This weekend, WWE wrestlers will duke it out in the milestone 40th Wrestlemania. It’s the perfect time to take a look back at the first action figures based on WWE (then WWF) pro wrestlers.

The Wrestling Superstars line was conceived by Richard Derwald and sold to LJN in 1984. The company would then churn out waves of solid rubber action figures based on the biggest names at WWF until 1989. Popular wrestlers in the toy line included Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, the Iron Sheik, King Kong Bundy, Bruno Sammartino, Mr. Fuji, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Cowboy Bob Orton, Koko B. Ware, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Big Boss Man, and many others.

The main line was the 8” figures that came with a biography card and a poster of the wrestler. A total of 64 original figures were made, with six figures released with different paint jobs on their ring gear. The figures were sold in six series, a black card series, tag team box sets, value packs, and accessory packs.

The Bendies line mirrored the look of the 8” figures, but contained metal wire and the rubber wasn’t as firm, allowing the figures to be bent into different shapes. It consisted of 18 single figures, tag team packs, and accessories. This line also included a mail-away promotion in which children could send in four proofs of purchase to receive a brass die-cast metal belt buckle replica of the WWF championship belt.

The Stretch Wrestlers line of eight figures was similar to Kenner’s Stretch Armstrong. Like that toy, they were often damaged by being stretched too far, and the gel interior would leak through cracks in the latex skin.

Additionally, LJN created the Thumb Wrestler line with 12 figures that were sold by themselves or in packs of two, and there were 16” figures of Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper.