Hulk Hogan legitimately thought his former opponent wanted to kill him, ex-WWE wrestler claims
Former WWE wrestler Mario Mancini has recalled how Hulk Hogan once had major concerns about his safety around Andre the Giant in the locker room.
In 1987, Hogan famously defeated his legendary rival in the WrestleMania 3 main event. Behind the scenes, it is well known that Andre the Giant used to drink heavily backstage while playing cards with former WWE agent Arnold Skaaland.
On the Cheap Heat Productions podcast, Mancini said Hogan legitimately feared for his life one time when Andre's drinking got out of control:
"Before he [Hogan] entered the actual dressing room, he was screaming down the hallway, 'He's gonna kill me, that son of a b***h, he's gonna kill me! He's gonna kill me!' Vince [former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon] went running up to him, 'Shut up, shut up.' 'He's drunk in there, he's drunk. He's gonna kill me! He's gonna kill me!' Hogan was very concerned that Andre was really gonna kill him." [25:29 – 25:59]
Another former WWE wrestler, Jacques Rougeau, told Sportskeeda Wrestling in 2020 that Andre the Giant often drank alcohol for eight hours during plane rides. He said the seven-foot-four superstar held bottles as though they were pens due to his extraordinary size.
How Hulk Hogan and other WWE Superstars dealt with Andre the Giant's drinking
Mario Mancini worked for WWE between 1984 and 1991. Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan were two of the company's star attractions during that era, along with the likes of Macho Man Randy Savage and The Ultimate Warrior.
Hulk Hogan & Andre the Giant face to face in wrestling ring. https://t.co/ukT2qZkWDn
Mancini added that nobody in the locker room ever challenged Andre about his alcohol consumption:
"Andre was the boss. Listen, nobody called Andre out on anything. Andre got to do whatever he wanted. It was his ballgame. It would actually bother Vince if Andre was hot at him. It would bother him because you put Andre anywhere, he's gonna sell it out." [29:00 – 29:30]
On January 28, 1993, Andre the Giant passed away due to congestive heart failure. Later that year, he was posthumously inducted into the first WWE Hall of Fame class.
Do you have any favorite Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan stories? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit the Cheap Heat Productions podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.