WWE Ultimate Edition Stone Cold Steve Austin Toy Review

Pro wrestling has had its share of greats, from Ric Flair to Hulk Hogan to The Rock. It's no surprise then that they're the focus of Mattel's WWE Ultimate Edition line of premium action figures. Only the best of the best get that treatment, and bah gawd if the Texas Rattlesnake "Stone Cold" Steve Austin doesn't deserve it out of them all!

So when preorders came out for the WWE Ultimate Edition Stone Cold Steve Austin, I jumped at the chance. I'm a sucker for definitive figures (much better for my wallet to buy the best versions!), so when this sweet fig arrived at my doorstep, I was buzzing with excitement. Will it be everything I imagined it would be? Let's find out together!

Stone Cold has had a lot of action figures made of him, from Mattel's WWE Elite line to Basics, but not at this price point and level of care. Having the WWE Ultimate Edition Stone Cold Steve Austin in my hands, I gotta say this is some next level shit. I've owned my share of the aforementioned wrestling figures, and it's obvious that this fig is not in their league. It looks so badass and resembles Steve Austin so much that I heard his theme music the entire time I handled this figure!

The WWE Ultimate Edition treatment is evident in the articulation. Stone Cold here has more articulation than standard WWE Elite figures, from double-jointed elbows and knees, toe hinges, and even butterfly joints in the shoulders!

With this wide range of articulation, WWE Ultimate Edition Stone Cold Steve Austin can do all his iconic moves and mannerisms, and can even do a very convincing Stone Cold Stunner!

You're not just paying for a cool action figure, you're also paying for an incredible amount of accessories to dress up your fig the way you want. For starters, aside from the neutral "gripping hands," there are also a pair of closed fists, because how else are you gonna pose Stone Cold giving someone a vintage Thesz Press beatdown without meaty Texan fists?

Inexplicably, WWE Ultimate Edition Stone Cold Steve Austin comes with a pair of pointing hands, which I have no recollection of Austin ever doing anything iconic with. Isn't he supposed to have...

Kidding. I know Mattel wouldn't put "middle finger" hands in a mass market action figure that might be picked up by little Timmy in the toy aisle. Still, it's a shame that Stone Cold's iconic bird-flipping hands are absent, making the figure feel incomplete for an "ultimate edition".

What the hell am I supposed to do with these?

There are still plenty of iconic accessories included with WWE Ultimate Edition Stone Cold Steve Austin, though, like his signature black leather vest. If you've owned any WWE Elite Stone Cold figure, this is pretty much the same exact thing, with only a few changes to its decals. The skulls and the 3:16s are sharply printed in silver, and the figure feels right with it on!

A championship belt is also included, namely the Attitude Era WWE Championship or the "Big Eagle" belt. The strap is rubbery plastic cast in a blue shade, and the center and side "plates" are shiny gold. As a kid, I only ever knew about Austin's "Smoking Skull" belt, so I hoped that that belt was the one included here instead. But since this belt was first introduced with Stone Cold, I could see where Mattel was going with this. The tiny details are killer, though.

There's also a Stone Cold-themed baseball cap, which he wore more than a few times in his career. It's soft black rubber with the Stone Cold skull printed on it, and it fits snugly on his bald head.

WWE Ultimate Edition Stone Cold Steve Austin also comes with a cloth "shirt" and an Attitude Era microphone for when he's laying down some memorable promos. The shirt is not the usual shirt found in normal WWE Elite figures, as this one has no Velcro straps for easy removal. You actually have to lift up his arms and "dress" the figure yourself. A pain in the ass, for sure. But I don't like having my figures wearing t-shirts, anyway.

The multiple head sculpts are the selling point of the WWE Ultimate Edition line, for me, so I'm glad Stone Cold got some necessary ones. Aside from the neutral faced sculpt, there's also an "angry" head so you can display the Texas Rattlesnake in full "stomp a mudhole in a sumbitch" mode.

What?!

The likeness is not all there though, as I see Will Sasso's version in this one than Steve Austin himself. There's also some slop in the paint, which makes it look like my Stone Cold is going rabid like a wolverine.

There's also a "laughing" face sculpt, which in my opinion is the closest likeness to Austin out of all the others. The facial features are painted well, right down to his pearly whites. Mattel's TrueFX technology at work!

Honestly, this is my favorite headsculpt in this set, because there's so much potential for memery!

Is this the definitive Stone Cold Steve Austin action figure? I'd argue that the S.H.Figuarts version wins by the skin of its teeth only by virtue of having "flipping the bird" hands.

But is this the best Stone Cold action figure? Compared to everything else that came before it, most definitely. A premium action figure set loaded with this much value and featuring arguably the greatest professional wrestler of all time are the hallmarks of a crowning jewel in any collection.

As a huge Stone Cold fan, I am more than pleased. Get the WWE Ultimate Edition Stone Cold Steve Austin figure and you're set for life. Nothing else will come close.

I hope you found this review helpful. Thanks for reading!  And if you think this fig is the most awesome Stone Cold fig, gimme a "Hell Yeah!" in the comments below!