WWE Legend Hulk Hogan Recalls What He Learned From Andre The Giant

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has detailed how the late, great Andre the Giant helped him become a better wrestler.

"He basically taught me this business," said Hogan about his late friend on "The Stakscast with Erick Stakelbeck." "He straightened me out because when I got in the business, I was in my 20s and wasn't serious, wasn't focused. [I] just didn't have ... didn't understand what this business was really all about, that wrestling was the smallest part of this business. The image, the promotion, the merchandise, the ancillary stuff, the licensing, how big this business could be. Andre was really the first sports entertainer."

Hogan revealed that he was scared and nervous to wrestle Andre due to the physicality of the matches with the late star. He acknowledged that Andre helped him understand and respect the pro wrestling business more than anyone else.

The Hall of Famer also delved into how Andre helped him between the ropes, highlighting how they never spoke about what they would do in the ring. Andre believed that the story in the ring must be told according to how the crowd reacted. 

"What he had taught me over the years was don't talk about the wrestling match. You just need to know who's going to win or lose. This is an art form like dancing or playing guitar, you've got to listen to the crowd and listen with your heart because a lot of wrestlers will sit down and they'll talk for 20 minutes about having a three-minute match on TV."

Hogan stated that Andre taught him how to tailor matches as per the audience and to "listen with my heart and my ear to the crowd" and what they wanted. He revealed that he didn't know the finish to his legendary match with Andre at WrestleMania 3 and that his opponent called the match on the fly.