While AEW Unmatched is a new series beginning with these figures... it's actually very similar to the predecessor AEW Unrivaled collection. The figures are in scale to the Unrivaled ones (with one notable exception), come in very similar packaging and have the same amount of accessories.
I initially decided to only collect one figure of each AEW character that comes out, concerned that this will become an incredibly expensive habit. Of course, I quickly broke my own rules when I saw the set seeping into Canadian retail stores. Whoops!
Let's take a closer look, shall we?
As an action figure, Miro is not as impressive as Rusev; there - I said it. The blonde hair/dark beard combination (which, thankfully, he's since lost) seems a little out of place, and I'll take the classic Bulgarian trunks and barefoot look over camo pants and black boots. Of course, you can't blame Jazwares for that; they were just trying to depict how Miro looked early in his AEW run as "The Best Man."
In addition, Miro's screaming head scan kind of misses the mark, and his body molding just feels a bit off. Kudos to Jazwares for giving him an official AEW microphone (along with interchangeable hands), but this is a solid "middle of the road" figure for me.
Dr. Britt Baker's first-ever action figure is decent... but I can't help but think how much better it would be if the head scan were more faithful to her. Honestly, apart from Hikaru Shida, none of the AEW women have received decent face scans in my mind. But put that one item aside, and it's actually an awesome figure! Her silver ring jacket is all kinds of cool, and you can swap out her hands for black gloves (a la Chris Jericho from Unrivaled Series 1).
The third figure, and honestly, the only one I was super-excited about it getting, was the LJN Cody Rhodes. Much like The Young Bucks figures from a few years ago, these are actual, certified LJN figures! The packaging is just amazing; a combination of the old-school LJN WWF Wrestling Superstars box and the newer AEW Unrivaled/Unmatched look. There's even a rolled-up poster inside that's faithful to the original WWF line (full disclosure: the poster image you see here isn't mine; as I've kept it pristine for safe keeping).
The Cody figure itself looks and feels like an old-school LJN, completely with slightly-bendable legs. Posed next to an OG LJN such as Hulk Hogan (see photo), it's not exactly in scale... but mind you, none of the original LJNs were in scale to each other. I appreciate it for what it is -- an awesome throwback and something these guys did better than WWE did a decade or so ago with it's LJN-style Classic Superstars.
Dustin Rhodes is definitely an improvement over his Unrivaled figure (and, arguably, his Blood and Guts one), which I mainly attribute to the electric blue facepaint and outfit. It pops far more than his red facepaint/gear, plus this figure comes with an extra head and set of hands.
Kenny Omega is a figure I can honestly take or leave. This is the third Omega I've acquired and the pre-heel turn figures all look somewhat alike. Granted, the pattern on his trunks and boots here are quite unique (taken from All Out 2020) and he also comes with interchangeable hands. But as you can see in the photos above, there are far too many similarities in my Omegas to make it meaningful.
Finally, there's Darby Allin. While his first AEW figure was an absolute banger, this one is actually better. It features badass face and body paint, a weathered-looking leather jacket, the TNT Championship (first time I've scored that belt with an AEW figure) and a skateboard with "The Face of TNT" on the front and his logo on the back. Unfortunately, he can't really hold the skateboard all that well, but he can at least be posed on it. The way I have my AEW figures displayed, the skateboard inevitably gets loose and knocks a few figures over in the middle of the night. I also love the little details, like his extensive tattoos, red fingernails and Doc Marten style shoes. It's a REALLY impressive figure!
Overall, this definitely isn't my favorite set of AEW figures, but there are some highlights, for sure. And it's hard to be upset with a brand new LJN!