What really impressed me with The Piper's Pit segment was when Piper showed concern for Hogan. This would be like the Joker showing concern for Batman. "You're bleeding man".
That's what sells Andre's heel turn as a "shocking moment" for me. It's not Hogan's blubbering, it's the fact that Piper - one of the best talkers in the business - is completely gobsmacked about what he's seeing.
I was lucky as a kid that my grand dad took me to see andré when he was tagging with haku, at a house show in houston against demolition. The respect he commanded and the aura was incredible, like seeing a legendary being but he was real.
When you go back and watch WM3 as a smart fan and see Andre take the slam and the leg drop you get almost emotional twofold because 1) it’s a great moment for hogan and the business but also 2) you see that Andre really was the Atlas that held up the WWF and it was the end of his reign.
@Sub if you are against antifa and BLM Bobby Heenan told a story about those in his book. They were on forklifts and apparently Andre proclaimed that when Hogan's came out Andre was going to tip it over with Hogan on it. Vince begged Bobby to not let Andre do it. Bobby's response was "How the hell am I going to stop him? If wants to do it he's going to do it." Hogan never used the forklift to get to the ring and instead walk out. Whether that was the original plan anyway or Vince and Hogan were worried that Andre would make good on his threat and opted not to use the forklift, is unknown.
Andre never held up the WWf. He barely even worked for them. Andre wrestled everywhere, not just wwf. It wasn’t Until the territories were dead in the later part of the 80’s that Andre worked exclusively for wwe.
If you weren’t 7-11 years old at the time this took place, you can never understand the cultural impact it had, period. As kids, we talked about this all year, even over summer vacation, it was that instrumental in our childhoods, especially the angle that “Hogan has no chance”. Amazing stuff and we still celebrate it almost 40 years later.
This wrestlemania transcended wrestling itself, even the major tv stations reported on the results of the main event. It was a spot piece, but it caught the attention of the nation.
It 🚫 only got national attention, it got 🌎 wide attention. I remember reading the 🗞️ the next day and seeing the photo from the Pontiac Silverdome and the crowd filling up the place . I've always believed that the match held up to expectations. Hogan new that he was 🚫 going to get much from Andre, so he had to do most rebounds f the job and set himself up in perfect position for Andre to do what he could and 🚫 look bad , which he never did during the match. Andre was also able to do some of his own . Remember when Heenan asked him "are you all right" after Hogan smashed Andre's head on the turnbuckle and tried to give'm a clothesline on the corner Andre put his size 20 foot on Hogan's face; Andre turn around and gave Heenan a nice nod , and later he yelled to the crowd " look at your champion now " when Hogan was laying down on the canvas. Don't forget Hogan's work selling the bearhug for Andre.
The entire family in the living room around the TV from grandma to grandson cheering Hogan. We used to watch all the WWF events & Tyson, Holyfield, Foreman, & Sugar Ray fights. Must see TV was great back then & everyone sat around the house & shared in it. Those were the days.
Truly the magic era of TV. It was a great time. I initially saw Jim Lampley at Fort LIberty (Bragg) with the Army boxing team fighting the Irish National team. My father was a golden gloves boxer with the paratroopers in Okinawa before going to Vietnam. Anyway, Jim Lampley was covering the boxing for ABC sports. I saw Charles Mooney who won the Silver in the Olympics that 76 year. I also saw the Marines team from Lejune fight the Army team, who mostly consist of paratroopers from the 82nd. Leon Spinks was there. The Marines one. Boy was my dad hot. I saw the Marines come in and boy where they fit with plenty of upper body strength. I knew then, I would join the Marines. Wrestling was tops too. Thanks for reminding me of that time.
Andre has been gone for 30 years... despite the stories of him getting wasted after slamming over a hundred beers and defecating in the bathtub, he really does seem like a mythical creature who came and went...
As a kid, the rare occasion he wrestled on Saturday, it felt like the biggest deal ever. Andre was more than a wrestler, he was a true giant, and as a kid it felt like Santa
@@LJWilliams15 that’s right, thank God for all that tape collectors, and everyone who recorded all these historic matches and UA-cam of course without UA-cam, it will be impossible to see all these different matches from all over the world
@@7654x right I willing to bet that would totally Rock and would get lot’s of views and great comments which is almost as entertaining as Cornette telling his stories from the road and the wrestling world💪💪
Idk I love Cornette podcast. His and Bruce STW is only ones I listen to. I just don’t like listening to Cornette talk about “80s cartoon WWF” talking about how the company doing 3-5x the business drawing way more money than the company he was in is doing everything wrong. How could the company doing everything cartoony and wrong be crushing the “real” wrestling company JCP who was losing money and bankrupting themselves out of business
The crime rate didn't drop while the Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan Show, it was a dig at Beatles by a comedian that all the criminals dropped their tools to watch their fellow long haired hooligans.
Andre doesn't get mentioned a lot in lists of all time great workers, but how good a job did he do concealing all his health problems. No casual fan watching the show around the time of Wrestlemania III had any idea there was anything wrong with him. His ability to get the most out of every little thing he did is a benchmark for the difference between being a wrestler, and a worker.
I totally get why it irritates Brian so much but I honestly can't fault Stephanie for the "Andre was my friend" thing. He obviously made a big impression on her as a kid, as he undoubtedly would have for any kid that age who actually knew/spent time with him. It would be like hanging out with an actual giant from a fairy-tale or something.
Stephanie has had televised delusions and emotional outbursts ever since Davey Boy threw that trash can at her head. I really hope her and her brother are getting the help that they need.
I was 11 during this time and have watched it over and over as an adult and I will say they set the stage and told the story so well while saying so little, too. You could feel the shock and sadness of Hull as his shirt was torn off and Piper being as quick witted and smart as Heenan saw the blood on Hulk's chest and that one sentence he said softly..."You're bleeding." That was so powerful and made it feel so real. Piper was a genius taking liberties when they benefitted himself and others knowing the drawing power he had would only make them both rise higher. Andre played his role of the jealous, angry giant to perfection. I was devastated seeing him become a heel as he was always loved here by us fans and as he retired here he walked in the ring as a heel, and left the ring as a beloved hero. The timing was right and the fans wanted to love him again and we got to in kayfabe. He left with his head high and the people all stood up cheering, crying happy tears including I, and...that era of wrestling when the NWA territories were still here, the AWA, the WWF...we had a variety of great wrestling styles and I truly miss it. I think we all miss it. The greatest champions of all time from Heavyweights to Tag Teams, and Regional champs, and more, all wrestled in that golden era...Flair, Hogan, Piper, Buddy Rose, both the Midnight and Rock n Roll Express, Freebirds, Von Erichs, Rhodes, Slater, the names continue with greatness.
@@ricosalvaje5802 Piper could sell you your own pair of sunglasses, he was that good! He could walk in to an arena and just generate heat by giving the fans one cocky smile and he would be engulfed in loud boo's of hatred, that was just how good he was and best part he enjoyed it which got him to become his character in the ring so well. And a great heel will always become a great face when the timing is right, and Piper was loved by the fans as he changed face - although he should have had a longer run as a heel as he was a money maker for any promoter at the time. His run with Hogan was far too short and a title change would have made so much sense as it would have generated so much money just seeing those two fight it out for, and Piper should have lost his title if that happened back to Hulk, though not cleanly. Say, have Bob Orton go to hit Hulk with his cast, but instead hits Piper by mistake before Hulk knocks him out of the ring, lands the Leg Drop, 1-2-3. Not a clean win which would keep Piper safe on the dirt sheets as one of the biggest draws still. That I could see working and only Piper could have done that, he was just so good!
@scypsylock9402 Piper was awesome. I saw a clip of Piper and Ole Anderson around 1982-1983 in Georgia Championship Wrestling and Piper was so amazing to watch. If you havent seen it, I would highly reccomened watching it.
