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MUSCLE Hard Knockin' Rockin' Ring
The M.U.S.C.L.E. Hard Knockin' Rockin' Ring Wrestling Arena was the only playset in the
American M.U.S.C.L.E. line. It was a pretty cool idea... you and a friend put your
wrestlers in the ring, and duked it out Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots-style until there was only one M.U.S.C.L.E. standing!
Certain M.U.S.C.L.E.s performed better than others because their bodies fit the clamps
differently. Unfortunately, the plastic they used for the clamps was relatively brittle,
and they broke pretty easily.
As Universal Ruler Supreme discovered at Naochin's Kinnikuman site, the wrestling ring had its origins in the Japanese Kinnikuman line. There were two rings: the Pro-Wrestling Game, which seems to be the source of the MUSCLE ring's "body", and the Battle Game, which has the same joysticks and figure clamps as those of the MUSCLE ring.
The M.U.S.C.L.E. Wrestling Ring cost $9.99 in the 80s (according to scans of the 1986 Sears Wishbook at Action Figure Archive). You can check out the commercial for the Wrestling Ring over at the M.U.S.C.L.E. TV Commercials section.
The box showed a M.U.S.C.L.E. Wrestling Ring somewhat different than the production toy: the clamps are noticably different (a pity, since those on the box look more durable). The box pictures also featured a Terri-Bull figure that is different from the actual included figure. The back of the box had a colored version of the Muscleman and Terri-bull illustration
(again, the Terri-bull is inaccurate to the figure included).
Taking the M.U.S.C.L.E. Wrestling Ring out of the box, you'll see that a cardboard box protects the ring while providing an area for the figures to be placed so they don't flop around in the box. Note the decal on the side of the ring that seems to be inspired more by the
Kinnikuman manga style than the M.U.S.C.L.E. toons that are normally on the American toy packaging.
M.U.S.C.L.E.
