WWE Network Spotlight Sting figure review

If I had to choose just one, Sting narrowly beats out Bret Hart as my all-time favorite wrestler. Mattel hasn’t seemed to share my appreciation for Sting’s early career as they’ve released a disappointing amount of Surfer Sting figures. Mattel tries to fix that somewhat with the WWE Network Spotlight Sting figure.

No, it’s not an Elite figure, but clearly Surfer Sting fans have to take what we can get. The lone Elite one, the Defining Moments Great American Bash version, is one of my least favorite figures in my collection. Even as a Basic, the Spotlight Sting is a big improvement.  

Packaging:   I like this Network Spotlight color scheme. Mattel has used a lot of reds and oranges for the Basic figures and this black with slight red accents is a welcome change.

There’s a nice portrait of Sting on the front. But the biggest surprise is an actual bio write-up on the back explaining this look. This is Sting from 1993 in the peak of his feud with Big Van Vader, one of my favorite opponents for The Stinger.

Likeness:  Mattel could only improve upon its initial Surfer Sting figure. The first head sculpt tried to capture his intensity, but just made him look confused. This more neutral expression is a better choice as it’s more versatile.

The flattop is just right — note the lack of rat tail. The head sculpt all around looks much more like Sting. I’m not the biggest fan of the torso choice. It’s more of a Lex Luger ultra-ripped torso and the package helpfully shows that Sting was never that shredded. Sting’s neck seems a little low on the body, which should be fixable.

Another win for the Spotlight Sting is the arms look better. These are the newer ones than the longtime arm mold a la the Devon Dudley figure, but they work for Sting.

Scale:  Sting was 6’2” three inches shorter than Vader and much shorter than the 6’7” Sid Vicious. The figure actually covers that scale accurately.

Paint:  Paint is one of the most important aspects of a good Surfer Sting figure. The face paint looks good although Mattel neglected an important aspect of the face paint. Sting usually kept a small outline around his eyes. Without a Hot Toys level of paint to accentuate the depth of the eye and the face, the white face paint carries right through the eye creating a weird visual.

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The blue scorpion is done well. Mattel has the tampo down pat so that’s not been a problem on any Surfer Sting. The white is nice and clean and Mattel hit the added extra touch to get the black sole on the boots.

Articulation:  Basic figures aren’t useful if you’re trying to do any extensive posing. Spotlight Sting can hit clotheslines, flying splashes and a decent Stinger Splash. Surprisingly I was able to manage a fairly decent Scorpion Deathlock.

Getting much range of movement for kicks wasn’t that great though as Sid can attest.

Spotlight Sting has:

• neck
• ball-jointed shoulders
• bicep
• elbow
• wrist
• wrist hinge
• waist
• hip
• knee
• ankle

Accessories:  Like most Basic figures, Sting doesn’t come with any accessories. I wouldn’t expect any at this price point.

Worth it?  Basic figures run $9.99. You’re getting exactly as much as you pay for here. No more, no less.

Rating: 7 out of 10

I get Basic figures mainly to cannibalize for parts. This one had a lot of useful pieces for a good Surfer Sting. If you want a 93 era version just for display this isn’t bad either.

Where to get it?  I grabbed Spotlight Sting from Toys R Us. I think this is a TRU exclusive. If you can’t find it in stores, just head to toysrus.com. Otherwise you can go the Amazon.com route.