@@ricosalvaje5802 Piper's best match was with Bret, too! He literally showed us his ability in the and never laid down for anyone for the count because he was smart about saving his heat. To lay down for anyone he had to feel it meant something special and when he wrestled Bret he told Bret he was doing the job for him for the 1, 2, 3. That was Piper passing the torch to Bret and because he saw money in Bret, which as we all know Bret became a great champion and made a lot of money! That was how smart Piper was and some may find it selfish of him to not lay down for anyone, but in those days you had to be selfish if you knew even one loss would kill your heat and drawing power. Andre didn't pin him because he knew how Piper thought and and respected the business and knew how white hot he was. He loved working with Piper and normally never sold for any guy who was much smaller, but he did for Piper. That was respect for the boss and he gave that respect in return if he liked you. And Piper in his promos..top five of the best ever in wrestling next to Flair, Rhodes, Michael P.S. Hayes, and Jake Roberts! I'm leaving out a few others, but he was one of the greatest of all time!
@@ricosalvaje5802 His matches against Greg Valentine were the most grueling matches ever in 1983! The Dog Collar match I remember seeing live when I was 7! That was a scary match that was more of a street fight than anything and if you could hear the fans cheering live as we all stood up...omg, epic!
@@randi_godspeed2063 The story I always heard was that was the case at the start, but Hulk eventually did at least win Andre's respect. I will say that whenever Hogan talks about Andre, it seems to be the one time he shows his genuine emotions on camera. Vince too.
I grew up mostly watching guys like Austin idol, ric flair, Bruno sammartino, nick bockwinkle, harley race and jerry Lawler. Wasn't a big wwf fan, BUT having seen the Hulk Hogan/Andre the Giant match? I have to admit it was phenomenal. Andre was this larger than life, billed undefeated( Adnan al kaissie beat him in 71 In baghdad as a favor) giant and you've got this red-hot baby face hulk hogan .this was stuff of legends.
Talking about the switch to the singlet, it worked out for the best because the black single-strap singlet is so synonymous with Andre now that you don't see it anymore unless you're trying to invoke memories of Andre on purpose.
I remember seeing Wrestlemania 3, locally at our city's county fair on closed circuit screen. Sure it was on a giant screen. But being as young as I was (12 years old) it was like actually being there live in Pontiac, Michigan.
One of the only heels that left a Hogan rivalry w some heat. Looking back,Andre had a lot of highlights during the feud..winning the pre WM3 Battle Royal,being the sole survivor in Survivor Series 1987,the 'title' win in 1988. Legendary stuff!
Hercules won the pre- WM 3 battle Royale on SNME Andre bloodied Leaping Lanny Poffo and eliminated Hogan in that battle Royale but got eliminated himself it was Hercules and Billy Jack Haynes as the final 2
Why does Brian always scuff at the idea of Stephanie considering Andre her friend? Just seems pointlessly mean-spirited to shit on her childhood that he wasn't there for.
I want to see a WWE Rivals episode of Jim Cornette and Kevin Dunn. That is sure to get a lot of ratings for A&E. People still talk about that over 25 years later. You Know Jim...I Find You Tiresome
Jim has a bat, he can find a stick he doesn't give a fuck. Jim would get the biggest raging hard on seeing Russo's brains splatter further than a grenade blowing up in a jello factory.
They could make a bunch of episodes of rivals just with the people Corny hates. Dunn, Russo, Olivier, Cucamonga Kids,Tim Horner, Santino, Dairy Queen drive thru employees... endless fun could be had!
The pops in that match were unreal! Such a great match and can watch it years later and still feel like a kid watching it as it can take you back in time emotionally
It may have drawn record money and it may have been an epic encounter that will be talked about for decades......but it didnt have any flips or cartwheels, no one jumped off the top rope and it didnt take place in the Tokyo Dome, therefore minus 4 stars.
Andre could barely walk. When that wrestlemania 3 match happened. I thought he did the best job he could. Considering the circumstances. What a legend 💯
Most of Andre's offense was falling on and squishing Hogan. That allowed him to take his time and walk all over the Hulkster and look absolutely dominant.
WrestleMania 3 was certainly not a great technical match, but both Andre and Hogan played the psychology perfectly. They earned every dime that night. Andre was the greatest big man in wrestling history, and Hogan had a razor sharp sense of the audience. Iconic. Legendary. A+. That's coming from a southern wrestling fan.
For me personally a great story match will trump a great technical match everytime. If you get both it’s unforgettable. Angle vs Lesnar Ironman match comes to mind
No it's the equivalent of "who shot JR" on the old TV show Dallas from the same era... A TV soap opera primarily for women and another primarily for men... Entertainment. Comparing it to an actual competitive sport is ridiculous.
@@a1aprospects470 I wasn't doing that consciously. I meant that the occasion held similar stature in the public imagination - I mean the portion which comprised wrestling fan boys like myself, I was about seven at the time. But I actually didn't see the match until I was 11, for the first time. Ali vs Foreman: Could Ali beat Foreman? Hogan vs Andre: Could Hogan beat Andre?
Big difference between watching wrestling when I was a kid and watching it now is as a kid the thing that I was least interested in was the match quality. I was invested in the build and the long term story. So by the time the two characters finally had their match I just wanted to see my heroes win. I didn’t care what gymnastics moves they did or star ratings. I just wanted to see the Road Warriors kick Tully and Arn’s ass. The promos, the storylines and the psychology was 95% of the draw and the moves and flips meant nothing.
It was SO BIG in Detroit that i remember at LEAST two RADIO STATIONS calling the show for the fans that couldn't get to see it live in the silverdome. I don't remember any WrestleMania before or since getting play by play on the RADIO. I thought whoever was calling the matches was going to pass out because the steamboat savage match was SO good.
8:45 - Jim says Vince Sr. didn't want a babyface match between Bruno and Andre due to the love fans had for the two of them. Jim forgot that they tried something similar to that in September 1972 with the original Showdown at Shea where Bruno wrestled Pedro Morales for the WWWF title. The fans had seen the buildup to that match and were expecting a Pier 6 brawl. Instead what they got was a hold-for-hold scientific match that went on for an hour and ten minutes, and as they approached the one hour mark the fans started getting restless and some of them had even begun to boo (the only time Bruno was ever booed in New York City, by the way). The fans got so bored that Vince Sr. sent George "The Animal" Steele out to the ring to do a run-in, just to distract the fans. So that's likely the real reason WWE never tried that again - the fans reacted so negatively toward the Bruno-Pedro "dream match" that they feel it wasn't worth a second try, even with different babyfaces.
When Andre challenged Hogan and ripped his cross off was meck that was huge. I can still hear Hogan screaming Yes..... when asked if he accepted his challenge.
I was at the CNE house show in Toronto, 70k minimum. Andre was on the card as “Giant Machine” - stuck my hand in his armpit by accident. Orndorff was drinking a can of beer as he pulled away in a Cadillac after the show, lmao - it was the best of times, it was the best of times.
Andre telling hogan to slam him at mania 3 because he knew what a moment that would be. 35 years later it's still one of the defining moments of wrestling even tho the match itself was not great an Andre was not in the best health wise then people don't care they just remember the spectacle of it.
I've seen worse matches. Andre vs Hulk wasn't a bad match dude. He was limited to go a long period because of health problems. Those few minutes were electrifying. Get it right. Watch today's show. Then you can talk bad matches.
@@Michael-dd6hl I never said today's show was good, though you'll have to narrow down what today's show is. There are lots of shows on today. I already indicated Mayweather and McGregor was bad. What else you need?
When they did the Hulk Andre rematch on "The Main Event"..I was about 7 or 8 and I remember it was a Friday night..it was February, I had a basketball game the next morning and I watched it on TV with my Dad, who was not a wrestling fan but used to tolerate it for us. When I got to the gym the next morning at school for the game, EVERYONE was talking about it the way people would be talking about the Super Bowl or something. This was huge
You can literally see in Hogan's back where the muscle tore, upper right side. Hogan has that old school carny exaggeration but all these know nothing ham and Eggers who think they know everything
I was 8 years old and see this at the local fairgrounds. It was closed circuit, and they had it on a big screen. Packed house to watch it. Everyone cheering and high fiving after hogan won. It was great. Ranked right up with movie theatre crowd I seen Rocky 4 with. Good times when people likes each other.
