At 12:43 pm Friday May 20, 2011, I received a text message that would change my life. Many people would ask, did something happen to someone in my family. Indeed would have been my response. Being a fan of professional wrestling for all 24 years of my life, the superstars whom I grew up watching, I tend to look at as family. Hearing that one of my childhood heroes Randy Poffo known by his ring name as Macho Man Randy Savage was killed in a car accident was indeed devastating. Without a doubt, this is the biggest of the many deaths that have occured in professional wrestling. Three deaths that affected me the way this one did were the following: Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, and Curt “Mr Perfect” Henning. Each of these guys I constantly rooted for to become heavyweight champion. No one could cut a promo like Savage, and there was no Superstar during the 80s or 90s who had more colors in his attire and yet was still more dangerous than anyone. One of the best things about Savage, he could be the best heel on the card as well as the best babyface.
I was just reminiscing the other day about Savage and his run in the NWO and how he and Hollywood Hulk Hogan would constantly go back and forth. Sometimes Savage and Hogan would be the best of friends, then other times, while he still remained in the NWO, he and Hogan would not get along at all. This, in my opinion, reflected their real life relationship. Hogan indicated that he and Savage had not spoke for ten years, however, the two recently started speaking and burying the hatched.
The following are three matches of Savage that I really enjoyed.
Macho Man Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat for the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship WrestleMania III
This match lived on for the next 22 years as unquestionably the best WrestleMania match in history. The amount of near falls that were in this match at this time were out of this world. With Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant being billed as the main event for that evening in the Pontiac Silverdome in front of 93,000 plus, Savage and Steamboat stole the show. Even though Savage came up on the short in, this is one of the matches that elevated his career to the next level.
This match lived on for the next 22 years as unquestionably the best WrestleMania match in history. The amount of near falls that were in this match at this time were out of this world. With Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant being billed as the main event for that evening in the Pontiac Silverdome in front of 93,000 plus, Savage and Steamboat stole the show. Even though Savage came up on the short in, this is one of the matches that elevated his career to the next level.
60 Man Battle Royal World War III for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
A lot of people tend to forget about this match. However, this was the first time Savage won the WCW World Title. Since his arrival to WCW, he had been taking it to Flair and the Four Horsemen. Later, he would have issues with Lex Luger. That night, they would meet in a grudge match. Savage had previously broken his arms, and Luger would not hesistate to take advantage of it defeating Savage in their match and defeating Savage. However, Savage had bigger plans that night and during the battle royal Savage would become the Heavyweight Champion for the first of five times in his career in WCW.
A lot of people tend to forget about this match. However, this was the first time Savage won the WCW World Title. Since his arrival to WCW, he had been taking it to Flair and the Four Horsemen. Later, he would have issues with Lex Luger. That night, they would meet in a grudge match. Savage had previously broken his arms, and Luger would not hesistate to take advantage of it defeating Savage in their match and defeating Savage. However, Savage had bigger plans that night and during the battle royal Savage would become the Heavyweight Champion for the first of five times in his career in WCW.
Macho Man Randy Savage vs Crush WrestleMania X. Falls Count Anywhere
This match seems to be one that has been forgotten by many due to the fact on the same card fans were treated with Bret vs Owen Hart, Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon, and Bret Hart vs Yokozuna. However, this match was one for the ages, and on a different card, it would have been talked about more. This was a match built up because Crush had recently turned on Savage and costed him the WWF Championship on a recently Monday Night Raw. As he did at WrestleMania III, Savage set the bar for the future, when he and Crush went all over the arena, and it was Savage who would leave with the victory after pinning Crush backstage, tying him up not allowing him to return to the ring within 60 seconds as the rules called for.
This match seems to be one that has been forgotten by many due to the fact on the same card fans were treated with Bret vs Owen Hart, Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon, and Bret Hart vs Yokozuna. However, this match was one for the ages, and on a different card, it would have been talked about more. This was a match built up because Crush had recently turned on Savage and costed him the WWF Championship on a recently Monday Night Raw. As he did at WrestleMania III, Savage set the bar for the future, when he and Crush went all over the arena, and it was Savage who would leave with the victory after pinning Crush backstage, tying him up not allowing him to return to the ring within 60 seconds as the rules called for.
There are many matches that I will later address in a video segment, but these are some that first came to mind.
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