Few matches have changed the course of wrestling more than Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 3. Their WWE Championship match helped wrestling, and WWE in particular, grow from regional fandom to a televised phenomenon like never before. It was also a passing of the torch moment that helped Hogan lead WWE to the top of the world of wrestling.

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Hogan Vs. Andre at WrestleMania 3 wasn't the first (or last match) between the two WWE icons, but it was the most important. This list will examine 10 things every fan should know about the match where "the irresistible force met the immovable object."

10 A Trophy Sparked The Feud

Andre the Giant threatens Hulk Hogan

In a segment in early 1987, Hulk Hogan was awarded a trophy celebrating his three-year run as WWE Champion. Andre The Giant was awarded a smaller trophy for his "15-year undefeated streak." Andre was clearly unenthused by his smaller trophy and walked away. Shortly after, on Piper's Pit, Andre the Giant joined forces with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. This led to his challenge against Hogan at WrestleMania 3.

9 Andre Never Held The WWE Championship Before Their Match

Andre Hogan Trump

Despite being one of the top names in WWE, Andre the Giant had never competed for the WWE Championship before his WrestleMania 3 match against Hogan. Andre had been competing in WWE off on and since 1973 and had wrestled an estimated 700 plus matches at the company without a single title shot before his main event match with Hogan.

8 Andre Was Not Undefeated Despite His "15-Year Undefeated Streak"

Andre The Giant & The Twin Towers v Jim Duggan & Demolition SummerSlam 1989 Cropped

WWE did all they could to sell the stakes of the match between Hogan and Andre. Since Andre walked into the match without a title, the company claimed that Andre was on an undefeated streak before the match. Andre had lost many matches abroad to stars like Antonio Inoki. Inoki even once submitted Andre. In WWE, plenty of stars had earned DQ and count-out wins over Andre in the years before the main event at WrestleMania 3.

7 Hulk Hogan Hurt His Back Performing "The Slam Heard All Around The World"

Hogan Slams Andre

Although the famous moment when Hulk Hogan slammed Andre the Giant is often promoted as the first time "Andre was ever slammed" or "the first time Hogan ever slammed Andre," both are untrue. Hogan had slammed Andre many different times before WrestleMania 3, as had many others.

Many fans don't know that Hogan injured himself perofming the "slam heard around the world." Hogan has claimed that he tore both biceps and he's also claimed he tore muscles in his back. It is unclear, which is true, but it does seem that Hogan was injured in some way after the match.

6 Andre Wrestled In His First WWE Singles Match In Over A Year At WrestleMania 3

Andre-Ted DiBiase WWE

By 1987, Andre the Giant's health had begun to decline. He only wrestled two singles matches in 1987 and his match against Hogan was his first singles match in over a year. Andre spent most of his later matches in tag team units since it was easier for him to compete when he was able to split time in the ring. Most of his singles matches after 1987 lasted less than ten minutes due to his health issues.

5 The Finish Was Decided At The Last Minute

Hulk Andre WrestleMania III

Although the match is iconic, Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 3 isn't a masterclass in technical wrestling. The finish to the match helped launch Hogan, but not even Hogan knew if he was booked to win the match until the last minute, according to The Hulkster himself.

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Hogan claims that Andre was in a "bad mood" the night of their 'Mania match and he didn't know if Andre was going to let him get the pinfall win. Hogan also claims it was the only time in his career where was worried that a finish might not work out the way it was booked.

4 It Was Hogan's Last Successful Title Defense At WrestleMania In His Career

Hulk Hogan WWF Champion

Everyone remembers the classic WWE Championship match between Hogan and Andre at WrestleMania 3, but very few people remember that it was also the last time that Hogan would ever successfully defend a title at WrestleMania. Hogan would either win the title from an opponent or lose a championship at WrestleMania. The last time he won a title at 'Mania was the awful impromptu match against Yokozuna at WrestleMania 9.

3 It Was The First Title Match Between The Two

Andre PWI HULK HOGAN

Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan had battled many different times before their WrestleMania 3 match. Despite their matches that spanned multiple companies like New Japan Pro Wrestling and National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the two had never competed for a title of any kind before their epic clash in the Pontiac Silverdome.

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Although they never competed for any championship prior to their bout at WrestleMania 3, they would do so a number of times throughout the next number of years.

2 The Two Had A Rematch At WrestleMania 4

Hulk Hogan Vs Andre The Giant WrestleMania 4

Every wrestling fan knows about the WrestleMania 3 match between Hogan and Andre, but few fans talk about the rematch that happened a year later at WrestleMania 4. The event featured a 14-man single-elimination tournament for the vacated WWE Championship.

Hogan and Andre met in the quarterfinals. Both men were eliminated by a double DQ to protect either star from taking a "real" loss in the tournament, which Randy Savage ended up winning.

1 Andre Won The WWE Championship In Their Next Match

Andre The Giant WWF Champion Cropped

Less than a year after their match at WrestleMania 3, Andre and Hogan had a rematch at The Main Event in 1988. Andre defeated Hogan and ended his 1,474-day run as WWE Champion. Andre's time with the belt was short-lived as he handed it to Ted Dibiase immediately, who then got stripped of the championship belt and isn't officially recognized as champion. As far as Andre goes, it would turn out to be his only WWE Championship reign in his career despite getting a few more shots against Randy Savage, although he'd win the WWE Tag Team Championship alongside Haku a couple of years later.