Andre the Giant and Akira Maeda Fight That Turned REAL in Japan

Sometimes things don’t go as planned come bell time. Take, for instance, the time Andre the Giant and Akira Maeda met in Japan in May of ’86.

Andre the Giant and Akira Maeda – What Really Happened

It was during his time at the Japanese Universal Wrestling Federation where Akira Maeda began to stand out as an adept shoot wrestler.

Andre the Giant was in the latter part of his career and in significant pain, so alcohol was his vice. That said, he did not take disrespect to the business lightly.

‬What started as a disagreement between NJPW owner Antonio Inoki and Maeda a few months prior over an angle that Maeda refused to work led to what occurred in the ring with Andre. 

Maeda was never able to get the full finish to the match from Andre before bell time, and he was unsure whether or not Andre was going to put him over (or allow him to win).

According to wrestling folklore, Andre would only sometimes let the finish of his matches be known before it was time to go in the ring, but only to wrestlers who had earned his respect.

Andre the Giant showed up to the Japanese venue more drunk than usual in May of '86. He was to face Akira Maeda, a man building a reputation as someone hard to do business with. These two together created a possibility for volatility, and much like a forest fire, it only needed a spark!

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