That was when Savage legit says he’s going to kick Andres ass. Then later in the same show, Jake says he’s gonna kick Rudes ass. I remember watching and being so shocked that the word “ass” was said twice in the same show
Hulk slamming Andre will always be the greatest moment in WM history. Bar none. The pop from the crowd was off the charts along with the finish. Can't deny it. Gives me goosebumps to this day. I'm not a big Hogan fan but it was the peak of the Hulkamania era. Everyone watching knew they were witnessing something special. Was a testament to Andre's greatness more than anything since he was willing to do the job. He was seen as absolutely unbeatable before that match. Hogan slayed the real life Goliath
Bit of similarity for me with Hogan and Andre. Their heel turns really revitalized them. Andre was legit as a bad guy. Much better than when he chased Ken patera and big John stud and the bag ofhair.
If Stephanie wasn’t there to confirm her friendship with Andre without a doubt I wouldn’t believe a single word of the documentary HOWEVER I believe it to be the Bible now of course due to it being cemented with the best friendship of all time Stephandre the Giant
@Golden Iolaire you didn’t listen all the way through the video did you? It’s okay we all know you’re here to defend your girlfriend while the rest of us are here to laugh.
@AlastairMacAoidh99who are “my favorites”? You clearly think I care about wrestling, I do not. If it wasn’t for Jim Cornette I would laugh at the thought of wrestling, thanks to him I can laugh at the state of the modern wrestling scene. I enjoyed the first 3 seasons of Dark Side of the Ring, but other than that I’ve never watched a wrestling program on television and I won’t. I’d rather laugh at Cornette.
Andre actually moved a lot better after that surgery post WM3. He gave a much better showing at the NBC show, and gave Warrior a much better body slam than he gave Hogan. I think Hogan legit had to pick him up a lot more than he should have to.
Lol at no point in the 80’s could andre help Warrior or Hogan lift him. You realize that Warrior, while a shit wrestler, was stronger than Hogan, right? Warrior had no cardio, but his gym strength was legendary
Said it before, will say it again. I was a kid for this, and I rooted for Andre. I saw Hogan as the heel here and Andre as the face. When Heenan said "you never once gave this man an opportunity", I felt it.
I've been a wrestling freak since the late sixties and to this day, this match was the most spellbinding spectacle I've ever seen in the sport. Andre going with Heenan, the tearing of the cross and blood on Pipers Pit. Unfucking real. To me, the only thing close was Hogan-Warrior.
It's crazy to me that I remember the exact place an time when my sister told me that Hogan had won. She must of found out through a friend. Because my parents wouldn't order the PPV for me . I was 8 years old and remember I was getting ready to take a shower when I heard the news. I don't know how I remember that detail. But I do.
As a kid,for years I believed that was the first match between Hogan & Andre,plus I always thought that was the first & only time someone was able to slam the Giant,which made Hulk seem like a superhero to the kids.
The Pontiac Silverdome held 80,000 for Football, so when you add the Floor Seating to the fact that every seat in both the Upper and Lower Bowls of the Dome were full, they got somewhere close to that 93,000.
*Nope, total nonsense. The figure was around 78,000, as confirmed by Zane Bresloff, THE PROMOTER OF THE EVENT. I've also had it confirmed by a man named Steve Harms, a former employee of Awesome Entertainment, Bresloff's promoting company.*
@MattSingh1 Even still, that is a lot of people for a wrestling show. 78k is more than All In 2023 was reported to bring in at Wembley (AEW claimed a higher attendance number, but that was how many tix sold, not how many people were actually there)
i was a young lad when this match took place. it was probably my most vivid memory of falling in love with pro wrestling. i have watched pro wrestling as long as i can remember, but this match was a cultural phenomenon.
My 9 year old has been getting into wrestling and he's been so fascinated with early WWF, so we've been watching a lot of it. Hulk vs Andre the first wrestling event I remember being so emotionally in as a kid. I hadn't seen the match in a long time. It's so basic, but tells such a story. Watching this made me realize how far the art of wrestling has been taken down.
It’s possible Hulk is telling the truth about not knowing if he was going to win. Because on his podcast Kurt Angle was saying when he had his hair vs hair match against Edge up until a few minutes before the match Vince told Edge he was going to lose and have his head shaved just to rib him
They didn't inflate the numbers for WrestleMania 3. It's NOT hard to know when a show has sold out. There are 80,300 normal seats. Could they fit 13k floor seats? They were packed up to the ring. Yes they absolutely could fit 13k floor seats. I don't think they fudged the numbers for WrestleMania 3.
Yea people for whatever reason can’t fathom that it sold out, thus it did as much as an NFL sellout + field seats which was easily 90k because there were 80k bowl seats alone
Side note, Crockett ran 2 shows on the same day as WM 3, the afternoon show in Asheville had Flair vs. Brad Armstrong, Garvin vs. Eaton w/Corny I guess and a main event of Ole vs. Big Bubba.
I’m still arguing that the biggest angle available currently is a tag team match Jim cornette and Eric bischoff VS Vince Russo and Dave Meltzer. And both tag teams have partners that can’t entirely trust each other. That would be bigger than hulk and Andre.
Maybe a promo battle, although you'd have to split jim and bischoff to make it fair. If your into watching 4 non-wrestlers in the ring, you can just tune in to aew on Wednesday nights.
I may have missed it but in the early 80’s Hogan had a TV match with Andre. Hogan was with Blassie, he slammed Andre what looked easily and effortlessly, then loaded his elbow sleeve and closelined Andre with the “Hogan Hammer” as it was called. This was free TV in the Boston market. It’s on UA-cam. It was TV taping from PA. At the time I remember as a kid being in shock.
I feel like Andre should've retired after WrestleMania 3. His back was in so much pain & he was getting slower each year. More importantly, his body was breaking down year by year up until his death in late January '93. I know how much Andre loved the wrestling business & I am in no way, shape, or form taking that away from him. But in my honest opinion & with all due respect to Andre The Giant, I think he should've hung up the boots after that big match with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 3. It seriously would've made the passing of the torch even more perfect.
The Silverdome shut down because they built it so damn big they could never fill it, so it always looked empty during most Lions games. It's only been filled twice. Once was Pope John Paul leading a mass gathering of prayer, the other was Wrestlemania III.
Sorry NWA marks, but this was EASILY the biggest wrestling match of the 1980s. WM3 is when “WWF” became synonymous with “wrestling” on a national level
Andre the Giant was riddled with pain during his match at Wrestlemania 3 with Hulk Hogan, and he was such a larger than life figure I was worried about Hogan losing the whole damn time.
Even now, I think it's the biggest moment in the history of Wrestlemania. There are some moments that have come close, but I don't think it will be topped.
Wrestlemania 3 was the first big event I remember. I was like 6 when Hulk and Andre split up..I had been watching wrestling for about a year at that point and i had all the WWF Coliseum Home Videos and their partnership was well documented...all the faces seemed to hang out together, Hulk's cartoon helped contribute to this, Andre was a good guy on the cartoon. I must have rented Wrestlemania 3 from the video store 50 times lol....my main point is that even though I came in as a fan right around the time they were building up to the match, they did a great job on TV making the fans care that the friendship.was over
It saddens me. That kids today won’t get to enjoy wrestling the way we did as a kid. I always knew it was entertainment. But I always had that doubt. I just think the internet and spoilers took all the magic away. Sad 😢
There’s no way there was only 78k ppl in that building. Maybe they only sold 78k tix and papered the rest but that dome for Football capacity is larger than that and that’s without the thousands of seats on the field! I love cornette podcasts and all but in regards to Meltzer he seems to believe or back his “reporting” If he agrees with it and disregards now when he doesn’t. Meltzer claiming only 78k in attendance at WM3 is a joke. He claim Zane Bresslof told him but never actually reported it with Zane on record and Zane never confirmed that “reporting” Dave doesn’t report he just retells stories he here’s 2nd and 3rd hand and never seeks comment from those involved in his story and never has any sources on the record. It’s a joke.
