100 Greatest WWE WrestleMania Moments
43. Andre The Giant Wants To Ride Alone (WrestleMania VI)
Of course, it'd be remiss to talk about 'Mania VI and Demolition beating the Connection without bringing up what happened next. That dastardly 'Weasel' Bobby Heenan directly blamed Andre for costing his side the tag belts. For context, The Giant had taken a kick to the jaw from his own partner that sent him tumbling into the ropes. Andre got all tangled up, and was helpless to stop Ax and Smash from hitting Haku with a little Demolition Decapitation (what a finisher name that was).
Furious, Bobby started poking Andre in the chest and calling him every name under the sun. The Giant was taking it, but then Heenan slapped him across the mush. The live crowd cheered as Andre grabbed his now ex-manager by the collar and started slapping him back. In truth, most of the big man's strikes missed, but Monsoon covered for that by saying: "Andre paint brushed him!". People were into what they were seeing anyway, and it's unlikely most in attendance spotted the weak slaps.
This marked the first time Andre The Giant had been babyface for approx three years. He'd turned heel before working Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III, but now the WWF had their very own BFG back onboard. In a fun moment, The Giant stopped Heenan and Haku from joining him on the motorised ring carts driving wrestlers to and from ringside.
Co-commentator Jesse Ventura said Andre wanted to ride alone, and Gorilla was on top form yet again by shouting: "Who's gonna' stop him?!". Toronto then gave The Giant a rapturous ovation as he pointed back at his old teammates.