Randy Savage
Macho Madness and the WrestleMania III classic. Randy Savage traded minor league baseball for wrestling, stole WrestleMania III with Ricky Steamboat and won the WWF title at WrestleMania IV.
Randy Savage in 1986: Rob DiCaterino from Jersey City, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0
A wrestling family and a baseball detour
Randy Poffo's father, Angelo Poffo, was a well-known wrestler, and his brother Lanny also wrestled. Randy first chased baseball, playing several seasons in the minor leagues in the 1970s. When that dream ended, he turned to wrestling full time, working with his family's ICW promotion and in Memphis before the WWF signed him in 1985 as Macho Man Randy Savage.
The match that changed expectations
At WrestleMania III in 1987, Savage defended the Intercontinental title against Ricky Steamboat. Savage was famous for planning his matches in detail, and the pair produced a fast match with many near falls that is still studied by wrestlers today. Steamboat won the title, but many fans remember it as the best match on a card that drew a huge crowd to the Pontiac Silverdome.
World champion and Mega Power
At WrestleMania IV in 1988, Savage won a one-night tournament to become WWF Champion, beating Ted DiBiase in the final. He teamed with Hulk Hogan as the Mega Powers, with Miss Elizabeth as their manager, and the slow breakdown of that friendship built to their WrestleMania V title match in 1989.
His gravelly voice, colourful hats, fringe jackets and catchphrase Oooh yeah made him one of the most imitated personalities of the decade, and he spent years as the face of a popular snack food advertising campaign.
WCW and legacy
Savage won the WWF title again at WrestleMania VIII in 1992, then moved to WCW in 1994, where he won the world title several more times. He died in May 2011 after a heart attack while driving in Florida. WWE inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2015, with his brother Lanny accepting.
Savage's preparation became part of wrestling legend. He was known for writing out the sequence of his big matches in detail and rehearsing spots with his opponents, at a time when many wrestlers called their matches on the fly. That planning helped the WrestleMania III match feel faster and more dramatic than almost anything else on television in 1987. His mix of intensity, comedy and athletic skill is why many fans still rank him in their top ten of all time.
- Randy Savage in 1986: Rob DiCaterino from Jersey City, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0
Text written by Entertainment Wrestling World.
