Ask most fans what the Ultimate Warrior’s greatest match was, and most will say it was his victory over Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI. Others will insist it was his career vs. career match against Randy
Savage the following year at WrestleMania VII.
Whichever camp you fall into, neither answer is wrong — both matches were classics. But there’s a third, often-forgotten encounter that deserves equal recognition.
In October 1989, the Ultimate Warrior defeated Andre the Giant in mere seconds, handing the Giant what is believed to be his first pinfall loss ever at Madison Square Garden.
What makes this a classic — despite its brevity — is the story told in the moments leading up to the match.
Upon entering the ring, Andre’s manager, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, got in referee Danny Davis’ face and began tearing into him. After a heated exchange, Heenan shoved the official — a no-no in any sport. Davis responded by instructing ring announcer Howard Finkel to inform the crowd that Heenan had been ejected. If he didn’t leave ringside by the count of ten, Heenan would be suspended.
After his pleas for reconsideration fell on deaf ears, “The Brain” retreated to the dressing room.
Meanwhile, Andre was visibly shaken and clearly at a disadvantage. He argued with Davis, but the referee held firm.
As Andre stood in the corner, hands on his hips, fuming, Finkel introduced the Warrior. The moment his music hit, the Garden erupted as he blazed a trail to the ring. Inside, Andre turned his disgust into mockery, mimicking the Warrior’s signature rope shake.
With Andre’s back turned, Warrior struck with a clothesline, then another. As Andre stumbled, Warrior hit a third, knocking the 7-foot-4 French colossus onto his back. Wasting no time, Warrior bounced off the ropes and squashed Andre with a splash for an easy 1-2-3.
All the while, Warrior’s entrance music never stopped playing, adding to the chaos. The fans were already in a frenzy, and the relentless music only amped them up further as no one heard the bell ring.
Well, that’s because it never did, a fact that a frazzled Andre noticed.
Despite the Giant’s protests, Davis’ decision stood. But Davis himself quickly bolted backstage as Andre sought a closer conversation.
For longtime WWE fans, this moment came with a fun Easter egg. Years earlier, Davis had been a heel-centric referee. After several controversial decisions — the last one costing the British Bulldogs their tag team titles — Davis was “suspended for life” as an official.
He immediately transitioned into a full-time wrestler and spent the next couple of years getting soundly beaten by the babyfaces he had once screwed over.
Davis was later reinstated as a referee in 1989 and played it straight for the rest of his career. But as he showed in the Garden, he wasn’t above letting his bias get in the way — this time for the good guys.
As for the Warrior, this wasn’t his only quick squash of Andre. Similar scenes played out across WWE’s house show circuit. But pinning Andre quickly and decisively in the World’s Most Famous Arena helped raise his stock and prepare him for his showdown with Hogan six months later.
The match itself was released on DVD almost 30 years later, so only fans in the New York area witnessed it at the time, which is why this has become a forgotten gem.
Still, in only a matter of moments, the match told a story before the bell, delivered a shocking result, and sent the Garden into a fever pitch. Set to the Warrior’s nonstop anthem, it became the perfect soundtrack to Andre’s swift and stunning fall — a powerful squash match and one of Warrior’s most dominant performances.
