEW shows.
And if your intended gift recipient already has a way to stream all their favorite major programming but you want to give them something more this holiday season, a subscription to IWTV (which offers live and on-demand independent wrestling from 274 promotions across the country for $10 per month) could be a terrific option, as these events might be impossible for your loved one to watch otherwise.
Subscribe: Sling TV, Fite, Peacock, IWTV
2. Mox // Jon Moxley; $19
There's only so much you can learn about a wrestler when they're in the ring. This recently released autobiography chronicles wrestler Jon Moxley's experiences growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and delves into his career, first on the independent wrestling circuit and then later on in WWE, NJPW, and AEW, where he eventually won the world championship in 2020. Fans of his work in WWE, where he performed under the name Dean Ambrose as both a singles wrestler and as part of The Shield, may also appreciate the inside glimpse he provides into the current corporate landscape of the company.
Buy It: Amazon
3. The Rise and Fall of ECW DVD; From $30
Any wrestling fan who came of age during the Attitude Era knows that it probably wouldn't have happened were it not for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). Founded in 1992 and later run by Paul Heyman (better known now to younger viewers for his work as the on-screen manager for Brock Lesnar and currently, Roman Reigns), ECW helped popularize hardcore wrestling for American audiences and left an indelible mark on the industry, despite closing in 2001. This three-hour documentary traces the rise and fall of the promotion, based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and could be a great gift for folks who grew up watching ECW, or those who got into wrestling years after the fact and are looking to learn more about its history.
Buy It: Amazon
4. Austin 3:16 Retro T-Shirt; $28
Inspired by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's legendary catchphrase (from a promo he cut after winning the 1996 King of the Ring tournament), this throwback T-shirt features "Austin 3:16" in bold white font on one side and the Texas rattlesnake's iconic white skull insignia on the other. If your giftee doesn't already have one from back in the day, this shirt could be a great option—just don't be surprised if they end up making you watch all their favorite Austin matches to celebrate.
Buy It: WWE Shop
5. TONKA Wrestling Buddy Pillow; Prices Vary
Shopping for a wrestling fan who appreciates a good retro gift? Look no further than Tonka's iconic wrestling buddy pillows. First released in 1990, the line featured pillow figures of the most recognizable wrestlers in the WWF (now WWE) at the time: Hulk Hogan, the Ultimate Warrior, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, and the "Macho Man" Randy Savage (then performing under the moniker, "The Macho King"). You can still find most of them unboxed on eBay, where prices range from $50 to $650. For a gift that's equal parts funny and nostalgic, these are definitely worth a look.
Buy Them: Hulk Hogan, the Ultimate Warrior, Ted DiBiase, Randy Savage
6. NJPW: An Introduction to New Japan Pro Wrestling Double DVD Set; $30
Established in 1972, NJPW has been home to some of the most venerated wrestlers of all time, including "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi, and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Bullet Club—a wrestling stable that's included major stars like Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks, A.J. Styles, and others—also originated in NJPW. If there's a wrestling fan on your list who hasn't seen much from this promotion but wants to, this double DVD set could serve as a great introduction, as it features a compilation of some of NJPW's best modern-day matches.
Buy It: Amazon
7. NWO Retro T-Shirt; $28
Wrestling stables come and go, but some—like the nWo, which originally consisted of wrestlers Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Hulk Hogan—are legendary. If your giftee still remembers the Monday Night Wars of the 1990s but was thoroughly on team nWo back in the day, this old-school black-and-white T-shirt could be just for them. If you want to be extra sweet this holiday season, you could throw in an nWo Wolfpac T-shirt, too, so they can rep for both factions of what was arguably the best-known stable in World Championship Wrestling (WCW)—sorry, Four Horsemen fans.
Buy Them: nWo Original, nWo Wolfpac
8. Queen of the Ring: Wrestling Drawings by Jaime Hernandez 1980-2020; $17
Award-winning graphic novelist Jaime Hernandez (known for the celebrated comic series Love and Rockets) delves into the world of women's wrestling with this newly released collection of drawings. Hernandez's etchings hearken back to the lucha libre magazines of the 1960s and 1970s, and he works to bring a full cast of dynamic female performers to life in this book, which features 125 full-color illustrations.
Buy It: Amazon
9. Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks by Mick Foley; $10
This 1999 autobiography from hardcore wrestling legend Mick Foley kicked off a glut of wrestling autobiographies in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but it remains one of the best. In this book—which Foley famously finished without a ghostwriter—he chronicles his beginnings as a teen obsessed with Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka to his time spent wrestling in WCW and ECW as Cactus Jack, and later in the WWE as Mankind and Dude Love. He also recounts notable moments in his career, like the WCW match in 1994 where he lost his right ear and his infamous 1998 "Hell in a Cell" match with the Undertaker, commonly regarded as one of the greatest hardcore matches in wrestling history.
Buy It: Amazon
10. CM Punk T-Shirt; $17
Wrestler CM Punk recently returned to wrestling after a seven-year hiatus. But the pop he received from AEW's audience is nothing compared to the one you could get this holiday season if your giftee is a big fan and finds a T-shirt like this waiting for them under the Christmas tree. Featuring Punk's "Best in the World" catchphrase, this shirt is one of the best gifts for wrestling fans this year given how rapturous the wrestling world has been over the former WWE champion and UFC fighter's return to the ring.
Buy It: Amazon
11. Cameo; Prices Vary
Still stumped about what to get the wrestling fan in your life? You can give them an unforgettable present this year—and bypass shipping delays and other holiday gift-related stresses—by heading straight to Cameo. From living legends like Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and Bret Hart (pictured above) to up-and-coming talent like Kris Statlander and Darby Allin, there's a good chance one of your giftee's favorite wrestlers is on the site. Better still, receiving a personalized video message from them could make your giftee feel like a champ come Christmas morning.
Shop: Cameo
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