About the 93,000. I believe it is the February 14 or 21st Spectrum Show. During a random match, Gorilla Monsoon says that 93,000 will be in Pontiac to see the big event. He is calling the show with Dick Graham who no one bothered to smarten up. Graham, who was a legit Philadelphia broadcaster, questioned that they can't fit that many people into the Silverdome. Sternly, Gorilla insists 93,000 will be in Pontiac. Graham questions this number but drops the topic quickly as it starts to get awkward. This show was on UA-cam not long ago. It was a moment that caught me off guard.
Well, if the tickets were sold out, you’d know the numbers. So, someone could either make it up or tell the truth because you most certainly can fit that many in Silverdome. Not a football, soccer, or basketball floor, but a ring or having the Pope visit, it most definitely could be 93,000 plus. Pope drew 93,600 or more legit.
Dave's report has a giant hole in it. As a Detroiter the silverdome:s football capacity was 80k with suites being 7k. We all can agree the building is super full. It may not have been 93 but it damn sure wasn't 78. That report by Dave was when I first noticed he is a sloppy reporter
It really is too bad Vince hasnt tried to tell the story of his father's territory. Some of the best documentaries the WWE did were about ECW, AWA, and WCCW. But not one about the WWWF.
The A&E series never want to acknowledge anything from AWA. Hulk Hogan was reinvented in AWA. Verne was ready to run Andre vs. Hogan in 1984, but Hogan left in December 83.
HBO or ESPN should legit release a 3 part documentary on AWA, NWA, WCCW, ect, it’s be great to just remind this country just how massive professional wrestling was in this country
I love that WWE have tried to recreate the aura of Andre, he just created awe, Big Show, Khali, Omos, none of them had the same vibe, it’s never felt mystical, like they were a wonder
16:35 It WAS the first huge rivalry in the WWF, it wasn't the first huge rivalry in the WWWF but it was the first huge rivalry in the WWF, there had been some big ones, but not huge ones
The contract signing segment was so simple and yet so effective, the type of thing that makes you think "I wish Vince had done it like this more often."
"92, 271 paid admission.. and me! I'm a Scotsman, I don't pay for nothing!"
- Rowdy Roddy Piper
WWF Crunch Classic (1992)
R.I.P.
The irresistible force meets the immovable object.
A miscarriage of justice
@@roccojamison89gooker51 WILL YOU STOP?!
RIP Gorilla Gino Monsoon
"A fountain of misinformation"
"Solar plexus"
@@DefendYoungstown "stick a fork in him"
"Cerebral cortex" 😆
What really impressed me with The Piper's Pit segment was when Piper showed concern for Hogan. This would be like the Joker showing concern for Batman. "You're bleeding man".
Joker has shown concern for Batman lots of times. He doesn't want anyone else to hurt him because he has too much fun with him.
That's what sells Andre's heel turn as a "shocking moment" for me. It's not Hogan's blubbering, it's the fact that Piper - one of the best talkers in the business - is completely gobsmacked about what he's seeing.
That made it serious for me. Like, "Holy shit..PIPER'S concerned? "
That and Ventura,Heenan,Cpt Lou..many helped this segment.
I was lucky as a kid that my grand dad took me to see andré when he was tagging with haku, at a house show in houston against demolition. The respect he commanded and the aura was incredible, like seeing a legendary being but he was real.
I saw Andre in 88, a tag match with Andre and Dibiase vs. Hogan and Bam Bam Bigelow.
Saw Andre on my 16th Birthday...was a fun night, despite how much he had slowed by then...
Wow nice..fun memory.
Yes, Haku was the goat
I only saw him once in Toronto as Giant Machine. The big event. I think he was there lol we were there to see Orndorff take out Hogan
When you go back and watch WM3 as a smart fan and see Andre take the slam and the leg drop you get almost emotional twofold because 1) it’s a great moment for hogan and the business but also 2) you see that Andre really was the Atlas that held up the WWF and it was the end of his reign.
@Sub if you are against antifa and BLM Bobby Heenan told a story about those in his book. They were on forklifts and apparently Andre proclaimed that when Hogan's came out Andre was going to tip it over with Hogan on it. Vince begged Bobby to not let Andre do it. Bobby's response was "How the hell am I going to stop him? If wants to do it he's going to do it."
Hogan never used the forklift to get to the ring and instead walk out. Whether that was the original plan anyway or Vince and Hogan were worried that Andre would make good on his threat and opted not to use the forklift, is unknown.
Andre never held up the WWf. He barely even worked for them. Andre wrestled everywhere, not just wwf. It wasn’t Until the territories were dead in the later part of the 80’s that Andre worked exclusively for wwe.
Andre shrugged.
If you weren’t 7-11 years old at the time this took place, you can never understand the cultural impact it had, period. As kids, we talked about this all year, even over summer vacation, it was that instrumental in our childhoods, especially the angle that “Hogan has no chance”. Amazing stuff and we still celebrate it almost 40 years later.
Yupp. I was 7.5 years old. WWF was my life then.
Because 7 year olds have such a vast knowledge and understanding of major cultural events lol
This was major as a 10yr old.
This was the first time that I had doubt that Hogan would win.
Thank God I was only 5. I laugh at the way Hogan overreacted back then lol.
This wrestlemania transcended wrestling itself, even the major tv stations reported on the results of the main event. It was a spot piece, but it caught the attention of the nation.
It 🚫 only got national attention, it got 🌎 wide attention. I remember reading the 🗞️ the next day and seeing the photo from the Pontiac Silverdome and the crowd filling up the place . I've always believed that the match held up to expectations. Hogan new that he was 🚫 going to get much from Andre, so he had to do most rebounds f the job and set himself up in perfect position for Andre to do what he could and 🚫 look bad , which he never did during the match. Andre was also able to do some of his own . Remember when Heenan asked him "are you all right" after Hogan smashed Andre's head on the turnbuckle and tried to give'm a clothesline on the corner Andre put his size 20 foot on Hogan's face; Andre turn around and gave Heenan a nice nod , and later he yelled to the crowd " look at your champion now " when Hogan was laying down on the canvas. Don't forget Hogan's work selling the bearhug for Andre.
@@franciscoj.figueroarivera8337 Your comment is painful to read.
@@franciscoj.figueroarivera8337damn dude go outside nobody should use emojis to talk that way
Your idea of a spot piece and mine aren’t the same. The high flying shit show the likes of the not so young bucks do is a spot pierce.
@@RONRIFFLE.DEIcertified The whole match's notoriety is predicated, and was sold on, Hogan's slamming of André. Thus, it's a sort of spot fest.
The entire family in the living room around the TV from grandma to grandson cheering Hogan. We used to watch all the WWF events & Tyson, Holyfield, Foreman, & Sugar Ray fights.
Must see TV was great back then & everyone sat around the house & shared in it. Those were the days.
Good times. I can remember seeing all of those with friends and family.
Truly the magic era of TV. It was a great time. I initially saw Jim Lampley at Fort LIberty (Bragg) with the Army boxing team fighting the Irish National team. My father was a golden gloves boxer with the paratroopers in Okinawa before going to Vietnam. Anyway, Jim Lampley was covering the boxing for ABC sports. I saw Charles Mooney who won the Silver in the Olympics that 76 year. I also saw the Marines team from Lejune fight the Army team, who mostly consist of paratroopers from the 82nd. Leon Spinks was there. The Marines one. Boy was my dad hot. I saw the Marines come in and boy where they fit with plenty of upper body strength. I knew then, I would join the Marines. Wrestling was tops too. Thanks for reminding me of that time.
