This man was the Cream of the Crop and the King of the Madness. He perfected the Elbow Drop. OH YEAH, I am talking about none other than "Macho Man" Randy Savage:
Length of Feud: 1985-98
Featured Matches:
WrestleMania V
Summerslam '89
The Main Event III
Halloween Havoc '96
Uncensored '98
Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 9.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 9/10
From the time that they first encountered each other in 1985, Randy Savage, and Hulk Hogan would forever be connected. Their rivalry started without a true storyline, but Macho Man always proved to be a threat in those early years of '85-'86 during their series of House Show matches. Even in that time, Savage would continue to be a thorn in Hogan's side as he taunted the Hulkster in his promos as IC Champion. During their matches, Macho Man would prove to be a different kind of challenge for Hogan. Unlike most Hogan matches, Savage would get cheered.
Then, their paths would collide on the famous Saturday Night's Main Event episode in October 1987 when the Hulkster came in for the save. This was the night the Mega Powers formed. In a roundabout way, their storyline started from that moment.
During Savage's reign as Champion, the seeds were being planted even with Hogan as his partner. Randy became suspicious of how close Hulk was getting to Ms. Elizabeth. This animosity even spilled over into the locker room. Eventually, they came to blows during a match against Big Bossman and Akeem when Hogan left the match to take Liz to the locker room. After the match, Hogan and Savage got into an argument that ended when Macho Man nailed him with the WWF Title.
The Stage was set for WrestleMania V where The Mega Powers would officially explode. Heading into the match, Macho Man would show edited footage of Hogan being flirtatious with Liz to make him look like the bad guy. Their match at Mania V is where the feud reached its climax. Hogan would ultimately win, but Macho Man walked away with plenty of respect from the fans.
After the Summerslam '89 Tag Match, they went their separate ways for the most part until both men joined WCW in 1994. They teased another head to head, but it became official when Hogan joined the NWO. They would have a match at Halloween Havoc, but it was a far cry from the Mega Power Main Event in The WWF. Things would go even further with Savage joining the NWO.
Eventually, their egos would clash within the group as Randy helped to form the Wolfpac. Their careers have become forever connected.
Ric Flair:
Length of Feud: 1992-2000
Featured Matches:
WrestleMania VIII
WWF Survivor Series 1992
WCW Great American Bash 1995
WCW Bash at the Beach 1995
Starrcade 1995
Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Rating: 8.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10
Randy Savage and Ric Flair are responsible for four of the top five matches of the 80's. (WrestleMania III vs. Ricky Steamboat, and Flair's trilogy with The Dragon in 1989). They have two other things in common: 1.) Both had spectacular matches with Ricky Steamboat 2.) They could be counted on to deliver spectacular matches within under 30 minutes or over 30 minutes. Both men were the total package when it came to in-ring performers of their time. Not to take anything away from Steamboat, but they could put on epic matches.
Fast forward to 1992. Ric Flair has already shaken up the wrestling world with his arrival in the WWF in September 1991 as he proudly carried the WCW World Title proclaiming to be the "REAL World's Champion". He challenged everyone that was a top star at the time. In the 1992 Royal Rumble, Flair backs up his claim by winning the Rumble to become the new WWF Champion.
Soon after, Flair and Mr. Perfect talk about how the Nature Boy had a relationship with Miss Elizabeth long before she met the Macho Man. Flair even threatened to show a centerfold of Liz at WrestleMania VIII if he won the match. In the buildup of the match, Savage was silent. At WrestleMania, he did not even give Mean Gene an interview before the match. The Nature Boy was playing mind games with him.
I noticed that some of Savage's Greatest Feuds involved Elizabeth. From his Mega Powers feud with Hogan to his feud with Ric Flair, Liz was involved in some way. The casting was perfect for this storyline. Flair, the conniving villain who wanted to challenge the honor of Miss Elizabeth. Meanwhile, Randy Savage was the crazed knight in shining armor.
