10 Wrestlers Who Got Much Worse (But WAY More Over)

7. André The Giant

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André The Giant was ludicrously dynamic for a man of his impossible proportions. He couldn’t go that hard forever - true for all, especially true for him - but he went hard. There are few more mind-blowing experiences, as a pro wrestling fan, than when you first encounter a clip of the “real” André. It’s no wonder he was such a literal monster of a drawing attraction. 

Despite all of that, André was never bigger - figuratively and literally - than he was at WrestleMania III. 

This fact underscores that wrestling is, above all else, about effective promotion. André by 1987 could barely move - so the WWF made that the selling point. André wasn’t a slow, lumbering, past-it giant. He was the Immovable Object. 

Promoted pre-mainstream internet, at a time when the Wrestling Observer Newsletter was nowhere near as widely circulated and aggregated as it is now - and when the magazine industry helped wrestling maintain the facade of kayfabe - the idea that André had never been slammed was an easy lie to buy.

WrestleMania III was, at the time, the biggest money match in pro wrestling history.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!