SCF Official Review: 2010 Topps UFC Main Event

[Enigma]

First and foremost, I'd like to thank our sponsors at Topps for providing us with this box.



24 packs per box
8 cards per pack
Current Retail Price: 135.99 - 149.99 (Online)

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS:
Each Box Contains 5 Hits!
- 1 Autographed Cards!
- 1 Autographed Relic Card!
- 3 Relic Cards!
*Look For...Cage Fragment Relic Cards!
*Also Find...Autographed Mat Jumbo Relics!

Each Box Also Contains:
- 24 Parallel Cards!
- 24 Insert Cards!

Each pack contains 6 Topps UFC Uncaged Base cards plus one Parallel card plus one Insert card!

PRODUCT BREAKDOWN:

AUTOGRAPHED CARDS - 1 PER BOX!
- New! 50 Base Card Variations With An Autograph!
*All 50 variation subjects are paralleled:
*Gold #'d 1 of 1!
*Silver #'d to 8!
*Bronze #'d to 50!
- Fighters Red Ink Nickname
*The same 50 subjects autograph cards with their name or nickname in red; #'d to 15; Hobby Exclusive!

AUTOGRAPHED RELIC CARDS - 1 PER BOX!
- New! 350 Base Card Variations Featuring An Autograph And Relic!
- New! Chrome Dual Autographed Dual Relic Cards
*2 Fighters, 2 Autographs & 2 Relics; #'d to 25; Hobby Exclusive!
- New! Chrome Autograph Jumbo Relic Cards
*10 Contenders pen their name DIRECTLY on a Jumbo Swatch! #'d to 10; Hobby Exclusive!

RELIC CARDS - 3 PER BOX!
- NEW! CAGE RELIC CARDS
*FIGHT MAT RELIC CARDS
*FIGHTER WORN RELIC CARDS
*TAPOUT JERSEY RELIC CARDS
- All 50 Relic subjects are paralleled:
*Gold #'d 1 of 1!
*Silver #'d to 8!
*Bronze #'d to 88!
- New! Chrome Triple Threat Relic Cards
*Each card features a UFC Fighter with mat, gear and cage relic pieces!

BASE CARDS - 6 PER PACK!
- 140 UFC Fighters plus 10 WEC Fighters!
- All cards are printed on foil board!

PARALLEL CARDS - 1 PER PACK!
- All 50 Relic subjects are paralleled:
*Diamond #'d 1 of 1!
*Ruby #'d to 8!
*Onyx #'d to 88!
*Gold

INSERT CARDS - 1 PER PACK!
- Fight Poster Preview Cards
- New! Ufc Propoganda Cards
- Tuf Tribute Cards
- Top 10 Of '09 Cards
- All 80 TUF Tribute and Top 10 subjects are paralleled:
*Diamond #'d 1 of 1!
*Ruby #'d to 8!
*Onyx #'d to 88!

WHAT WE PULLED

Part 1:


Part 2:


Base: 143/150 (95.3%)
Dupes: 0
Gold (19)
Black /188 (1): Yoshihiro Akiyama/Alan Belcher



Fight Posters (4)
Marketing Propaganda (4)
The Ultimate Fighter (8)
Top 10 Fights of 2009 (8)



Nate Marquardt Auto
Eliot Marshall Relic/Auto
BJ Penn Authentic Cage Relic
Alessio Sakara Fight Mat Relic
Kenny Florian Fighter Worn Relic



FINAL RATINGS

Base - 4.75/5
Design - 5/5
Fun - 4/5
Value - 3/5
Rebuy - 2/5

Topps has "uncaged" their third UFC release with Main Event. Utilizing foil board for all the cards, the 150-card base set stands out. The set features a wide variety of the UFC roster. In addition, there are cards highlighting matches as well as fighters from the WEC. The parallels are on a thick card stock with the regular being gold and then the others numbered.

There are four insert sets to chase. Fight Posters have returned. They feature the picture of an actual promo poster from a UFC event. Another set is the Propaganda cards. These cards features various fighters in which they are "hyped" based on the poster they are encapsulated. A massive set is next, which is dedicated to The Ultimate Fighter series. It showcases many of the fighters who have appeared on the show. Finally, there's the self-explanatory Top 10 Fights of 2009 set. Each fight is highlighted over the span of three cards.

The allure of the UFC cards has been the ratio of autos and relics per box and this year is no exception. Brand new for this release are cards containing a piece of an actual UFC cage. Other relics include fight mats, gloves and pants. There are two autos box, one is a standalone ane other is an auto/relic. The base version is unnumbered and then there are three numbered levels.

Topps is coming off the heels of two highly successful UFC releases in 2009. Main Event continues the momentum with a stunning 150-card base set. Design wise, these cards are spectacular and work perfectly with the foil board. The numbered parallels are kept to about 1-2 per box, which is fine as it heightens the chase for them. The big downfall is the price, which is not the fault of the company per se. The price has driven upwards on all the UFC products once release day hits and reaches double the amount of the beginning going rate. What is helping to spurn the price hike is the announcement in regards to the contest to find the Chuck Liddell/Dana White/Tito Ortiz Triple Auto (print run of 10). Because of the enormous price hike, these boxes are nowhere near worth the purchase price based on the yield.

Once again, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Topps for giving us the opportunity to open and review this release. For information on their products, you can check them out at www.topps.com.

[Crater_Satori]

Great looking product! Thanks to Topps for the box and you Tony for the sweet write up.

[windmortal]

Great, sweet box and thanks ....

Although Round 1 will always be my favorite, this release is a close second for me. Don't care too much about production numbers and rarity, I just like the looks of this sucker.

I think it was released a little too quickly after Topps UFC 2009, and I'm sure the next release will be upon us before we know it. I'm just happy to be able to collect cards of the sport I love with everyone here in the MMA Forum on SCF.

[mayhem13]

Nice read!

Hope to pick up a box soon.

[DarkEssence]

Great thread. I will be trying to get a box soon. I was wondering, do you happen to have a review for round 1? I read for round 2 but I can't find the round 1 review. Thank you.

[PPPanthersGM]

Sweet box!! thanks TOPPS!!!