I’m starting my column with an apology. Last month I said I would talk about the Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant feud that took us to WrestleMania 3. I since realized that in order to do this the right way, I first have to talk about Andre’s feud with Big John Stud. That feud led directly into Andre’s heel turn and match with Hogan at the greatest WrestleMania of them all, which will be covered here next month. The following month, I’ll continue with the Hogan/Andre feud with all the events that took place after WM 3. (How’s that for long term planning?).

So here we are back in Allentown, PA in the early summer of 1983. Big John Stud, a mountain of a man at 6’10’ and over 350 lbs. has been destroying anyone and everyone in his path. His manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie claims this man is the next WWF World Heavyweight Champion. Stud was a braggart, and said no one could give him any competition, and no one could take him off his feet. In fact, Stud became so confident that he claimed no wrestler in the WWF could get him in a bodyslam, so he put up a $5,000 bounty to anyone who could do the job. After a while, when no one could accomplish this, he raised the bounty to $10,000. (He may have actually started the bounty even lower, and raised it several more times, but that’s as far back as I can take the angle).

One week, Stud was scheduled in the TV main event against "Chief" Jay Strongbow, and Stud was ready to put up the bodyslam challenge once again. But when ring announcer Joe McQue announced Strongbow, the Native American (actually pseudo Native American, but who’s counting) stood at the entranceway, and shook his head no. McQue went with it and said it was not Strongbow, after all, then proceeded to introduce Andre the Giant.

When Stud saw Andre coming out, fear struck his eyes. He cowered into a corner, and refused to come out, as the referee and Blassie tried pulling him out. Eventually, Stud did come out for a lock-up, and Andre twice got Stud up for a slam, but both times Blassie latched onto Stud, making sure Andre could not get him over in the move. Andre caught Blassie the second time, and let go of Stud to grab the "Classy" one. It looked like Andre was going to let the crafty manager have it. But then, Stud attacked Andre from behind. He kneed Andre’s gut, and pounded him into a corner. When Andre came back fighting, he and Blassie headed for higher ground, and one of wrestling hottest feuds ever was born.

They took the feud around the horn, and it drew incredibly well, so it went around again, matches usually ending in disqualifications the first two times. More...