Andre's Interested in Things, He's Not a Real Doctor

Andre the Giant vs. David Schultz WWF MSG 6/16/84 - GREAT

ER: This was one of those fun "only happened this one time" singles matches, not a hidden gem, but a match that has no other versions, no alterations. There's something pure about that, knowing in hindsight that they never got a chance to rearrange things or add new turns. This was it. The match was on a huge drawing MSG card underneath one of the Slaughter/Sheik boot camp matches, and it was worked in a real fun house show style. Schultz is an odd guy, and works this match the same way Steve Austin worked house show matches a decade later. It's a one sided Andre beatdown with Schultz coming off strong just by virtue of not backing down. It's honestly not far off from being a Schultz babyface performance, except Andre was working his almost bashful giant routine and the crowd was too in love with it. A lesser babyface would have turned Schultz face, but this was one of those Andre performances where he does those shy smiles during his entrance, like he was somehow still overwhelmed by how much 25,000 people enjoyed seeing him. "Okay guys, I'm just getting in the ring to crush a man. Sheesh c'mon." Schultz keeps getting knocked around by Andre, and it's because he keeps running into the fight as if the two are the same size. It makes Schultz come off even bigger than he is, even though every one of his takedown attempts goes terribly for him. 

Andre throws him with two different, awesome, almost amateur form belly to belly suplexes, stomps on Schultz with boots that look the same width as Schultz's chest, steps on him, and still Dr. D tries to take him to the mat. Dr. D goes for a single leg, Andre clubs him and knees him; he rushes in with a waist lock, Andre elbows him in the head. There's a great spot where Dr. D forces a rope break, and Andre just lets him drop to the mat on the break. There's a cool minute or two of very vague unprofessionalism, as Schultz starts just tying Andre up in the ropes, grabbing at his tights, refusing to break holds, not really doing damage but just obnoxiously preventing damage. It made things look more like a shoot, because it was realistically boring (but a fascinating kind of boring?). Andre looked a little frustrated and it made it seem like Schultz really was trying to get under Andre's skin, and watching a guy do things to annoy an actual Giant is like waiting for someone to step on a landmine. Andre's suplex after finally getting free is a great moment, and D runs smoosh-mouthed into Andre's big boot for a cool finish. 

COMPLETE AND ACCURATE ANDRE