New Interview: Bonnar/Griffin Online Exclusive! More Molds! More Accessories! And More!

A Full Text Recap Plus Insider Commentary by PdW2kX

Ringside Collectibles recently attended ToyFair 2010, and world-renowned toy company Jakks Pacific was out in force to promote their line of action figures based off of the number one Mixed Martial Arts promotion in the world, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Ringside Collectibles staff member Tim Ash had an opportunity to sit down with Jakks Pacific’s Andrew Kovall for a three-part interview that MMAFigs.com fans can view in its entirety by clicking here. Since so much information was released during the interview, MMAFigs.com is presenting a recap of the interview with major highlights and commentary from MMAFigs.com’s main administrator, PdW2kX.

Here, in bullet-point form, are the major highlights from Tim Ash’s interview with Andrew Kovall. Look for PdW2kX’s insight into everything at the end of the article.

•          The first-ever UFC online exclusive has been confirmed, and it’s a Ringside Collectibles exclusive two-pack of Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin in their fight attire from the first Ultimate Finale live event. These figures were previewed in one of UFC President Dana White’s official blogs, and are battle-damaged with blood and bruises on both fighter’s faces and chests.
•          Mr. Kovall was frank in admitting that the problems surrounding UFC Series 2 were “a major hiccup”, but that Jakks Pacific is working to correct it and plan ahead to hopefully minimize any future problems, as well as working hard to recapture the momentum they had gained with the release of Series 0 and Series 1.
•          Jakks is firmly focused on their six inch, three-and-three-quarters inch, and “micro-sized” figures and had no new information about any other styles.
•          Both exclusives and variants are being planned, but no word on their exact release dates yet.
•          More clothing accessories, such as fight shirts and gi’s, will be released “when it is relevant”. Early 2011 was given as a date when we can expect more clothing attire and accessories in general.
•          No new details have emerged about training accessories, as Jakks wants to focus on making their figures as detailed and true-to-life as possible. It was said that clothing accessories are being looked at as more important than any other accessories.
•          A UFC Gym playset is planned, but as of now it is only for the “Micro” line of figures.
•          The Electronic Octagon, which is the middle-ground between the Jakks Pacific Basic Octagon and Real Scale Octagon, will be released sometime towards the middle of the year. It will feature different sounds like punching, hitting, and grappling.
•          At the moment, no other playsets besides the Octagons and PRIDE rings are being planned for the main line of UFC action figures.
•          More molds will be incorporated (skinnier legs, fatter torsos, etc.) and Jakks plans to incorporate these molds towards the end of the year.
•          The see-through/concept Chuck Liddell will be released, most likely as an online exclusive. There are plans to include more “concept” figures in the future.
•          A Roy Nelson figure is planned.
•          The firings of UFC fighters and the effect this has on the UFC line of action figures is out of Jakks’ control, but Jakks will always try to work with the UFC to create all the fighters that they possibly can.
•          At this time, there are no plans for a Real Scale Classic Octagon or a Real Scale PRIDE ring.
•          In regards to how the figures are selling, the current numbers have exceeded all expectations.
•          More action figure championship belts are planned, but no specific dates were mentioned.
•          There are currently no plans for a WEC blue cage.
•          Color tattoos are on the way, a Thiago Silva figure was highlighted as having full color tattoos up and down both his arms.
•          More “limited runs” and “chaser” figures are being planned.
•          Jakks Pacific will attend the second UFC Fan Expo and “a special thing or two” is planned, including new prototypes.
•          The ultimate goal Jakks Pacific has moving forward is to grow the UFC brand and turn it into a premier brand of action figure collectibles.

Hey guys. PdW2kX here. There was a lot of new information in this interview, and most of it I found incredibly positive. The Series 2 debacle has been debated ad nauseum, so I’ll just say that I think it’s a further step in the right direction that Jakks is openly admitting that they made a major error and are working hard to correct it and ensure that it never happens again. ToyFair 2010 as a whole, and this interview in particular, has gone a long way towards restoring my faith in the UFC line.

The first-ever online exclusive sounds fantastic, and I couldn’t be happier that it’s a Ringside Collectibles exclusive. This could and should be one of the top-selling MMA collectibles of the year. Bonnar/Griffin is quickly becoming hallowed ground to UFC fans, I once said that bringing up the way this fight changed the sport of MMA was beginning to become redundant. It’s simply become widely accepted as something that is as major as the formation of the UFC or the glory days of PRIDE FC. As a proud MMA fan I can’t wait to add this to my collection, and I think that this inaugural two-pack will set an impressive benchmark that may end up being very hard to match.

I like the idea of more clothing accessories, and hope that above all else these accessories are made from cloth. I think Jakks hit the ball out of the park when they designed Royce Gracie’s gi, and if that level of attention is given to fighter’s shirts I think fighters with such shirts will become just as valuable as collector items as the Gracie figure is. I would like some training equipment, but it’s not a necessity, so I really don’t mind that we won’t be getting them for a while. I feel the same way when it comes to playsets that aren’t Octagons or PRIDE rings. However, I will say that as a hardcore MMA fan I am saddened that we most likely won’t be seeing a Real Scale Classic Octagon or PRIDE ring.

More molds and color tattoos will help Jakks Pacific remain competitive in a market seemingly flooded with top-of-the-line action figures. The prototype of Thiago Silva looks amazing, and is quickly becoming one of my most-anticipated figures of 2010. I think it will be interesting to see what the new molds look like, and how they measure up to the molds of the past. I think Jakks is giving us collector’s what we want when it comes to accurate body types and attention-to-detail, and even though some will say “better late than never”, I think this is a major step in the right direction.

Overall, I think Jakks Pacific is going to emerge from the Series 2 debacle stronger than ever, with clear goals and clear ways of achieving them. I will not say that all my fears are alleviated, but I will also not say that Jakks has lost me as a fan. Right now, “slightly hesitant optimism” nails my feelings to a tee. I am willing to forgive and forget, so long as Jakks lives up to their promises. If they do, there’s simply no way I can picture myself not collecting these figures. If they don’t, I think UFC action figures will be a colossal missed opportunity that could and possibly should have been seen as another stepping stone in the UFC’s long, long quest towards worldwide acceptance.

I think ToyFair 2010 was a calculated, careful, but ultimately triumphant step in the right direction for Jakks Pacific and their line of UFC action figures. So don’t let us down, Jakks. We’ll be watching.