10 Most Terrifying Wrestlers Of All Time
6. Andre The Giant
On the surface, Andre The Gaint may seem like an odd choice for a list like this. After all, he wasn't portraying a supernatural being or crazed madman.
However, as a child, I was fortunate enough to see Andre perform live, toward the tail end of his career, and found him absolutely terrifying.
My father took me to a house show in the late 1980s; it would be the first and only time I ever saw the inaugural WWE Hall of Famer perform. At that point, Andre was donning the infamous black singlet and having a hard time getting around.
As a 9-year-old child (or thereabouts ), I couldn't take my eyes off the man; I had never seen a human being even close to that size.
I believe his opponent that evening was Hillbilly Jim if memory serves me. The entire match (including the entrances) couldn't have been more than two minutes long.
Almost as soon as the bell rang, Andre wrapped his massive hands around his opponent's throat and draped him over the top rope. Then, he looked up. His eyes were open wide, and he looked almost possessed. The big man then glared out into the audience and for a moment (though it may have just been a child's imagination), I could have sworn he looked right at me.
Roughly 30 years later, I still recall the uneasy feeling that came over me that night as a terrified young boy. To say I was frightened would be a massive understatement.
As for the match, after 'The Eighth Wonder of the World' refused to relinquish the chokehold, the referee disqualified him.
I don't recall who else wrestled that night, and I've probably seen over a thousand live matches since. However, even if I see a thousand more, I'll never forget the feeling that came over me when an angry giant looked me straight in the eyes.