10 Wrestlers We Had To Love Before We Could Hate

2. André The Giant

Hulk Hogan Andre The Giant Wwe
AP Photo/Richard Drew

What's the one thing that separates André The Giant from every other monster heel Hulk Hogan faced during his heyday? Is it the sheer physical stature of André? Was it simply that Hulk's formula was so successful he could work anyone but The Giant happened to be respected?

No and no.

The real victory for André vs. Hogan at WrestleMania III and beyond came from fan knowledge of The Giant before he ripped Hulk's crucifix from his neck and challenged him for the "World World Wrestling Federation" Title. Before that feud, André was a happy, smiley, lovable big man who had carved a rep for himself as friendly for well over a decade.

Fans were so accustomed to seeing André smile that they forgot to fear him. Their love for this uniquely impressive performer was so strong that it made his heel turn all the more upsetting. To fans in the '80s, it was hurtful to imagine their colossus would turn his back on them and gun for another beloved mega-star, and that move led to disdain.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.