"I actually had sympathy for Warrior" - WWE legend on The Ultimate Warrior's heat with Andre the Giant
WWE Hall of Famer Gerald Brisco has recalled how Andre the Giant once went off-script by manhandling The Ultimate Warrior during a live event match.
Brisco worked for WWE in a variety of on-screen and off-screen roles between 1984 and 2020. In the late 1980s, he worked as a road agent during a series of matches at live events between the two legends.
Speaking on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, the 74-year-old confirmed that The Eighth Wonder did not like Warrior in real life. He also admitted that he felt sorry for Warrior after Andre tried to teach him a lesson in one of their matches.
“I said [to Andre], ‘What are you doing tonight, boss?’ He said, ‘The usual, but you might want to watch.’ So that spot where Andre’s tied up in the ropes… Warrior comes off [the ropes], he nails Andre [with a clothesline]. I guess he nailed him a little stiff," Brisco revealed.
“Andre just stood up, came out of that tied-up role deal, he grabbed Warrior by the hair and he just started paintbrushing him. He paintbrushed him for 30 seconds, Warrior slammed him, cover, one, two, three. But that 30 seconds… I actually had sympathy for Warrior,” Brisco added.
According to Cagematch.net, Andre the Giant and The Ultimate Warrior went one-on-one in 54 matches between April 1988 and March 1990. The majority of those matches took place at live events and ended with Warrior winning within 30 seconds.
The Ultimate Warrior was allegedly "afraid" of Andre the Giant
In 2017, WWE Executive Director Bruce Prichard commented on The Ultimate Warrior’s backstage attitude toward Andre the Giant. Speaking on his Something to Wrestle With podcast, Prichard said Warrior used to hand Andre a bottle of wine every night in the dressing room because of how scared he was of him.
Another former WWE star, Jacques Rougeau (f.k.a. The Mountie), spoke to Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Dr. Chris Featherstone about Warrior struggling to get along with people backstage.
Rougeau reiterated that Andre did not like the Ultimate Warrior behind the scenes. He also claimed that Warrior was “very afraid” of The Eighth Wonder hurting him if they ever had a real fight.
Please credit Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.