Hulk Hogan gets emotional discussing his former WWE opponent
Hulk Hogan paid an emotional tribute to his former on-screen rival Andre the Giant in a recent documentary.
One of Hogan's greatest wrestling moments came in 1987 when he defeated Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 3. The seven-foot-four Frenchman initially disliked The Hulkster, but they eventually became friends following their legendary series of matches in the 1980s.
The latest episode of A&E's WWE Rivals focused on the feud between Andre and Hogan. Toward the end of the show, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer became tearful when discussing his iconic opponent's health struggles:
"He just didn't know what to do with himself," Hogan said. "He goes, 'I'm still living but I don't feel like living anymore.' He passed shortly after that."
At that point in the interview, Hogan stopped talking and grabbed a tissue to wipe tears away from his face.
The moment Hulk Hogan body slammed Andre The Giant in the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan at @WrestleMania III was one of the greatest moments in sports history. One of those moments you NEVER forget. Globally iconic moment in sports entertainment history. https://t.co/Ena3A5kHol
Andre the Giant suffered from acromegaly, a pituitary disorder that causes the body to continue growing. He passed away on January 27, 1993, at the age of 46 due to congestive heart failure.
Hulk Hogan says Andre the Giant respected him
It is well known that Andre the Giant did not get along with other large wrestlers. The Undertaker recently spoke about the former WWE Champion strongly disliking Bam Bam Bigelow and Big John Studd.
The rivalry between @HulkHogan and Andre the Giant is HUGE! Tune in this Sunday for back-to-back season premieres of @WWEonAE's Biography: WWE Legends and WWE Rivals all starting at 8/7c only on @AETV. https://t.co/9FfO1oe8RG
Hulk Hogan frustrated Andre when they started feuding due to his cocky attitude. However, they eventually formed a close bond:
"There's never gonna be two characters that were built that way for so long," Hogan added. "The credibility Andre had, the credibility he's bestowed upon me, in such a beautiful storyline that was real. I could feel it when he warmed up to me. I could feel it when he started liking me. I could feel it when he had respect for me. He didn't do that with anybody. It was a different time, that's for sure."
In another A&E special, Hogan claimed that Vince McMahon almost shut WWE's doors in the 1990s during the ratings battle with WCW.
Do you have any favorite Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan moments? 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.