I believe the high point of this feud was their WrestleMania VIII match. This match was fantastic, with a great mix of high-quality ring work and an intense storyline. Savage defeated Flair for the WWF Title and to protect the honor of his lady. After the match, a busted open Flair kissed Liz on the lips. Randy went ballistic and attacked him.
The feud would continue for the rest of the year with encounters that were not as stellar, but still good. It would culminate in Flair winning the title back from Macho Man with the Figure Four as Savage passed out from the pain. This feud would rekindle in WCW in 1995, with Liz still being involved in the equation. This time, Savage's elderly father Angelo Poffo was brought into the feud when Flair attacked him. They had a series of special matches throughout the year.
Ricky Steamboat:
Length of Feud: 1986-87
Featured Match:
WrestleMania III (Enough Said)
Match Quality: 5/5
Storyline Rating: 8/10
Rivalry Rating: 8/10
In the early years of WrestleMania, it was just about the spectacle of Sports Entertainment. Style, but little substance. It was about Hogan and Piper sharing the same ring with Mr. T. It was about Cyndi Lauper managing Wendi Richter, Liberace dancing, etc. I take nothing away from those early celebrity appearances, but WrestleMania in its infancy was not focused as much on what went on in the ring as it was about the Pomp and Circumstance surrounding the show.
Suddenly, things started to change at the dawn of WrestleMania 3. They wrestled each other before on House Shows for the IC Title, but things went to a different level when Savage crushed Steamboat's larynx with the ring bell on SNME (Saturday Night's Main Event). You know the rest of the story. The brash heel Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage stayed true to his name as a Savage going after the ultimate babyface Ricky Steamboat. This would lead to a Match for the Ages in the Pontiac Silverdome. Their match put more attention on the quality of a match and the mechanics in the ring.
Steamboat captured the IC Championship after defeating Savage in a thriller. People talk about the impact this match had on the WWE quality of matches for years to come, but few people talk about how this benefited both parties when they went their separate ways. Savage had proven that he was ready for prime time, and this match helped to propel him to the very peak of the WWF as he won the world title the following year. After that, he would wrestle Hulk Hogan for the WWF Title at WrestleMania V.
When it comes to Steamboat, you could say that he was just starting to get things rolling in his own way. Two years later, The Dragon would feud with Ric Flair over the NWA World Title. Before Bret and Shawn and Rock and Triple H, Savage and Steamboat elevated each other from the mid-card to main event status with a feud that only lasted for a matter of months.
When Savage and Steamboat danced in the ring, they both had great rhythm and timing. Nothing was off-beat.
Ultimate Warrior:
Length of Feud: 1991-92
Featured Matches:
WrestleMania VII
Summerslam 1992
Match Quality: 5/5
Storyline Quality: 8.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10
The Ultimate Warrior jumped to superstardom shortly after Macho Man Randy Savage. Warrior arrived in late 1987 and quickly rose as one of the shining stars and household names along with Savage and Hulk Hogan. Warrior fizzled faster, but his light was just as bright as Savage's and a shade under Hogan's.
When Warrior made his debut in the mid-card in late 1987, Macho Man graduated to the Main Event. When Warrior moved to the Main Event, Savage took a step back to Warrior's position in the upper mid-card as the Macho King. During WrestleMania VI, Ultimate Warrior headlined with The Hulkster. Meanwhile, Macho King wrestled the Polka Dot version of Dusty Rhodes.
Fast forward nine months later. Savage looked for every way that he could get a title shot at WrestleMania VII. Warrior denied him. In his way of revenge, Savage interfered in Ultimate Warrior's WWF Title match with Sgt. Slaughter at the Royal Rumble. Macho Man nailed Warrior with the Sceptre to help Slaughter become Champion.
This put the stage together for WrestleMania VII. Hogan would battle Slaughter for the WWF Championship. Meanwhile, Savage and Warrior would battle in a Career-Ending Match. Macho Man and The Warrior put everything on the line in this match. This was another classic in the careers of both gladiators. The Ultimate Warrior would emerge as the victor in this match.
