The Collection of a Wrestling Superfan
My life goal is to find somebody who looks at me like Adam Gellman looks at WWE cards. The way Piglet yearns for Pooh or Rob Gronkowski adores Tom Brady. And speaking of GOATS, consider Gellman—aka @WWEGellman—the king of wrestling cards. He doesn’t just love The Hobby, he breathes it. His enthusiasm is contagious—so infectious that even as a lifelong wrestling cynic, I’ve admittedly caught a Stone Cold Steve Austin fever.
Ironically, Gellman’s fascination began while wearing an “Austin 3:16” shirt to a 1999 WWE SummerSlam that he attended with his father and brother. “I was always a wrestling fan but could never go because of school,” he said. “We made signs, wore gear, and went all out.” His experience transcended sports.
The electricity he felt that day led to an unparalleled knowledge of WWE trading cards, which he’s been collecting since 2017. “I had a huge football and baseball card collection,” he said. “But I traded most of that to support my wrestling habit.”
The Ultimate Becky Lynch “The Man” Collection
What I love about Adam is that he appreciates a strong woman, or in this case, “The Man,” Becky Lynch. Becky adopted the iconic nickname after defeating Charlotte Flair in 2018, referencing Ric Fair’s famous saying, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.”
Today, “The Man” is largely considered the greatest female wrestler in WWE history and makes up most of Gellman’s Personal Collection. Undoubtedly, he’s amassed the greatest Becky Lynch collection in the world.
“Like everybody else, my favorite wrestler growing up was Stone Cold Steve Austin,” he said. “I was drawn to Becky when she started because her character became like the modern-day version of Stone Cold.”
Gellman’s Favorite Becky Lynch Cards
Notice that Gellman’s cards are not in slabs but remain raw. “I don’t believe in grading cards,” he said. “I also think it takes away from the beauty of the card itself.”
Plus, who needs a grade when your entire collection consists of one-of-ones? His favorite Superfractors include a 2021 Topps Transcendent 1/1 autograph Superfractor, and a pair of 2020 and 2021 Topps Chrome Superfractor 1/1s.
His passion for growing WWE trading cards runs so deep—he helped Topps acquire Becky Lynch’s match-worn leather jacket she wore throughout the summer of 2019. That Jacket was cut into pieces and inserted into multiple cards.
The card he holds most dear is a 2021 Topps Transcendent Oversized 1/1 Quad Auto—The Four Horsewomen of WWE. “Nothing compares to this,” he said while holding the card as big as his head. According to Gellman, the quad auto card of Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Bayley will never leave the prominent position on his shelf.
And I did promise him to note that he’s looking to find the 2020 Topps Chrome WWE Superfractor 1/1 and gold 1/1 of Becky’s 2015 Topps Undisputed rookie card.
Spread love: It’s the WWE Way
Even though I’ve only recently joined the wrestling club, the community is unlike any other. Adam and friends have welcomed me with open arms and without judgment. For them, it’s not about who has the most expensive or best collection but rather embracing each other’s needs as collectors.
“My collection is awesome only because I’ve had a ton of help from the community that keep their eyes peeled for me,” Gellman said. “I couldn’t have done it without them.”
If you’re interested in starting your collection, I encourage you to check out the Google sheet that Gellman and company update daily. The Wrestling Collector’s List provides a “Who’s Who” of wrestler PCs.
