Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant (WWF - 3/29/1987)

Second. Won't vote for it and never would've considered it, but I'm a sucker for spectacles and I've always thought this was a smartly worked spectacle. Would rather watch this than something like Angle/Benoit from the Royal Rumble (or basically any Angle/Benoit, I guess).

I've always liked this. Hogan's had better matches built around bodyslamming a larger opponent, but he has every single person in that stadium on strings and if nothing else it's certainly a spectacle. I thought it was worked smartly as well. Andre is nearly immobile so he's mostly clubs, headbutts and a bearhug. He uses the clubs and the bearhug to work the back, which they establish as a story point early when Hogan fails to slam Andre the first time. The bearhug isn't riveting or anything, but they never lost the crowd and the reaction for Hogan fighting back from the brink is special. The headbutts were my favourite, because when they connect they're sold as being devastating. Then when they miss they're sold as being devastating. The first time he misses he headbutts the turnbuckle and it gives Hogan an opening. Andre cuts him off after a brief flurry, but they establish a way out for Hogan. Avoid the headbutt and maybe you can use it against him. The second time they escalate it as Andre headbutts the post, and that's really Hogan's inroad. I guess they backtrack on that idea when Andre backdrops Hogan on the concrete (well, that was the intention. It didn't come off great), but Andre was groggy from then on out. Everyone goes ballistic for Andre being taken off his feet, then more ballistic for the slam, then EVEN MORE BALLISTIC for the legdrop. It's one of the defining moments of Hulkamania and a cool way to cap off one of the most successful wrestling shows there's ever been.

I suppose I third this. Probably no chance this ever gets on my list and I sort of agree with the #1 (or at least top 5) or #100 thing. There are only a couple of approaches to this list that feel like they could yield this making it and none of them strike me as approaches that could reasonable put this near the middle of the pack".

That said, I do find myself gravitating a little more to this sort of thing with age. Last time I turned on the Warrior/Hogan match I enjoyed it far more than I have since it hit my local video rental place when I was 6 or so. I am not sure I will ever be as high on Hogan as some, but I am definitely finding more to enjoy in his biggest moments.

Underrated match for sure.

This is holds up so well, just perfect. So much fun to see this after all this time.

Hogan is really brilliant in this match, especially in the early going. His selling of the body slams is amazing and makes the comeback that much more meaningful.

Masterpiece. Staredown, slam attempt, successful slam, leg drop, 3 count. That's all we needed. Best body slam in history.

Hard disagree