7 Best Ever NJPW Gaijin Wrestlers

Andre the Giant's most famous work came at the end of his career, as Hulkamania was taking off and the seven-footer's health was rapidly declining. Andre's poor physical condition can be attributed to his acromegaly as well as a long, punishing in-ring career that spanned back to the late 1960s, a career that saw him wrestle all over the world in Europe, Mexico, America and, yes, Japan.

Andre was a massive draw for New Japan Pro Wrestling, starting there in 1974. Andre back then really was a sight to behold, as he was not yet quite so broken-down and able to perform to a much higher athletic standard. Indeed, Andre can be viewed taking armdrags, flying over the top rope and jumping off of it onto opponents in those early matches.

His most famous matches were probably those against (and tagging with) Hulk Hogan and Antonio Inoki. Years before they clashed at WrestleMania III, Hogan and Andre were ripping it up in very different matches. He also won two MSG League/International Wrestling Grand Prix tournaments, the precursor to the G1.

But Andre's New Japan career wasn't all captivating matches and tournament triumphs. He was also involved in one of the most bizarre bouts ever witnessed in Japan or anywhere else, a 26 May 1986 match with Akira Maeda. An embarrassing display filled with non-action of nothing even approaching cooperation, the match continues to befuddle today.

For nearly thirty minutes the two tried to hit and take one another down, seemingly for real, as Andre no-sold Maeda's legitimate kicks as if they were nothing more than a flea bite. They stared each other down as New Japan officials, including Antonio Inoki, came down to ringside in an effort to get the men on the same page. It didn't work and after Andre lay down on the mat and told Maeda to pin him, the match was called off much to the confusion of the crowd in attendance.

The match was quickly brushed aside and has received no further televised airings in Japan. Was Andre drunk? Did he refuse to do the job? Was Maeda - who had a reputation for doing so - being difficult to work with? It's hard to tell, but the match was notable for all of the wrong reasons. Whatever the case, something went wrong out there and it rather unfortunately remains the match most associated with Andre's time in New Japan.

That's a crying shame, because some of Andre's work in the '70s and early '80s is genuinely breathtaking.