At 7’-4” and 520 lbs, André René Roussimoff lived up to his nickname — André the Giant! He came to America in the early 1970s, where his career took off. He was the featured star of the World Wide Wrestling Federation and appeared in wrestling showcases from New York to Tokyo. During the 1980s, André the Giant was often paired with Hulk Hogan in the wildly popular “Wrestlemania” extravaganzas. He won his first and only World Wrestling Championship in 1988, defeating his rival Hulk Hogan on live TV as a record 33 million viewers tuned in. He was still one of the most recognizable professional wrestlers in the world when he passed away in 1993 at the young age of 42. This regional issue of “On The Mat” magazine dates to 1979, when André The Giant was building his reputation in America. The wrestling Hall of Famer has signed the cover in crisp blue ballpoint. A very choice early signature from one of the giants (literally!) of the 1980s wrestling boom. The piece comes with a Beckett LOA for the signature.