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Hulk Hogan recently disclosed details about a conversation he had with Andre the Giant ahead of their legendary encounter at WrestleMania 3.
Hogan defeated the seven-foot-four Frenchman in front of a reported 93,173 fans to retain the WWE Championship. The highlight of the match came when The Hulkster showcased his incredible strength by bodyslamming his 520-pound opponent.
The latest episode of A&E's WWE Rivals series focused on Hogan's feud with Andre the Giant throughout the 1980s. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer revealed that his friend initially refused to go ahead with the bodyslam spot:
"I said, 'Andre, what do you wanna do out there?'" Hogan stated. "'Don't worry.' 'Hey Andre, what do you think, man? I go up or go down?' 'Don't worry.' I said, 'How's your back?' He said, 'My back's good.' He had a couple of fists of Crown Royal [whiskey]. I said, 'What do you think about a bodyslam?' He goes, 'No.' 'Okay, then, I won't worry.'"
According to Hogan, Andre the Giant changed his mind during the match. The towering superstar yelled "SLAM!" toward the end of the contest, at which point Hogan picked up his opponent and threw him down to the mat.
Hulk Hogan was unsure if he would beat Andre the Giant
The WrestleMania 3 main event is widely viewed as one of the greatest wrestling spectacles of all time.
Hulk Hogan added that he did not know during the match whether Andre the Giant would allow him to win:
"It was so big, I just stayed focused on what was around me, the ringside. I didn't even wanna really take in what was going on. It was so overwhelming (…) For the first time ever in my career, I went to the ring and didn't know who was gonna win or lose."
Hogan also spoke about why Andre the Giant initially disliked him when their feud began in the early 1980s.
Where do you rank Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan among wrestling's greatest rivalries? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit A&E's WWE Rivals and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