Andre has been gone for 30 years... despite the stories of him getting wasted after slamming over a hundred beers and defecating in the bathtub, he really does seem like a mythical creature who came and went...
As a kid, the rare occasion he wrestled on Saturday, it felt like the biggest deal ever. Andre was more than a wrestler, he was a true giant, and as a kid it felt like Santa
Imagine you are drunk and your toilet is a third the size lol
I mean, I think those things just add to the mythical-ness of him to me
Despite?
If you still want to watch the mythical Giant Andre, watch the Princess Bride, or Conan the Destroyer. Andre is the giant one Horned Demon in it.
Hearing the stories from the 80s from the WWF golden era, never gets old I love When Cornette and Last talk 80s Wrestling 💪💪🙏❤️
Me too, I love 80s wresting, I’m only 26 so I never experienced it but I’ve watched some old tapes, it’s a lot better than it is now.
@@LJWilliams15 that’s right, thank God for all that tape collectors, and everyone who recorded all these historic matches and UA-cam of course without UA-cam, it will be impossible to see all these different matches from all over the world
I believe there should be an 80s segment
@@7654x right I willing to bet that would totally Rock and would get lot’s of views and great comments which is almost as entertaining as Cornette telling his stories from the road and the wrestling world💪💪
Idk I love Cornette podcast. His and Bruce STW is only ones I listen to.
I just don’t like listening to Cornette talk about “80s cartoon WWF” talking about how the company doing 3-5x the business drawing way more money than the company he was in is doing everything wrong.
How could the company doing everything cartoony and wrong be crushing the “real” wrestling company JCP who was losing money and bankrupting themselves out of business
The crime rate didn't drop while the Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan Show, it was a dig at Beatles by a comedian that all the criminals dropped their tools to watch their fellow long haired hooligans.
Andre doesn't get mentioned a lot in lists of all time great workers, but how good a job did he do concealing all his health problems. No casual fan watching the show around the time of Wrestlemania III had any idea there was anything wrong with him. His ability to get the most out of every little thing he did is a benchmark for the difference between being a wrestler, and a worker.
I totally get why it irritates Brian so much but I honestly can't fault Stephanie for the "Andre was my friend" thing. He obviously made a big impression on her as a kid, as he undoubtedly would have for any kid that age who actually knew/spent time with him. It would be like hanging out with an actual giant from a fairy-tale or something.
I was watching this and as soon as Stephanie said that, I started laughing thinking about the steam coming out of Brian's ears.
Stephanie has had televised delusions and emotional outbursts ever since Davey Boy threw that trash can at her head.
I really hope her and her brother are getting the help that they need.
Skill issue
Randy Savage was her friend too.
I agree
I was 11 during this time and have watched it over and over as an adult and I will say they set the stage and told the story so well while saying so little, too. You could feel the shock and sadness of Hull as his shirt was torn off and Piper being as quick witted and smart as Heenan saw the blood on Hulk's chest and that one sentence he said softly..."You're bleeding." That was so powerful and made it feel so real. Piper was a genius taking liberties when they benefitted himself and others knowing the drawing power he had would only make them both rise higher. Andre played his role of the jealous, angry giant to perfection. I was devastated seeing him become a heel as he was always loved here by us fans and as he retired here he walked in the ring as a heel, and left the ring as a beloved hero. The timing was right and the fans wanted to love him again and we got to in kayfabe. He left with his head high and the people all stood up cheering, crying happy tears including I, and...that era of wrestling when the NWA territories were still here, the AWA, the WWF...we had a variety of great wrestling styles and I truly miss it. I think we all miss it. The greatest champions of all time from Heavyweights to Tag Teams, and Regional champs, and more, all wrestled in that golden era...Flair, Hogan, Piper, Buddy Rose, both the Midnight and Rock n Roll Express, Freebirds, Von Erichs, Rhodes, Slater, the names continue with greatness.
Theres quite a few matches that had Piper there to help sell the match. The Iron Man match between Bret and HBK comes to mind.
@@ricosalvaje5802 Piper could sell you your own pair of sunglasses, he was that good! He could walk in to an arena and just generate heat by giving the fans one cocky smile and he would be engulfed in loud boo's of hatred, that was just how good he was and best part he enjoyed it which got him to become his character in the ring so well. And a great heel will always become a great face when the timing is right, and Piper was loved by the fans as he changed face - although he should have had a longer run as a heel as he was a money maker for any promoter at the time. His run with Hogan was far too short and a title change would have made so much sense as it would have generated so much money just seeing those two fight it out for, and Piper should have lost his title if that happened back to Hulk, though not cleanly. Say, have Bob Orton go to hit Hulk with his cast, but instead hits Piper by mistake before Hulk knocks him out of the ring, lands the Leg Drop, 1-2-3. Not a clean win which would keep Piper safe on the dirt sheets as one of the biggest draws still. That I could see working and only Piper could have done that, he was just so good!
@scypsylock9402 Piper was awesome. I saw a clip of Piper and Ole Anderson around 1982-1983 in Georgia Championship Wrestling and Piper was so amazing to watch. If you havent seen it, I would highly reccomened watching it.
@@ricosalvaje5802 Piper's best match was with Bret, too! He literally showed us his ability in the and never laid down for anyone for the count because he was smart about saving his heat. To lay down for anyone he had to feel it meant something special and when he wrestled Bret he told Bret he was doing the job for him for the 1, 2, 3. That was Piper passing the torch to Bret and because he saw money in Bret, which as we all know Bret became a great champion and made a lot of money! That was how smart Piper was and some may find it selfish of him to not lay down for anyone, but in those days you had to be selfish if you knew even one loss would kill your heat and drawing power. Andre didn't pin him because he knew how Piper thought and and respected the business and knew how white hot he was. He loved working with Piper and normally never sold for any guy who was much smaller, but he did for Piper. That was respect for the boss and he gave that respect in return if he liked you. And Piper in his promos..top five of the best ever in wrestling next to Flair, Rhodes, Michael P.S. Hayes, and Jake Roberts! I'm leaving out a few others, but he was one of the greatest of all time!
@@ricosalvaje5802 His matches against Greg Valentine were the most grueling matches ever in 1983! The Dog Collar match I remember seeing live when I was 7! That was a scary match that was more of a street fight than anything and if you could hear the fans cheering live as we all stood up...omg, epic!
Hulk trying to hulk up during the contract signing was always hilarious to me. Not sure how andre didn't laugh lol
The comedy only matched by Hulk's contract signing with Warrior with all the 4th wall staredowns.
The thing that got me about that segment, even as a kid was that it was presented as serious, yet there were multiple camera cuts for dramatic effect.
I’ve always heard or read from many OGs that Andre never liked Hulk. Many repeat similar stories. God’s blessings 👩🏻✝️🐕💪💥🐍
@@randi_godspeed2063 The story I always heard was that was the case at the start, but Hulk eventually did at least win Andre's respect. I will say that whenever Hogan talks about Andre, it seems to be the one time he shows his genuine emotions on camera. Vince too.
@@Tim85-y2q Hogan is the biggest lying sack of snake feces.
Hogan vs Andre will never be duplicated.
I grew up mostly watching guys like Austin idol, ric flair, Bruno sammartino, nick bockwinkle, harley race and jerry Lawler. Wasn't a big wwf fan, BUT having seen the Hulk Hogan/Andre the Giant match? I have to admit it was phenomenal. Andre was this larger than life, billed undefeated( Adnan al kaissie beat him in 71 In baghdad as a favor) giant and you've got this red-hot baby face hulk hogan .this was stuff of legends.
Talking about the switch to the singlet, it worked out for the best because the black single-strap singlet is so synonymous with Andre now that you don't see it anymore unless you're trying to invoke memories of Andre on purpose.
