Buzz Break: 2022 Panini Chronicles WWE cards (blaster)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2022 Panini Chronicles WWE wrestling cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

Packs per box: 6
Cards per pack: 7
Cards in this box: 42
Chronicles set completion: 
15 of 100 (15 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Chronicles cards – Cody Rhodes, Bron Breakker, Rick Steiner, Jimmy Uso, Umaga, Bayley, Shelton Benjamin, Dominik Mysterio, Mandy Rose, Road Dogg, X-Pac, Randy Savage, The Honky Tonk Man, ma.çé, Ezekiel

Rookie Cards – See gallery

Short-printed Base/Inserts: 27 (all in gallery below)
Absolute Memorabilia (1) – Liv Morgan
Certified (1) – Butch
Certified Bronze (1) – Roddy Piper
Chronicles Bronze (2) – Happy Corbin, Erik
Contenders (1) – Finn Balor
Donruss (1) – Gable Steveson
Donruss Optic (1) – Bruno Sammartino
Elite (1) – JBL
Illusions (1) – Liv Morgan
Legacy (2) – Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior
Luminance (2) – Valentina Feroz, Shinsuke Nakamura
Origins (2) – Brie Bella, Axiom
Playoff (2) – Roderick Strong, Terry Funk
Prestige (2) – Elektra Lopez, Jerry Lawler
Prestige Bronze (1) – Sonya Deville
Rookies & Stars (1) – Jacy Jayne
Rookies & Stars Bronze (1) – Grayson Waller
Score (1) – Trish Stratus
Spectra (1) – Becky Lynch
XR (1) – Goldberg
XR Bronze (1) – Shotzi

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: I've busted tons of Chronicles boxes in all sports over the last few years -- maybe more than any one brand, really -- but this one was a Smackdown for me in a couple of ways since its arrival late last year in hobby and then this month when blaster boxes finally hit retail. With my plans for BuzzMania 6 under way -- a day of WWE breaks on March 31, the day before WrestleMania --  that I've begun work on, I picked up a trio of these after getting smacked around on a multi-star Chronicles hobby case break rather severely. Awful collation got me bad. (I got eight basic cards from a number of possible names in a full case ... and zero Liv Morgan cards despite her checklist presence pushing 40 cards.) This format? Well, it gave me four cards I would have landed in that case break right off the bat -- so the collation can't be as "off" here -- but then I flipped over the cards to see the backs. The errant gloss that plagued the NXT release is back here (only a big deal there if you grade but definitely annoying) but more than a dozen cards here looked like they were stored on gravel before pack-out with dents across the board just like this at right ... some so rough there were hints of these issues showing on the card fronts. I found a few more in each of my other blasters but not as many as this box (at least with a quick scan) but ... still a very bad second impression atop the bad first impression. Good ol' Ezekiel took a punch to the face and you can see all of 'em in the gallery -- though the photos aren't as obvious to show the wide damage line the Jayne card above. ... The array of possible finds in this release should make it an easy A+ in my book -- it's a catch-all loaded with stars and a number of NXT newcomers who had zero cards before this release or are RCs in anything from 2022 -- but, well, I'm quite glad I didn't order a case of either format here. (I pondered both.) The autos can be hit and miss, too, with some older names and a lot of new names in play -- but also some huge names possible as well. Ideally, this is just a small-batch problem ... maybe I just got bad boxes ... but if it's not? I'm going to be torn about this one. Will I do more? I want to ... but I know I shouldn't. Will prices drop? Maybe, maybe not. (I'll rip if they do.) The hobby boxes have a lot more going on, including two autos per box every time and then a number of chases that are in the case level. This one? It doesn't feel as lean as Prizm but if you strip away the variety of the subsets/brands within the release then it's somewhat limited with just Bronze and Green parallels across the board and then seven sets of Red parallel autos. How easily does ink flow? I'm not sure but I went hitless in three boxes (probably expected) but ... all the damage did a number on my interest here. Damage CTRL certainly didn't get a look at this box. I'll offer more thoughts on this one in coming breaks or during BuzzMania 6 ... March 31 be there.

Product Grade: A in its concept ... B with all of the production/collation issues 
Box Grade: D- (damaged cards across board ... no issues it would be at least a B)
Fun Grade: D+ (fun set but damage killed this one ... no issues this would be at least a B or higher)

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