Andre the Giant vs. Hacksaw Duggan (LA Sports Arena 7/15/88)
-    Duggan comes out to Hogan 1984 level cheers. Andre looks like he could not give a fuck. However, he is reluctant to get in the ring with Duggan and his 2x4. A huge ANDRE SUCKS chant and Andre just stays out of the ring until the 2x4 goes away. 5 minutes in and Andre finally chokes Duggan to huge boos. Huge headbutt sends Duggan outside. Th e crowd gives Duggan energy outside. Not really but that’s what I am telling myself. More choking inside. If Andre only chokes for the next ten minutes with this level of heat, I am nominating it. He decides to bite Duggan’s face and chop him out of the ring. Duggan comes in and more choking. This is so perversely entertaining because the atmosphere is bonkers. It has not let down once. They are making the building shake during a chinlock choke. In one of the best spots of all time, when Duggan breaks the hold as he gives the thumbs up, Andre grabs his hand and starts biting his thumb. FUCK, THAT WAS AWESOME. Duggan getting crushed in the corner but he moves and Andre reams his butt into the turnbuckles. Big Duggan punches in the corner. Andre grabs a bearhug. The atmosphere still isn’t letting up. Duggan fighting out but Andre won’t let go. OH SHIT… Duggan bites Andre’s nose to break the hold. Duggan keeps throwing shoulder blocks. Andre won’t go down. The crowd is rumbling as he signals three-point stance. FUCK, you would think Duggan won WrestleMania when he hit the two three-point stances and the huge Andre sequoia tumbles down. Duggan goes for the big knee, the crowd is going wild but Duggan misses. Reqind the footage. Andre punches him in the face when he goes down. FUCK. Another charge, big boot to the face. Andre wins… WITH HIS FEET ON THE ROPES. Because he is a heel. THIS WAS FUCKING NUTS. IT’s amazing because of the atmosphere. There are matches that don’t mean shit because of the crowd and there are matches that become legendary because of the crowd. The crowd was amazing… even after the match… before the match started, before they even touched. EASY NOMINATION (because of the crowd). Oh, and they erupt again because Duggan nails Andre twice with the board. Just because they can. 
 

Andre's bemusement to Duggan's overness is hilarious. Andre refuses to wrestle until Duggan's 2X4 is removed from the ring. Same as usual with their matches. Superstar Graham getting himself over by standing up & taking the 2X4 from the ref is amusing. The crowd is insanely hot for this. Even more than the Boston match from May. Andre catches Duggan distracted & is more mobile here than the matches from the Spring. His offense is more varied including using his gear strap to choke Duggan. The thumb bite spot is amazing. Great tree trunk chops from Andre that knock Duggan down as well. Duggan really gets the crowd going, but adds in his punches which I love. Andre gets some butt bumps in the corner & then misses one to a huge pop. The 10 count corner punch gets a great chant along. Andre locks in a bear hug. They work it much better than the May matches here as Duggan starts using his thumb pose as a punch to the side of Andre's head first & then bites the nose to break the hold. That sets up Duggan's comeback & now he tries the three point stances to knock Andre down. Insane heat for this. When Andre finally falls it's one of the loudest pops of the decade. Good lord. Andre has that awesome punch counter to a Duggan fist drop again. Andre is still reeling though & Duggan charges him in the corner. Andre connects with a GREAT big boot though. Andre puts his feet on the ropes & steals the win. Tremendous stuff. Duggan complains to the ref after the match & Andre denies any wrongdoing. Andre is amazing. Duggan, being the sour babyface he is, wallops Andre with the 2X4 a couple of times to a mega pop. The heat for this is even better than Boston & Andre seems more mobile here with his varied offense. He's moving all over the ring here as opposed to hovering around the ropes. Duggan's crowd connection is incredible & he throws great punches. Hidden gem. 

EASY NOMINATION