Depends. I still clearly remember him as a good guy in the wwf Saturday morning cartoon with his blue trunks & afro
@@luvmenow33 Yeah I'm not saying that Andre's other looks weren't as good, just that the one strap he owned so well that it's associated with him.
I watched this. I was impressed with Andre's promo work. The staring through Hogan, the acting serious. It all made it seem more legit.
There's a spot where the camera lingers on Andre just staring a hole into him. If that were me, kayfabe or not, I'd shit myself.
I remember seeing Wrestlemania 3, locally at our city's county fair on closed circuit screen. Sure it was on a giant screen. But being as young as I was (12 years old) it was like actually being there live in Pontiac, Michigan.
One of the only heels that left a Hogan rivalry w some heat. Looking back,Andre had a lot of highlights during the feud..winning the pre WM3 Battle Royal,being the sole survivor in Survivor Series 1987,the 'title' win in 1988. Legendary stuff!
Hercules won the pre- WM 3 battle Royale on SNME Andre bloodied Leaping Lanny Poffo and eliminated Hogan in that battle Royale but got eliminated himself it was Hercules and Billy Jack Haynes as the final 2
@@Mmacrossfirekenai oh yeah,Andre did get the best of Hogan during the Battle Royal..and Heenan said it was a part of The Family's Plan.
Jim Is right, I knew 6 people that went from Cleveland to Detroit for that event, and they went in a big group of like 15 or 20
Why does Brian always scuff at the idea of Stephanie considering Andre her friend? Just seems pointlessly mean-spirited to shit on her childhood that he wasn't there for.
I want to see a WWE Rivals episode of Jim Cornette and Kevin Dunn. That is sure to get a lot of ratings for A&E. People still talk about that over 25 years later.
You Know Jim...I Find You Tiresome
Actual tag team match. Jim and Eric bischoff vs Dave Meltzer and Vince Russo.
@@troystaunton254 that would become Russo's head on a pole match quickly
Jim has a bat, he can find a stick he doesn't give a fuck. Jim would get the biggest raging hard on seeing Russo's brains splatter further than a grenade blowing up in a jello factory.
You forgot the beaver noises.
They could make a bunch of episodes of rivals just with the people Corny hates. Dunn, Russo, Olivier, Cucamonga Kids,Tim Horner, Santino, Dairy Queen drive thru employees... endless fun could be had!
I've watched the WM3 match at least 50 times. It tells such a good story and the selling by Hogan and the faces Andre makes after the slam was epic.
The pops in that match were unreal! Such a great match and can watch it years later and still feel like a kid watching it as it can take you back in time emotionally
Its still my favourite match
*It was and is a dreadful match. It's barely watchable.*
Arguably the biggest match of all time. An iconic match that transcends wrestling. Dave Meltzer- minus 4 stars
Damn Hahahhahaa savage , why does meltzer hate wwe so much hahahaha
Metzler 🤡
@@ladistar because he's a poser
It may have drawn record money and it may have been an epic encounter that will be talked about for decades......but it didnt have any flips or cartwheels, no one jumped off the top rope and it didnt take place in the Tokyo Dome, therefore minus 4 stars.
Meltzer is a moron.
Andre could barely walk. When that wrestlemania 3 match happened. I thought he did the best job he could. Considering the circumstances. What a legend 💯
Most of Andre's offense was falling on and squishing Hogan. That allowed him to take his time and walk all over the Hulkster and look absolutely dominant.
WrestleMania 3 was certainly not a great technical match, but both Andre and Hogan played the psychology perfectly. They earned every dime that night. Andre was the greatest big man in wrestling history, and Hogan had a razor sharp sense of the audience. Iconic. Legendary. A+. That's coming from a southern wrestling fan.
For me personally a great story match will trump a great technical match everytime. If you get both it’s unforgettable. Angle vs Lesnar Ironman match comes to mind
Hogan & Andre Wrestlenania III is as far as wrestling folklore is concerned, wrestling’s equivalent to the Rumble in the Jungle.
Exactly 💯
No it's the equivalent of "who shot JR" on the old TV show Dallas from the same era... A TV soap opera primarily for women and another primarily for men... Entertainment. Comparing it to an actual competitive sport is ridiculous.
@@a1aprospects470 I wasn't doing that consciously. I meant that the occasion held similar stature in the public imagination - I mean the portion which comprised wrestling fan boys like myself, I was about seven at the time. But I actually didn't see the match until I was 11, for the first time.
Ali vs Foreman: Could Ali beat Foreman? Hogan vs Andre: Could Hogan beat Andre?
Andre's heel turn was a shocker, so used to seeing him as a face(Babyface)
First big rivalry in WWE?
Zbyszko vs Bruno?
Superstar Billy Graham vs Dusty Rhodes?
Iron Sheik vs Bob Backlund?
Big difference between watching wrestling when I was a kid and watching it now is as a kid the thing that I was least interested in was the match quality. I was invested in the build and the long term story. So by the time the two characters finally had their match I just wanted to see my heroes win. I didn’t care what gymnastics moves they did or star ratings. I just wanted to see the Road Warriors kick Tully and Arn’s ass. The promos, the storylines and the psychology was 95% of the draw and the moves and flips meant nothing.
Was the most important match in WWF/E history
It was SO BIG in Detroit that i remember at LEAST two RADIO STATIONS calling the show for the fans that couldn't get to see it live in the silverdome. I don't remember any WrestleMania before or since getting play by play on the RADIO. I thought whoever was calling the matches was going to pass out because the steamboat savage match was SO good.
8:45 - Jim says Vince Sr. didn't want a babyface match between Bruno and Andre due to the love fans had for the two of them. Jim forgot that they tried something similar to that in September 1972 with the original Showdown at Shea where Bruno wrestled Pedro Morales for the WWWF title. The fans had seen the buildup to that match and were expecting a Pier 6 brawl. Instead what they got was a hold-for-hold scientific match that went on for an hour and ten minutes, and as they approached the one hour mark the fans started getting restless and some of them had even begun to boo (the only time Bruno was ever booed in New York City, by the way). The fans got so bored that Vince Sr. sent George "The Animal" Steele out to the ring to do a run-in, just to distract the fans. So that's likely the real reason WWE never tried that again - the fans reacted so negatively toward the Bruno-Pedro "dream match" that they feel it wasn't worth a second try, even with different babyfaces.
When Andre challenged Hogan and ripped his cross off was meck that was huge. I can still hear Hogan screaming Yes..... when asked if he accepted his challenge.
I was at the CNE house show in Toronto, 70k minimum. Andre was on the card as “Giant Machine” - stuck my hand in his armpit by accident. Orndorff was drinking a can of beer as he pulled away in a Cadillac after the show, lmao - it was the best of times, it was the best of times.
And Jim, Hulkamania WILL live forever!
To add to the point; WrestleMania III was so big, a friend of mine and his family (who were not wrestling fans) still bought WMIII
That is odd. Most casuals of the time would have just payed to watch it in public at closed circuit screenings.
Honestly, no one cares.
Andre telling hogan to slam him at mania 3 because he knew what a moment that would be. 35 years later it's still one of the defining moments of wrestling even tho the match itself was not great an Andre was not in the best health wise then people don't care they just remember the spectacle of it.
it wasnt the first time Hogan slammed him
@@jackkenefick2696 Everyone knows that.
@@jackkenefick2696 they even referenced that in the doc.
Yes Hogan slammed Andre when Andre was close to 400 pounds. At WM3 he was over 500 pounds! Still impressive
"Worst match of all time can also draw the most money."
Exhibit A: Floyd Mayweather Junior versus Connor McGregor.
I've seen worse matches. Andre vs Hulk wasn't a bad match dude. He was limited to go a long period because of health problems. Those few minutes were electrifying. Get it right. Watch today's show. Then you can talk bad matches.
@@Michael-dd6hl I never said today's show was good, though you'll have to narrow down what today's show is. There are lots of shows on today. I already indicated Mayweather and McGregor was bad. What else you need?
@@insupportofjunhado Nothing at all..just AEW socks pure and simple.
