andre the giant Rousimmoff was undoubtedly one of the greatest fighters of all time. Not only because of the 2.24 meters and 240 kilos that his figure imposed on the ringbut also for being a true pillar of sports entertainment.
From an early age, his height and strength drew everyone’s attention. Him being able to do the work of 3 men on the family farm. After proving his natural potential for wrestling, André travels to Paris, taking the name of Geant Ferre, and quickly gaining success among local promotions in Europe, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and the United States. There she would team up with Vince MacMahon Sr.founder of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), who would convince Roussimoff to convert the affable Geant Ferre in the invincible andre the giant.
From local hero to global megastar
McMahon knew how to sell the new character to the public, causing excitement among fans, who filled stadiums and arenas just to see the gigantic man get on the ring and defeat all the local champions. However, after the novelty, sales fell, so they were careful not to overexpose André, which meant being on tour all year.
By 1983, the promotion was now run by Vince MacMahon Jr., renaming it the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) predecessor of the current WWE. With the advent of cable television, audiences could now watch top fighters face off weekly on national television. shooting up ratings Thanks to the careful narratives, rivalries inside and outside the ringand events like Wrestlemania. Even so, the unbeatable Giant was the one who attracted the public and, even if his work was impeccable, he knew it was time to pass the torch.
By then, Hulk Hogan was becoming the new star, embodying the ideal American hero. And like every hero, he had to have a villain to face in wrestlemania iii. Taking advantage of their close friendship, she orchestrated several television appearances with André challenging and threatening Hogan, unleashing all kinds of emotions in the audience. Despite the fact that everyone wanted to see Hogan defeat the now evil giant, no one had succeeded in 15 years, because even facing several opponents, he played with them as if they were dolls.
a new era begins
Such was the expectation and tension that even the bookmakers of the time had quotas for the future winner. A practice that we still see today on the platforms of bets on-line for matches with a higher media profile. How were Mayweather vs. McGregor, Ortiz vs. Sonnen, and even Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar in wrestlemania xxxleaving the public in suspense during live betting due to the unpredictability of these clashes.
Hogan himself remembers that even receiving the script for the fight, he did not warn how it would end. It wasn’t until he was in full combat before 90,000 attendees and millions of television viewers that he would receive instructions. The crowd was stunned as Hogan did the impossible by picking up André’s massive humanity and slamming it to the canvas to win the fight, in an allegorical transition from the old era to the era of hulkmania.
Although André left this world in 1993, like any visionary, he helped elevate a crude sideshow show to the level of action theater, leaving an immeasurable legacy that continues to grow his legend inside and outside of sports entertainment.