Andre the Giant was one of the most iconic and formidable wrestlers of all time. He was renowned for his massive size and impressive strength. With his towering stature, he often found himself facing off against opponents who were considerably smaller in size.
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From underdogs who defied the odds to technical studs who used their speed and agility, these wrestlers all share one thing in common: they dared to take on Andre the Giant and his 7'4 stature. Although some resources and accounting is shaking, this list will examine available material and rank the smallest wrestlers that ever battled Andre the Giant in a singles match.
10 Jimmy Snuka - 5'10, 251 Lbs
WWE Hall of Famer, Jimmy Snuka battled Andre the Giant twice in the '80s. The two competed for the NWA United States Heavyweight Title in 1980. They clashed again at a Mid-South Wrestling match in 1982, which was also the last singles match of their careers.
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At only 5'10, Snuka was able to use his agility to not get completely squashed by Andre. However, given Andre's aura of invincibikity, Snuka was not able to score a victory over the Giant in either bout.
9 Nick Bockwinkel - 5'10, 240 Lbs.
Nick Bockwinkel was a four-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion and was known for his technical skills and articulate promos. He battled Andre the Giant multiple times in the AWA in the late 70s and early 80s. Bockwinkel was a long reigning champion, always seeming to retain the title through controversial endings, be it against Hulk Hogan, or Andre himself.
Although he was only 5'10, Andre the Giant was never able to take the AWA World Heavyweight Championship away from Bockwinkel.
8 Mr. Fuji - 5'10, 227 Lbs.
Many people remember Mr. Fuji as a manager, but forget that he actually had a long in-ring career himself. Mr. Fuji and Andre the Giant have matches that date back to the 1970s.
They date back to the early days of the WWE when the company was still under the "WWWF" logo. Although most of their bouts were un-televised, Andre battled Mr. Fuji in a televised match on WWF Wrestling At The Chase in 1984. Their WWE televised match was also the last singles match the two ever battled in.
7 Jerry Blackwell - 5'9, 470 Lbs.
Jerry Blackwell had a successful career in the 70s and 80s. He was known for his impressive size, strength, and agility, and won numerous championships before his untimely death in 1995.
At 470 pounds, Blackwell was not a tiny person whatsoever. The only thing smaller about him was his height. At 5'9, he was one of the shortest wrestlers that ever faced Andre. The two competed in the AWA and the WWE.
6 Peter Maivia - 5'9, 275 Lbs.
Peter Maivia had a successful career in the 1960s and 70s, winning multiple championships in various promotions. He later became a mentor to his grandson, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Maivia may have been short in height, but he was certainly no small guy, possessing a massive frame within that 5 feet and 9 inches.
In 1979, Maivia battled Andre the Giant in the WWE. They battled a few times in 1979, and Maivia was never able to score a victory over Andre.
5 Larry Zbyszko - 5'9, 233 Lbs
Larry Zbyszko wasn't a big buy, but he did enjoy a successful career that spanned four decades. He was an AWA and NWA Champion. In his later years, he transitioned to commentary and mentoring younger wrestlers, which is where many fans best remember Zbyszko.
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Zbyszko and Andre the Giant only had one major match, which happened for New Japan Pro Wrestling. In 1979, the two battled at NJPW 2nd Madison Square Garden Series. The MSG series tournament ended up being a quick victory for Andre and Zbyszko was the shortest person Andre faced at the event.
4 Mighty Inoue - 5'9, 231 Lbs.
Mighty Inoue, a WBC Flyweight Champion from Japan, won his first title in 1986 and defended it nine times before losing to Chatchai Sasakul in 1991.
Andre the Giant first battled Mighty Inoue in 1970 and last clashed with him 22 years later in 1992. Inoue was part of the last wrestling run of Andre's career at All Japan Pro Wrestling.
3 Magner Clement - 5'9, 223 Lbs.
Andre the Giant battled Magner Clement when he was still wrestling under the ring name "Monster Roussimoff." The two competed at the IWE The 3rd IWA World Series in 1971.
Magner Clement had a short-lived wrestling career and was out of the business after 1971.
2 Johnny Rodz - 5'8, 231 Lbs.
Johnny Rodz, a Brooklyn-born wrestler of Puerto Rican descent, wrestled for decades and spent most of his career in the WWE. He became known as the "Unpredictable Johnny Rodz" and trained future superstars such as The Dudleyz and Taz.
Rodz battled Andre in two televised matches in 1984. Both of them happened on WWE television and Rodz is often considered the shortest person to ever set in the ring with Andre.
1 Don Serrano - 5'7, 220 Lbs.
Don Serrano was known for his great work in the ring, and his name came up in wrestling promotions across the United States and Canada. He was a respected worker, holding titles such as the Canadian Junior Heavyweight Championship and the Caribbean Tag Team Championship. He was also shorter than "shorter wrestlers" like Eddie Guerrero and Dynamite Kid at only 5'7.
Serrano also had a notable feud with Ray Candy, wrestling as Super Soul Davis in Ann Gunkel's All-Star Wrestling Association. Andre the Giant battled Don Serrano multiple times in the WWE under the ring name "Black Demon." Although he was never able to score a victory over Andre, at only 5'7 Serano is one of the shortest men to ever battle the 8th Wonder of the World.