When the dust settled, Savage and Liz would reunite. Ultimate Warrior and Macho Man would clash the next year at Summerslam after Savage was reinstated and Warrior returned. This time, Macho Man's WWF Championship was on the line. This storyline was compelling enough to be the first main-event program in a world without Hulk Hogan in 1992.
The Storyline had enough passion and intensity, but it also helped to bring out the best quality work from the Warrior. When they danced, Savage helped Warrior move to the same beat.
Ted DiBiase:
Length of Feud: 1988
Featured Matches:
WrestleMania IV
Summerslam 1988
Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 8/10
Rivalry Quality:8/10
At a time where Hulk Hogan was the top draw and battled other stars with larger than life physiques like Andre The Giant, Ultimate Warrior and King Kong Bundy- you had ring generals like Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat and Ted DiBiase with great technical prowess and great stamina to put on longer paced matches. Savage and DiBiase knew how to hold their own on the mic.
DiBiase came in late 1987 with lots of momentum as a heel. After failing to keep the WWF Title after trying to buy it from Hulk Hogan, The Million Dollar Man entered the WWF Championship Tournament at WrestleMania IV. DiBiase had an easier route in the tournament then Savage, which would naturally give him a better chance to win. In the finals, Savage and DiBiase put on an underrated classic Main Event. The victory launched Savage's first reign as a main-event star on a national stage with the WWF Championship.
Savage and DiBiase would wrestle each other in a series of House Show matches for the Title. Their feud would culminate at Summerslam when the Mega Powers defeated the Mega Bucks.
The feud between Savage and DiBiase was about something more important behind the scenes. The story goes that Ted was originally going to win the WWF Title at WrestleMania IV. The idea was for him to be the heel Champion while Hulk Hogan stepped down so that Macho Man could win the gold at another event (possibly Summerslam). Instead, Savage walks out victorious with his shining WrestleMania moment. Macho Man would become one of the most storied champions in WWE History while The Million Dollar Man became one of the greatest heels in WWE History.
Jake Roberts:
Length of Feud: 1991
Rivalry Rating: 7/10
The history between Macho Man and Jake "The Snake" goes back to 1986. Roberts was one of the contenders for Savage's Intercontinental Title. Even as a heel, Jake was really getting over although he was the challenger.
Fast forward to the Summer of 1991. Business was going through somewhat of a drought. Ultimate Warrior did not quite work as the Champion that they had expected. Hulk Hogan's popularity was winding down, and the only thing holding it was his feud with Sgt. Slaughter. Bret Hart just became the IC Champion and was a year away from taking the main-event crown.
The WWF was running very short on top baby faces to keep things steady. Randy Savage was called from the announcing table back into the squared circle. Macho Man still had enough to offer, so it was out of place to see him behind the table.
In order to justify bringing Savage back after his WM VII match with Warrior, WWF created a storyline where he was Elizabeth's knight once again. Jake became an even more vile heel by crashing the wedding reception and threatened Liz with his cobra. Roberts then let the Snakebite Savage's arm during an altercation.
They never had an official high profile match to culminate this feud, which takes points away from what could have really been a great rivalry. There was no proper blow off. It already got off to a hot start. They had a short match at Tuesday in Texas (the week after Survivor Series), a brawl at the Royal Rumble, and their final confrontation at Saturday Night's Main Event.
I believe that if things were properly aligned, Savage vs. Roberts could have taken place at WrestleMania VIII. It was building up to be that way. As we know, WWF got cold feet about Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair. As a result, that show was shuffled in so many different directions. Instead of Hogan vs Flair, we got Savage vs Flair. Instead of Jake vs Savage, we got Jake vs Undertaker. This might have also been a result of Hogan's intentions to retire after the show.
