It’s hard to imagine the phrase “ohh yeah!” without thinking of Randy Savage otherwise known as the “Macho Man”. When I first started wrestling way back in 1993-1994, I caught a glimpse of the Macho Man winding his days down with the WWF and he looked every bit as sharp as he did when I would view his earlier matches back in the 80’s. Last friday, May 21st. he tragically died due to a fatal crash and afterwards having a heart attack. Hearing this news, I was quite saddened that morning hearing this news but throughout the past two days I’ve been thinking about some of hos most epic encounters. I remember growing up hearing about the now famous Wrestlemania 3 match of Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage and I heard stories about it. I heard things ranging from the match lasted 52 minutes and man this match is great you have to watch it, it’s amazing. One day, when I was roaming around Vallco Mall, I went into the now defunct store Suncoast and I went looking for the tape of the match. I searched for it until I found Wrestlemania 3 and I was happy when I got home and I finally saw the match. The match itself was so amazing I nearly dropped my jaw at some of the “spots” that the wrestlers were performing. There was action, drama, suspense, and the way that the near falls were happening made me wonder how difficult wrestling must be. I’ve heard stories after the match had taken place that people were going up to Savage and Steamboat giving them praise for the match. The fact that the match was planned move for move also made me realize that Randy Savage was really a detail kind of guy which made for some other great matches. Watching his mannerisms, his promos, his energy, his wardrobe, and even his magnificent storylines had everything that you wanted in a superstar and a wrestler. What made him unique as a wrestler was also the fact that he had a beautiful manager in Miss Elizabeth, otherwise known as the first lady of wrestling. She has passed away as well but when me and my friend used to rent videos from the local neigborhood video we would watch the awesome storyline that was going on with Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. The storyline started all the way back when Randy Savage had won the world title in a tournament and Hogan, being the guy he was, helped his pal Savage out and with his help he won the title. But, what was interesting was that Hogan stood in the center of the ring with his manager and hogged the spotlight. Throughout the next year, Hogan and Savage were a formidable tag team and they ran roughshot through the WWF. Eventually, however, jealously reared it’s ugly head and Hogan and Savage started having disputes over the love that Hogan supposedly had for Miss Elizabeth. Now, in hindsight, you would think that a guy that was trying to steal another man’s woman would be the bad guy. But, being that it was wrestling, Savage was the one that was the bad guy. What turned out to be a simple feud ended up being one of the most epic tales ever told. The storyline and the match itself was nothing short of brilliant. The people at the WWF built up as classic good friends better enemies. It was as if both guys in the feud really couldn’t stand each other and of course this being wrestling, the better or stronger man has to come out on top. This is what I believe is missing from today’s product. Randy Savage, being a great villian, made you hate his guts because he had betrayed the ultimate superhero and friend Hulk Hogan. One could argue that Savage would have been nowhere without Hogan in the grand scheme of things but what made that stand out was the pure emotion and the many levels that the storyline brought. You had the question of who Miss Elizabeth was going to side with? Why did Savage betray his friend? Why had Hogan been such a jerk to his friend by trying to take the spotlight from his friend? and also who was right and who was wrong. Knowing the way the feud ended, I recently saw the final battle these two had at Wrestlemania 5 and the match provided the elements I was talking about. I realized that some guys get jealous easily because they feel have the right to do so because they feel that the woman that was once his is now trying to cling onto another man. I also saw how much of a “good guy” vs. “bad guy” feud is simplistic and as easy as it gets. I once heard the big giant Kevin Nash once say that there are only five real feuds in wrestling and to put it into easy terms it doesn’t get any simpler than this. Wrestling is one thing, but being able to translate the story and the drama into that one match is important to captivate that audience and being able to choose a winner. It was like a movie almost where it started out real fast and the heel got the upper hand but of course the good guy made his comeback only to be derailed by the bad guy’s push at or near the end. But, knowing how movies end happily most of the time, the good guy came back and gave the bad guy what he deserved. One thing I’ll never forget is how funny his promos were as well because sometimes he had my sides splitting and I don’t know if it was his voice or the words he used but everytime they were entertaining. They felt real and this is one thing that you can teach other people in wrestling because he had been up and down the road years before he got his big break. R.I.P Macho Man Randy Savage you will be sorely missed. Hopefully, future wrestling or “sports entertainment” fans will be able to see that you were no one trick pony and they will be able to digest the fact that you left a mark on wrestling that will never be forgotten, till next time! Here’s one of the funniest and more memorable promos from the man himself:
Just Another Day... 