When Was Andre's Peak?

[LWPD]

Many fans of the 80's and beyond are only familiar with Andre The Giant from his WWF work during the National Expansion period. This is when wrestling's popularity reached a near term zenith and most of the footage that has been marketed of him was compiled. The early WWF CVH releases mostly covered ATG working a big man face formula with comedy spots or his later heel run which took place when his back was shot and he was severely limited. I'd argue that the most widely available footage of Andre doesn't capture him anywhere near his best.

When was Andre's prime and how did he perform? Gaging a peak is in the eye of the beholder but I'd peg his best work as mid 70's to early 80's. I'm going to put up a few videos that show Andre working outside of his WWF 'Giant Formula' just to give people a different perspective.
_______________________________________________________

If you want to gage how other promoters booked Andre The Giant throughout his career check out the Andre The Giant Online Record Book (1969-1992). It's a great resource to learn how ATG was positioned in different promotions all across the globe.
_______________________________________________________

Videos Gaging Andre The Giant's Career

Jean Ferre vs Mad Dog Vachon 1971

Monster Roussimoff, Tito Kopa & Ivan Buyten vs Rusher Kimura, Isamu Teranishi & Thunder Sugiyama 5/2/72

Monster Roussimoff vs Strong Kobayashi 5/6/72

Andre The Giant vs 'Pretty Boy' Larry Hennig & Paul 'Butcher' Vachon 9/1/72

Andre Roussimoff vs Baron Von Raschke 10/23/72

Andre The Giant vs Black Gordman & Great Goliath 3/22/74

Andre The Giant vs The Sheik 2/10/74

Andre the Giant vs Antonio Inoki 12/15/74

Andre The Giant vs Ernie Ladd 4/26/76

Andre The Giant vs Seiji Sakaguchi 6/5/76

Andre The Giant & Dick The Bruiser vs Ox Baker & Karl Krupp 6/12/76

Andre The Giant vs Chuck Wepner 6/25/76

Andre The Giant vs Nick Bockwinkel 8/27/76

Andre The Giant vs Antonio Inoki 6/1/77

Ric Flair vs Rick Steamboat (Andre The Giant Special Guest Referee) 1977

Andre The Giant vs Gorilla Monsoon 1977

Andre The Giant & Blackjack Mulligan vs Ken Patera & Ric Flair 9/23/78

Andre The Giant vs Mighty Inoue 7/19/79

Andre the Giant & Haystacks Calhoun vs Mighty Inoue & Animal Hamaguchi 7/21/79

Andre The Giant vs Sgt. Slaughter 3/16/80

Andre The Giant vs Hulk Hogan 6/21/80

Andre The Giant, Stan Hansen & Bad News Allen vs Antonio Inoki, Riki Choshu & Tiger Toguchi 9/4/81

Andre The Giant & Bad News Allen vs Seiji Sakaguchi & Tiger Toguchi 9/18/81

Andre The Giant vs Stan Hansen 9/23/81

Andre The Giant vs Killer Khan 10/9/81

Andre The Giant & Rene Goulet vs Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami 12/10/81

Andre The Giant, Dusty Rhodes & Junk Yard Dog vs Ernie Ladd, Sika & Afa 1/14/82

Andre The Giant vs Killer Khan 3/19/82

Andre the Giant vs Killer Khan 4/1/82

Andre The Giant & El Canek vs Antonio Inoki & Hulk Hogan 6/25/82

Andre The Giant & Rene Goulet vs Tatsumi Fujinami & Seiji Sakaguchi 11/26/82

Andre the Giant vs Hulk Hogan 12/9/82

Andre The Giant vs Akira Maeda 5/13/83

Andre The Giant vs Abdullah The Butcher 9/17/83

Andre The Giant vs El Canek 2/12/84

Andre The Giant vs Tatsumi Fujinami 5/18/84

Andre The Giant vs Adrian Adonis 6/8/84

Andre The Giant vs Antonio Inoki 6/14/84

Andre The Giant & K.Y. Wakamatsu vs Antonio Inoki & Umanosuke Ueda 5/1/85

Andre The Giant & Jimmy Snuka vs Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami 5/10/85

Andre The Giant vs Akira Maeda 4/29/86

Andre The Giant vs Antonio Inoki 6/17/86

Andre The Giant vs Otto Wanz 1986

[LWPD]

Andre The Giant vs Stan Hansen 9/23/81

This match was from New Japan. Andre would often work a heel gimmick under the name Monster Roussimoff when touring for Inoki. While he was always booked at a main event level...his status wasn't as protected as it was in the U.S. and at times he would put over the native talent.

In the storyline fellow foreigner Stan Hansen was his tag partner...but the two had a recent falling out. Watch Andre's use of heel psychology as he turns the legendary Hansen into an underdog undersized baby face. Andre could do focused submission work, he could bust out a super high vertical suplex, he could even bump like a rock star and electrify the crowd by making them believe and care. Not typical of the Andre work produced in the States but one of his best recorded matches.

[TDalton]

This is about the period we're shooting for, when he was touted as being "unbeaten for 15 years" and was one of the biggest draws in wrestling history.

[LWPD]

Andre The Giant vs Abdullah The Butcher 1983

This was from the World Wrestling Council based out of Puerto Rico. When you work with Abby the possible match formulas are going to be limited...but the two manage to tell an effective story and bring the crowd alive. Andre is seen working his standard traveling face Giant role against a top level monster heel...but he does so at a sprint pace. Note the presence of Pro Wrestling Illustrated's top photographer Bill Apter snapping away at ringside. As was commonplace for the time Andre's program was turned into an issue selling headline for one of the Apter mags.

[LWPD]

Andre The Giant vs El Canek 2/12/84

This was from the Universal Wrestling Association based out of Mexico. El Canek was not only a tremendous draw but he was also one of the sharpest entrepreneurs in Mexican wrestling history. He held the UWA title on and off for a 17 year period and worked with many of the top stars from around globe. Here's an example of Andre working on hostile ground before a rabid crowd. There's a legend that El Canek was one of the few men to ever bodyslam Andre...judge for yourself!

[LWPD]

Andre The Giant vs Killer Khan 3/19/82

This was from New Japan during the 5th Annual MSG Singles League. This is a great example of how differently Andre would work outside of the WWF. Both he and Killer Khan had worked a prior program together in New York where KK 'broke Andre's leg' which led into a series of revenge matches. Here the roles are reversed. Andre the foreign monster heel...Khan the face.

[markyhitch]

I, for one, appreciate the matches you have posted. I only ever remembered Andre from Wrestlemania III onwards and was having trouble picturing him as a heel and less lethargic.

[markyhitch]

Sorry, I meant picturing him as a face was difficult!

[Mike M]

Thanks, Paint. Great stuff here.

[Deleted]

Nov 26, 2009 11:31:51 GMT -5 LWPD said:

Andre The Giant vs El Canek 2/12/84

This was from the Universal Wrestling Association based out of Mexico. El Canek was not only a tremendous draw but he was also one of the sharpest entrepreneurs in Mexican wrestling history. He held the UWA title on and off for a 17 year period and worked with many of the top stars from around globe. Here's an example of Andre working on hostile ground before a rabid crowd. There's a legend that El Canek was one of the few men to ever bodyslam Andre...judge for yourself!

I saw this match for the first time a few weeks ago.

Andre had a great match with Hulk Hogan in New Japan, and I think it's on goodhelmet's Best of 80s NJPW set. He had a good match with Inoki, as well.

That Andre/Hansen match is beast, too.