WWE Hall of Famer Bushwhacker Luke recently recalled sharing a ring with The Rock’s grandfather, Peter Maivia, in the ’60s.
Brahma Bull comes from the illustrious wrestling family, Anoi, that has produced some of the biggest names in the business. One of them was Peter Maivia, who is also The Rock’s maternal grandfather. The late great Maivia wrestled all over the world including WWE from 1970 to 1981.
Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling, Bushwhacker Luke talked about the time when he and Bushwhacker Butch wrestled Peter Maivia. The wrestling legend recalled that he and Butch wrestled against the High Chief several times in New Zealand early in their careers.
In addition, Luke also managed the wrestling of Andre the Giant when he was known as Giant Fay. He revealed that in the late 1960s he and Bushwhacker Butch often competed in two-on-one handicap matches against former WWE champions.
“You know, in the ’60s, Butch (Bushwalker) and I wrestled The Rock’s grandfather. High Chief Peter Maivia. We wrestled him in the ’60s. And Andre, it wasn’t Andre the Giant. It was Gynt Phere. We wrestled in the 1960s. Gynt Phere weighed 350 pounds, seven foot two. And the last match we had before he left the WWF, he was 540. So he went from 350 to 540 -70, said Bushwalker Luke. (0:25 – 1:14)
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Bushwacker Luke on WWE legend Andre the Giant’s drinking habits
In the same interview, Bushwacker Luke also shared a funny story about Andre the Giant going on a street drinking spree.
The WWE Hall of Famer reported that the seven-foot-two performer and his longtime manager, Frank Valois, drank 72 beers in about 90 minutes.
“Andre and his manager, he was a Frenchie, about 270 pounds, I forget his name. They drank 72 beers in 90 minutes. And for Andre, a beer was two or two and a half sips. We were on a road trip. . . . We had to stop and get 72 more beers. Butch and I were in the back seat and Andre was in the front, and his manager was next to him,” said Bushwhacker Luke. (6:02 – 6:40)
Considering he’s still active in the ring today, it’s safe to say that many people haven’t seen wrestling evolve into the Bushwhacker Luke that it has been over the past six decades.