Sportskeeda Remembers: WWE Hall of Famer Bobby "The Brain" Heenan

#6- Bobby Heenan helps turn the WWF into a powerhouse with WrestleMania 3

All of the previous moments - in fact, nearly every moment in wrestling history - was able to happen because of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Without a doubt. As much as we talk about the success of the then-WWF hinging on the first WrestleMania being successful, wrestling as a global phenomenon doesn't happen without the success of WrestleMania 3.

And that doesn't happen without The Brain.

It's hard to quantify just how important Andre - as a special attraction - was to the business of pro wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s. Despite his then-failing health and the staggeringly growing popularity of Hogan, Andre still drove in crowds all over the world. Vincent Kennedy McMahon knew that a Andre/Hogan match for the WWF title would be legendary, but he needed someone to help turn Andre into a bad guy to help sell the match. After all, nobody would believe that Andre would turn on his best friend by himself.

On an edition of Piper's Pit, Andre shows up - with Heenan in tow - to challenge Hulk to a title match. Hulk's already then mortal enemy, Roddy Piper, was now a friend and ally of Hogan and there was no bad guy as strong as Piper to challenge him (and Piper was leaving to "retire" soon, anyway). In less than a couple of minutes, Bobby makes Andre the most hated wrestler in the world and turns WrestleMania 3 into a phenomenon.

Thank you, Bobby. You changed wrestling and, in a way, changed the world.

• Kevin C. Sullivan.

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