These were really fun to discover and collect. There was a time when wrestling cards were very inexpensive — those days are long gone.

The Andre Yamakatsu card was one of my favorites. It took nearly two years to finally get that card approved for grading at PSA. I never found one, but the Andre card with the “Winner” stamp is my favorite choice for his best rookie card.

The Hulk Hogan Popy card is also very limited and a great card, in my opinion.

Does anyone have more information on the Liddell card? I was able to date it because his age was listed on the back, but I was never able to gather enough information for PSA to start grading it.

UFC / MMA

• Bruce Lee 1974 Yamakatsu Way of the Dragon
  The legend. The icon. Bruce Lee’s rare 1974 Yamakatsu card ties martial arts and pop culture into one historic piece.

• Chuck Norris 1974 Yamakatsu Way of the Dragon Series 2
  Before the memes, Chuck Norris was the tough guy — and this 1974 Yamakatsu card captures him at the height of his martial arts fame.

• Ken Shamrock 1995 BBM
  The “World’s Most Dangerous Man” hits cardboard in this early BBM release, just as he transitioned from pro wrestling to UFC stardom.

• Randy Couture 1998 Culture House - Asics Heroes of Wrestling
  Long before becoming a UFC icon, Randy Couture appeared in this U.S.-produced Culture House set honoring amateur wrestling legends.

• Chuck Liddell 2003 Sherdog
  The Iceman’s first card, included as a bonus with Sherdog’s DVD or VHS releases — a tough find that captures Liddell right before his UFC superstardom.

• Royce Gracie 2006 Pride Card Collection
  The man who dominated the early UFC scene shows up here in the Pride FC set, representing pure jiu-jitsu greatness.

Real Wrestling

• Frank Gotch 1909 Ogden’s
  One of the earliest wrestling legends on cardboard — Frank Gotch’s 1909 Ogden’s is a true piece of sports history.

• Daniel Gable 1972 Panini Munich
  Dan Gable’s Olympic gold captured by Panini, just before he went on to reshape American wrestling forever.

Wrestling (80s Heavy since that’s when I mostly watched wrestling)

• Andre The Giant 1974 Yamakatsu New Japan Pro Wrestling
  Andre’s first true card from his early dominance in Japan — before he became a worldwide phenomenon.

• Ric Flair 1982 Wrestling All-Stars Series A
  “Woooo!” The Nature Boy’s cardboard debut in the iconic Wrestling All-Stars set that kicked off the wrestling card boom.

• Hulk Hogan 1981 Popy
  Before Hulkamania, Hogan’s first appearance came via this Japanese Popy figure card — a true grail for wrestling collectors.

• Hulk Hogan 1982 Wrestling All-Stars
  The definitive early Hulk Hogan card from the Wrestling All-Stars set that changed wrestling collectibles forever.

• Mr. T 1983 The A-Team Topps
  Pity the fool who doesn’t recognize Mr. T’s cultural crossover power — immortalized in the A-Team card set.

• The Road Warriors 1985 Wrestling All Stars
  No tag team hit harder or looked cooler — The Road Warriors’ early card is as intense as their in-ring legacy.

• Randy Savage 1985 O-Pee-Chee Series 2
  “Ooooh yeah!” Macho Man’s Canadian O-Pee-Chee rookie is one of wrestling’s most colorful and iconic cards.

• The British Bulldogs 1985 O-Pee-Chee Series 2
  Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid show up in this early O-Pee-Chee release, just as they were redefining tag team wrestling.

• Roddy Piper 1985 O-Pee-Chee WWF Pro Wrestling Stars
  The Hot Rod’s fiery persona is captured perfectly in his first mainstream card from the classic O-Pee-Chee WWF set.

• Bret Hart 1987 O-Pee-Chee WWF Pro Wrestling Stars
  The Hitman’s first solo cardboard appearance — and a must for any fan of excellence.

• Sting 1987 Wonderama Test
  Before the face paint and black baseball bats, young Sting got his start with this rare Wonderama test issue.

• Ultimate Warrior 1989 WWF Super Stars Of Wrestling Series 3
  Feel the power! Warrior’s explosive first mainstream card captures his larger-than-life energy.

• Demolition 1989 WWF Super Stars Of Wrestling Series 1
  Axes and smash hits — Demolition’s early WWF card brings the heavy metal vibe to your collection.

• Steve Austin 1991 Cromy
  Before Stone Cold — Stunning Steve Austin appears on this rare South American Cromy issue. A cold start to a red-hot career.

• The Rockers (Shawn Michaels) 1989 WWF Super Stars Of Wrestling Series 1
  Before HBK became the Showstopper, Shawn Michaels debuted as part of The Rockers — fresh-faced and ready to fly.

• John Cena 2002 Fleer Royal Rumble
  The Champ’s cardboard beginnings — John Cena’s first appearance in a WWE set, just as he was getting ready to rise to the top.

• The Rock 1994 Miami Hurricanes
  Before laying the smackdown, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was chasing football dreams — captured here in his rare Miami Hurricanes card.