The Hulk-Andre booking arc arguably ran until the reunion of Macho Man and Elizabeth at WM7. It’s the greatest booking run of my lifetime.
Word!!
Not accurate
Naw I would say The Mega Powers booking arc ran until WM7
It was simply the magic of the 80's
Afuckingmen
When they did the Hulk Andre rematch on "The Main Event"..I was about 7 or 8 and I remember it was a Friday night..it was February, I had a basketball game the next morning and I watched it on TV with my Dad, who was not a wrestling fan but used to tolerate it for us. When I got to the gym the next morning at school for the game, EVERYONE was talking about it the way people would be talking about the Super Bowl or something. This was huge
Never forget, Hulk shredded all of the muscles in his back slamming Andre, and just 6 years later Andre died the next day from the slam.
~ hulk hogan.
Don't forget that Andre weighed 800 pounds at the time.
@@asurlybarber3620 hahaha hulks amazing.
You can literally see in Hogan's back where the muscle tore, upper right side. Hogan has that old school carny exaggeration but all these know nothing ham and Eggers who think they know everything
The same year Hulk wrestled 400 days
@@c.l.freeman7654 thanks Terry. ;)
I was 8 years old and see this at the local fairgrounds. It was closed circuit, and they had it on a big screen. Packed house to watch it. Everyone cheering and high fiving after hogan won. It was great. Ranked right up with movie theatre crowd I seen Rocky 4 with. Good times when people likes each other.
Even people who didn't give a damn about pro wrestling still made time to watch that match.
Facts
Yep. It hit mainstream press.
Savage was the smaller guy bumping around for Andre in 88
I remember he had a match with Bret Hart also . On a SNME
That was when Savage legit says he’s going to kick Andres ass. Then later in the same show, Jake says he’s gonna kick Rudes ass. I remember watching and being so shocked that the word “ass” was said twice in the same show
Hulk slamming Andre will always be the greatest moment in WM history. Bar none. The pop from the crowd was off the charts along with the finish. Can't deny it. Gives me goosebumps to this day. I'm not a big Hogan fan but it was the peak of the Hulkamania era. Everyone watching knew they were witnessing something special. Was a testament to Andre's greatness more than anything since he was willing to do the job. He was seen as absolutely unbeatable before that match. Hogan slayed the real life Goliath
I love listening to Jim talk wrestling. He teaches me something new every time I tune in.
Bit of similarity for me with Hogan and Andre. Their heel turns really revitalized them. Andre was legit as a bad guy. Much better than when he chased Ken patera and big John stud and the bag ofhair.
If Stephanie wasn’t there to confirm her friendship with Andre without a doubt I wouldn’t believe a single word of the documentary HOWEVER I believe it to be the Bible now of course due to it being cemented with the best friendship of all time Stephandre the Giant
@Golden Iolaire you didn’t listen all the way through the video did you? It’s okay we all know you’re here to defend your girlfriend while the rest of us are here to laugh.
@AlastairMacAoidh99who are “my favorites”? You clearly think I care about wrestling, I do not. If it wasn’t for Jim Cornette I would laugh at the thought of wrestling, thanks to him I can laugh at the state of the modern wrestling scene. I enjoyed the first 3 seasons of Dark Side of the Ring, but other than that I’ve never watched a wrestling program on television and I won’t. I’d rather laugh at Cornette.
@AlastairMacAoidh99only weirdos keep their UA-cam notifications on, I’ll be back in 8 months to check and see if you’ve still got them on. God bless!
Andre actually moved a lot better after that surgery post WM3. He gave a much better showing at the NBC show, and gave Warrior a much better body slam than he gave Hogan. I think Hogan legit had to pick him up a lot more than he should have to.
Lol at no point in the 80’s could andre help Warrior or Hogan lift him.
You realize that Warrior, while a shit wrestler, was stronger than Hogan, right? Warrior had no cardio, but his gym strength was legendary
$250,000 in today's money is a little over $658,000
Said it before, will say it again. I was a kid for this, and I rooted for Andre. I saw Hogan as the heel here and Andre as the face. When Heenan said "you never once gave this man an opportunity", I felt it.
It made so much sense. I pulled for Andre too.
I wonder what Andre The Giant would think about Dave Meltzer giving his matches negative stars compared to the "six star" Elite matches... 🤣
Probably would have thought nothing of it. Andre was busy being a legend to worry about a posing pissant like Meltzer.
Andre would probably say "who"
@@MrJjburgess11 Lol 😂
I don't think he would really care one way or the other.
@@MrJjburgess11 "NO BABY OIL GET OUT!"
I've been a wrestling freak since the late sixties and to this day, this match was the most spellbinding spectacle I've ever seen in the sport. Andre going with Heenan, the tearing of the cross and blood on Pipers Pit. Unfucking real. To me, the only thing close was Hogan-Warrior.
So Rock-Hogan wasn't even close to you? 😤
@@quentinkaasa47 Hogan-Rock awesome, no doubt, IMO. You had to see Andre-Hogan real time. Kayfabe was still pretty strong. It seemed so real. Ya know?
It's crazy to me that I remember the exact place an time when my sister told me that Hogan had won. She must of found out through a friend. Because my parents wouldn't order the PPV for me . I was 8 years old and remember I was getting ready to take a shower when I heard the news. I don't know how I remember that detail. But I do.
As a kid,for years I believed that was the first match between Hogan & Andre,plus I always thought that was the first & only time someone was able to slam the Giant,which made Hulk seem like a superhero to the kids.
The Pontiac Silverdome held 80,000 for Football, so when you add the Floor Seating to the fact that every seat in both the Upper and Lower Bowls of the Dome were full, they got somewhere close to that 93,000.
Sad to think that it's now an Amazon Warehouse
*Nope, total nonsense. The figure was around 78,000, as confirmed by Zane Bresloff, THE PROMOTER OF THE EVENT. I've also had it confirmed by a man named Steve Harms, a former employee of Awesome Entertainment, Bresloff's promoting company.*
@MattSingh1 Even still, that is a lot of people for a wrestling show. 78k is more than All In 2023 was reported to bring in at Wembley (AEW claimed a higher attendance number, but that was how many tix sold, not how many people were actually there)
i was a young lad when this match took place. it was probably my most vivid memory of falling in love with pro wrestling. i have watched pro wrestling as long as i can remember, but this match was a cultural phenomenon.
This rivalry is what brought me to wrestling. Been watching ever since. I'm one of millions with that story how important it was
My 9 year old has been getting into wrestling and he's been so fascinated with early WWF, so we've been watching a lot of it.
Hulk vs Andre the first wrestling event I remember being so emotionally in as a kid. I hadn't seen the match in a long time. It's so basic, but tells such a story. Watching this made me realize how far the art of wrestling has been taken down.
It’s possible Hulk is telling the truth about not knowing if he was going to win. Because on his podcast Kurt Angle was saying when he had his hair vs hair match against Edge up until a few minutes before the match Vince told Edge he was going to lose and have his head shaved just to rib him
Vince himself said Andre never told hulk what was going to happen
They didn't inflate the numbers for WrestleMania 3. It's NOT hard to know when a show has sold out. There are 80,300 normal seats. Could they fit 13k floor seats? They were packed up to the ring. Yes they absolutely could fit 13k floor seats. I don't think they fudged the numbers for WrestleMania 3.
Yea people for whatever reason can’t fathom that it sold out, thus it did as much as an NFL sellout + field seats which was easily 90k because there were 80k bowl seats alone
Side note, Crockett ran 2 shows on the same day as WM 3, the afternoon show in Asheville had Flair vs. Brad Armstrong, Garvin vs. Eaton w/Corny I guess and a main event of Ole vs. Big Bubba.
Glad to see Crockett took it seriously with those matches lmaooo
I’m still arguing that the biggest angle available currently is a tag team match
Jim cornette and Eric bischoff
VS
Vince Russo and Dave Meltzer.
