By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

In Brief: Colt Cabana discusses his own merchandise, what he used to collect growing up, and his thoughts his thoughts on the surge in popularity of C.M. Punk’s merchandise.

If you are looking to pick up a Colt Cabana autograph or t-shirt, the easiest way to do so is to go directly to the man himself.

Readers of the Pro Wrestling Torch Collectibles Column have asked how they can go about getting a trading card or an autograph from Cabana, one of the top independent wrestlers in the country. “Did Topps ever make a card of Scotty Goldman?” and “Does Colt Cabana have an action figure?” are questions that have been posed by several fans.

Cabana doesn’t have a licensed action figure, but a quick Google search will reveal a wide variety of custom figures. If you’re looking for an autograph, go straight to coltmerch.com; Cabana is selling signed trading cards, photos, DVDs, and more.

Cabana recently spoke with the Torch in an exclusive interview about his online store, custom action figures, the reaction to C.M. Punk wearing his T-shirt on Raw, and more.

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PWTorch: How long have you been selling merchandise online?

Cabana: The first time I ever sold merchandise online was probably back in 2004ish, when my name first started buzzing a little on the Internet. I remember selling VHS tapes (laughs), those were the days. Then, I started to realize the true value of it when Myspace pages allowed you to link your PayPal accounts. Now coltmerch.com is a full-fledged store and it's the cornerstone of my profession.

PWTorch: You've got a pretty diverse selection of merchandise. Which items typically sell the best?

Cabana: The “Wrestling Road Diaries” is far and away the best seller. It's one of the most important things I've done in my entire career. I'm so proud of the movie and the experience involved. The “I *STAR* COLT” shirt also does really well.




PWTorch: Do you have any personal favorite merchandise from the site? The Jill Thompson stick figure shirt is pretty cool.

Cabana: The stick figure t-shirt and poster is probably my favorite design I've done to date. I had this weird vision and I drew it in stick figures on the back of an 8x10. I brought the design to Jill Thompson and she made a masterpiece with it. She's the best!

PWTorch: How did your t-shirt sales increase when C..M Punk wore one on Raw?

Cabana: Awesomely (laughs). I'm forever grateful for the new fans he's brought to me.

PWTorch: I just had a reader ask me if I knew where he could get a Colt Cabana action figure. Have fans ever shown you custom figures they've made of you?

Cabana: I’ve gotten tons of action figures made of me over the years. I think it's really cool. My friends were close with the Jakks guys when I was in WWE. Apparently Jakks was desperate to make as many guys as possible before their deal was up. I guess they had started the mold for Scotty Goldman, but I was quickly fired. On a Ringsidecollectibles.com YouTube clip, Punk was quoted as saying his dream two-pack would be him and me. I think I have dedicated enough fans to where it would make sense to do, but I assume Mattel doesn't want to risk it and would rather go with the safe bet – their sixth Alex Riley figure.

PWTorch: Are you a collector of any types of wrestling or sports memorabilia?

PWTorch: Not so much these days. When I was a kid, I had all of the LJN figures. I also collected Starting Line-Ups and remember my mom getting in a fight with another mother at Toys-R-Us over an Ozzie Smith Starting Line-Up fig. I also collected anything Kirby Puckett. He was my hero.

PWTorch: What are your thoughts on the way C.M. Punk's merchandise has sold over the last year?

Cabana: It's awesome. Even when they weren't pushing him hard, his stuff was always top selling. It just shows you that the people know what's good and what's s---. He's had some awesome designs too when it comes to shirts and merch. That's a testament to the WWE design team.

PWTorch: What's the most unusual thing you've ever been asked to autograph?

Cabana: I autograph a good number of GoldBond bottles, and definitely my share of boobies.




PWTorch: Have you ever sold any of the ring gear that you've worn during a match?

Cabana: I have. The first one I ever sold was my Second City Saints singlet that I wore in tons of ROH matches and the last one I wore it in was a steel cage match against (Austin) Aries in 2005. When I go to Japan there's guys that buy my singlets too. Plus, I'll throw a couple on eBay every now and then. Some of my friends say they think it's weird, but to me it's like a game worn jersey. I think it's a great piece of memorabilia to have.

PWTorch: Do you have any new items planned that aren't on the site yet?

Cabana: Be on the lookout for “Wrestling Road Diaries 2.” I'll eventually get more Cabanaramma headbands, plus I plan on having backpacks soon.

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Trivia Question of the Week

The sloppy signature in last week’s question stumped quite a few readers, but many regular collectors knew the autograph belonged to John Cena. Here is another illegible autograph from a top star. Who signed this?




Send your e-mails to michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com. The names of those who get the correct answer will be published in next Tuesday’s collectibles column.

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