Andre the Giant Page #9

---

and out of respect to Andr

I'm gonna go

right along with it.

So Hogan was concerned

all the way up

to the day of the show.

( cheering )

Hogan:
The next day

I'm at the building early,

and I said, "Hey, man,

what's the deal, brother?

"Oh, don't worry,

you're gonna be okay."

I said,

"Well, what's the finish?"

"Andr's gonna do

the right thing."

Announcer:

Welcome to the magnificent

Silverdome...

and welcome to

"WrestleMania III"!

( cheering )

Hogan:

If Vince knew the finish,

I don't remember him telling me

that "You're gonna win."

I never remember him

saying that to me.

I never remember him saying,

"You're winning."

When he got to the building

that day, Andr, typical Andr,

he went in, put a bottle

of wine on the table,

started playing cards.

Everyone's running around,

nervous wrecks.

I mean, this was

the biggest show of all time.

Usually I didn't sit next

to him in the dressing room.

But that day he wanted me

in the dressing room.

And I know his back

was killing him.

And as we were sitting

there I said,

"Andr, what do you want

to do out there?"

"Don't worry."

I said, "Okay, I won't worry."

Andr just kept playing cards.

Wasn't sweatin' a thing.

Hulk came over a couple times

and said, "We good, boss?"

He goes,

"I don't know."

( cheering )

Okerlund:

And Andr the Giant

just moments away from

you're stepping

through the ropes

and into the ring

to meet Hulk Hogan

in the biggest title match

of all time.

I want to get your thoughts.

Gene, you see me now,

and I'm going into the ring,

and believe me,

it's not gonna take me too long

to come back right here

in front of the camera

with the World Championship belt

around my waist.

We're getting ready to go out

for the main event

with 93,000 people,

and maybe Andr

changed his mind.

And I believe this too:

Vince wasn't completely sure.

( cheering )

Announcer:

This is the main event

of the evening!

There was

this incredible buzz.

It was time

for the main event.

That's a sight to behold,

just Andr on that cart

going to the ring

and how big he is standing

next to Bobby Heenan.

Announcer:

An awesome figure,

that 7'5" frame

of Andr the Giant.

The roof of the Silverdome

about to explode here!

I remember it was just

so loud in there

my jaws watered like

I smelled food or something.

It was just so electric

and so loud that it was

just pure adrenaline.

Announcer:

You got 93,173 fans

standing on their feet

for this one, Gorilla.

Gorilla Monsoon:

The irresistible force meeting

the immovable object!

We started the match,

and out of nowhere

he throws that first punch.

Whoa. I block it.

I throw one, I throw two,

and I go under him

for the slam,

and we fall backwards

exactly like I wrote it down.

Announcer:

And the Hulkster unloading,

going for a slam!

Oh, he almost got him up!

He collapsed! One, two!

He pulled himself up by

the ropes, and I'm waiting,

he picks me up and slams me.

Announcer:

Oh, a slam! Andr picked him up

with ease!

Ohhhh!

Then he stood on me and walked

over me with his foot.

Exactly what was

written down there.

( cheering )

The whole match was built around

Andr's limitations.

And Hulk Hogan

working around Andr.

Andr couldn't move.

Hogan:

His back was really bad,

he probably should not

have been in the ring.

Announcer:

Oh! The bear hug!

Meltzer:

It was a very basic match.

One of the key spots

in the match,

actually one of the most

memorable spots

'cause it was like

four minutes,

Andr grabbing him

in a bear hug.

Hogan:

Usually when we grab

the bear hug

I'd jump up and he'd

hold me up in the air

and rag doll me--

I wouldn't let him

do any of that.

Made sure

I stood up straight

so he could stand up

as straight as he could.

Announcer:

The Hulkster,

just withering away here.

One more time.

If that arm drops, it's over.

( cheering )

Tossing it up! It's up there!

Listen to these fans!

Meltzer:

Andr knew what to do.

Andr could do the basic things

that he had to do

that didn't

tax any physicality.

Announcer:

Andr being stung now!

Meltzer:

But they were so popular,

it didn't matter what they did.

It was like no way

this match couldn't work

short of Andr getting hurt and

then being unable to continue.

Announcer:

Andr now with

an Irish Whip!

Oh, he dropped

the big guy!

Jesse Ventura:

That's the first time

I think that

the Giant's ever been

knocked off his feet like that!

Announcer:
Look at the look

on the face of the champion!

He's Hulking up, Jess!

Finally, out of nowhere, "Slam!"

Holy sh*t, he called slam.

( cheering )

Announcer:

Look at this!

He slammed him!

I don't believe it!

Right when he hit

I heard him go, "Leg drop!"

I went and hit the leg drop,

thinking he's gonna kick out.

You know?

And he didn't kick out.

( cheering )

Announcer:

Hulk dropping a big leg!

Over for the jumper!

He got him!

- ( cheering )

- Unbelievable!

Ventura:
I never thought

it could be done, Gorilla.

Monsoon:

Neither did these 93,000 plus

as the World Heavyweight

Champion,

Hulk Hogan, has proven

to everyone what he's made of.

Hmm.

At the time he knew much more

than all of us.

He knew that that's

what had to be done

to get me to where

I needed to be

to help Vince

move this business forward.

Ventura:

That's 525 pounds

of living flesh

that he picked up

and slammed.

Monsoon:

There go the losers. Look at

Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.

Andr still extremely upset.

And that man right there

has won the hearts of everyone.

Look at what the Hulk

is giving them now.

Meltzer:

For the narrative of wrestling,

you want that old star to pass

the torch to the new star,

and that was, you know,

the moment that it happened.

In the history of wrestling,

it was-- it was huge.

If Hogan talks about

his legacy,

I bet you that's the first thing

he talks about still.

Hogan beating Andr was symbolic

of Vince McMahon

putting the ghosts of

the territorial era to bed.

This is Hulk Hogan

defeating the biggest star

in professional wrestling

history until Hulk Hogan.

Andr's career

started going downhill

pretty much immediately

after "WrestleMania III."

They kept him feuding

with Hulk Hogan,

but I don't think he ever

wanted to be a heel.

He liked to ride into every town

with people cheering him on.

And that sort of reaction

is addictive.

It's hard to be booed

when you go out in public,

especially if you're 7'4"

and it's impossible

to hide from those sort

of reactions.

Announcer:

At one time,

Andr was a hero

to young and old alike,

male, female--

didn't matter.

Everybody loved Andr.

But now?

Persona non grata.

There he is outside the ring,

and the fans

are letting him know

he's not very welcome here.

It was over

a matter of time.

You didn't see it every day.

But month after month

you could see Andr failing.

First he starts working

a very limited ring style.

Now he can barely

walk around the ring.

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