And both tag teams have partners that can’t entirely trust each other.
That would be bigger than hulk and Andre.
Dave and russo dont like each other either. Lol
Maybe a promo battle, although you'd have to split jim and bischoff to make it fair. If your into watching 4 non-wrestlers in the ring, you can just tune in to aew on Wednesday nights.
@@patrickcampbell9445 I know, it’s a story that can split off.
@@miketalbert2770 surely it wouldn’t be a work. Just a legitimate sissy slap fight😂😂
I may have missed it but in the early 80’s Hogan had a TV match with Andre. Hogan was with Blassie, he slammed Andre what looked easily and effortlessly, then loaded his elbow sleeve and closelined Andre with the “Hogan Hammer” as it was called. This was free TV in the Boston market. It’s on UA-cam. It was TV taping from PA. At the time I remember as a kid being in shock.
I feel like Andre should've retired after WrestleMania 3. His back was in so much pain & he was getting slower each year. More importantly, his body was breaking down year by year up until his death in late January '93. I know how much Andre loved the wrestling business & I am in no way, shape, or form taking that away from him. But in my honest opinion & with all due respect to Andre The Giant, I think he should've hung up the boots after that big match with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 3. It seriously would've made the passing of the torch even more perfect.
The Silverdome shut down because they built it so damn big they could never fill it, so it always looked empty during most Lions games.
It's only been filled twice. Once was Pope John Paul leading a mass gathering of prayer, the other was Wrestlemania III.
Andre didn’t want to do the match because of his back. Vince talked Andre into doing it
Sorry NWA marks, but this was EASILY the biggest wrestling match of the 1980s. WM3 is when “WWF” became synonymous with “wrestling” on a national level
You can think that wwf mark
@@chrischar9428 Where's the lie though? And don't forget: The NWA lost the wrestling war for a reason lol
The plug ins for Manscaped had me rolling hard..........LOL
The fuckin manscaped promo at the end 😂😂😭😭😭
Andre the Giant was riddled with pain during his match at Wrestlemania 3 with Hulk Hogan, and he was such a larger than life figure I was worried about Hogan losing the whole damn time.
Marella might have accidentally counted three on the first failed slam event; which set up the rematch in 88.
I don’t think Hogan knew he was gonna win because Andre probably told him he wouldn’t win until Andre called the slam and the leg drop.
I can see that. 1) Andre likes to rib apparently. 2) Andre was boss, if he doesn't want to, he won't apparently.
@@DragONheart27X BULLSHIT
I haven’t watched wrestling in years and never will again, but I love looking up this show to listen to the history of the wrestling I grew up with
They had more than 80k ppl I think. The Silverstone held 80k for football, I could get more in for wrestling, & WM 3 was standing room only.
*Silverdome
Probably 80k paid the other 10k were staff family friends comps
Then why did the promoter say 78000
i know buttgirl couldnt fit into her costume but i didnt think that many people havent been in alicia silverstone.
And remember Andre got to win the match at Survivor Series and the Main Event. It was all brilliantly booked and promoted.
Even now, I think it's the biggest moment in the history of Wrestlemania. There are some moments that have come close, but I don't think it will be topped.
Wwe rivals needs to do one on Rick Martel vs Shawn Michaels. They had really good matches.
Wrestlemania 3 was the first big event I remember. I was like 6 when Hulk and Andre split up..I had been watching wrestling for about a year at that point and i had all the WWF Coliseum Home Videos and their partnership was well documented...all the faces seemed to hang out together, Hulk's cartoon helped contribute to this, Andre was a good guy on the cartoon. I must have rented Wrestlemania 3 from the video store 50 times lol....my main point is that even though I came in as a fan right around the time they were building up to the match, they did a great job on TV making the fans care that the friendship.was over
Gorilla monsoon and JR are the two best announcers ever
The beard commercial promotion was freaking hilarious 😂😅😅😂😂
It saddens me. That kids today won’t get to enjoy wrestling the way we did as a kid. I always knew it was entertainment. But I always had that doubt. I just think the internet and spoilers took all the magic away. Sad 😢
There’s no way there was only 78k ppl in that building. Maybe they only sold 78k tix and papered the rest but that dome for Football capacity is larger than that and that’s without the thousands of seats on the field!
I love cornette podcasts and all but in regards to Meltzer he seems to believe or back his “reporting” If he agrees with it and disregards now when he doesn’t.
Meltzer claiming only 78k in attendance at WM3 is a joke. He claim Zane Bresslof told him but never actually reported it with Zane on record and Zane never confirmed that “reporting”
Dave doesn’t report he just retells stories he here’s 2nd and 3rd hand and never seeks comment from those involved in his story and never has any sources on the record. It’s a joke.
33million viewers for their prime time match on Network Television. Unbelievable.
About the 93,000. I believe it is the February 14 or 21st Spectrum Show. During a random match, Gorilla Monsoon says that 93,000 will be in Pontiac to see the big event. He is calling the show with Dick Graham who no one bothered to smarten up. Graham, who was a legit Philadelphia broadcaster, questioned that they can't fit that many people into the Silverdome. Sternly, Gorilla insists 93,000 will be in Pontiac. Graham questions this number but drops the topic quickly as it starts to get awkward. This show was on UA-cam not long ago. It was a moment that caught me off guard.
Well, if the tickets were sold out, you’d know the numbers. So, someone could either make it up or tell the truth because you most certainly can fit that many in Silverdome. Not a football, soccer, or basketball floor, but a ring or having the Pope visit, it most definitely could be 93,000 plus. Pope drew 93,600 or more legit.
@@tarzlegacy9446 Pope still has the (indoor) attendance record. 104,000 in St. Louis in 1999.
@@tarzlegacy9446 The Pope inflated his numbers as well.
Dave's report has a giant hole in it. As a Detroiter the silverdome:s football capacity was 80k with suites being 7k. We all can agree the building is super full. It may not have been 93 but it damn sure wasn't 78. That report by Dave was when I first noticed he is a sloppy reporter
@@marvinlistenbee361 Stop lying. The football capacity is absolutely not 80,000.
I hate that WWE pretends like pre-1984 wrestling doesn’t exist.
It really is too bad Vince hasnt tried to tell the story of his father's territory. Some of the best documentaries the WWE did were about ECW, AWA, and WCCW. But not one about the WWWF.
Meltzer probably wanted hogan to huricanranna andre and then andre needed to moonsault hogan on the announcer table.
Until Manis I never saw Andre/Hogan be as heated rivals as Austin/Rock or Flair/Rhodes
Jim and Brian are a gem. Always entertaining!
WrestleMania III was the knock out to the territories. Alot of territories panicked that eventually left them going out of business
Negative stars is ridiculous. A perfectly competent match. given the limitations. And that’s before you factor in the storytelling.
The final 5 or 6 minutes of this segment had me in tears laughing! 😂 Corny talking about 'growth' and 'scaping was absolutely solid gold!!!!
The 1980 match at Shea Stadium was the Best
The A&E series never want to acknowledge anything from AWA. Hulk Hogan was reinvented in AWA. Verne was ready to run Andre vs. Hogan in 1984, but Hogan left in December 83.
Thats because WWE are the ones producing these shows for A&E and WWE is notorious for their revisionist history
HBO or ESPN should legit release a 3 part documentary on AWA, NWA, WCCW, ect, it’s be great to just remind this country just how massive professional wrestling was in this country
History is written by the victors
I love that WWE have tried to recreate the aura of Andre, he just created awe, Big Show, Khali, Omos, none of them had the same vibe, it’s never felt mystical, like they were a wonder
I can not believe Jim's advertising. It's always astonishing.
16:35
It WAS the first huge rivalry in the WWF, it wasn't the first huge rivalry in the WWWF but it was the first huge rivalry in the WWF, there had been some big ones, but not huge ones
The contract signing segment was so simple and yet so effective, the type of thing that makes you think "I wish Vince had done it like this more often."