Diamond Dallas Page:
Featured Matches:
Spring Stampede 1997
Great American Bash 1997
Halloween Havoc 1997
Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 8/10
Rivalry Rating: 8/10
If you want to talk about a rivalry that shot one wrestler from the mid-card to main event level, this is prime exhibit A. If you want to look at how a journeyman wrestler that was a late bloomer can become a star player, this is the perfect example.
When Randy Savage joined WCW, he was an established top level star that was positioned to stay at the top. Through much of his time in WCW, Savage rekindled old rivalries with the likes of Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. He also feuded with The Dungeon of Doom, Lex Luger, and The Outsiders.
Outside of his feuds with Hogan and Flair, nothing matched the heat, intensity, in-ring production and long-term impact of his feud with Diamond Dallas Page.
DDP was a journeyman who got off to a late start in the business. He started as a manager and did not get into the ring until he was in his mid-30's. He defied every odd that was stacked against him to make the rise as one of the top stars on a stacked roster.
Page brought the best he had to offer in his storyline with Savage. Macho and Liz antagonized DDP and Kimberly- the closest WCW equivalent to Savage and Liz. After multiple brawls on Nitro, DDP picked up a career-changing pinfall victory over The Macho Man at Spring Stampede 1997. This solidified his status as a major player in WCW. The feud would culminate at Halloween Havoc in a Las Vegas Death Match, with Macho Man winning. Savage won the match, but DDP came out as the real winner. It was Page's springboard further up the WCW ladder.
Wrestling an Icon like Macho Man did miracles for DDP. With no disrespect to Page, but this was a great demonstration of how Macho Man was able to take someone who was naturally not on his level and raising their game. This was the PWI "Feud of the Year" for 1997.
Conclusion:
Hulk Hogan:
In order for a feud to truly be compelling, it has to have an epic match, along with a powerful storyline. The feud also has to have the power to draw money. Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan delivered in those areas, especially when it came to drawing power to bring interest. It had the signature match (WrestleMania V) along with other feature matches. From start to finish, this rivalry was very well built.
With that being said, Hulk Hogan has to be remembered as Macho Man's greatest dance partner. The way that they have been connected for so many years is a sign of how great they have been able to dance together on the biggest stages. The way that they were able to create a buildup is what makes this Savage's best rivalry.
Savage had his best business when he danced with Hogan. One can make the same case for Hogan himself. After the Mega Powers formed, Savage rises to the top by winning the WWF Championship at WrestleMania IV. However, Savage had to be highly conflicted considering the fact that he was unsure if he was REALLY the number 1 guy even while holding the number 1 prize in all of wrestling (the WWF Championship). The prime reason for that conflict and self -doubt was the fact that he was in the same Federation as Hulk Hogan. While Savage was Champion, he had to share the cheers and main event spotlight with Hogan.
There was also the conflict of whether or not Macho Man would have been the champion if Hogan did not help him at 'Mania. Could Savage fight off DiBiase and Andre on his own? Then, you add Miss Elizabeth as the factor in the middle. Savage guarded her like a mad man, especially around a man like Hogan. We can tell it must have been frustrating for Savage to see Liz divide her attention between himself and The Hulkster.
They were both tailor-made for each other. The Mania and the Madness always created an explosive combination when they clashed. As time went on, their match quality may have gone down. However, their promos and storyline disdain for each other was the strongest fuel to their fire.
From a character standpoint and storyline standpoint, they were perfectly in sync as dance partners. It is only fitting that Savage's top two dance partners are two of the best wrestlers of his era (Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair). Macho Man is among the top three with both of those names. In the end, Hogan gets the nod considering him and Savage have the most detailed history.
Greatest Matches:
1. vs. Ricky Steamboat (WM III)
2. vs. Ultimate Warrior (WM VII)
3. vs. Ric Flair (WM VIII)
4. vs. Hulk Hogan (WM V)
5. vs. Ultimate Warrior (Summerslam '92)
6. w/Mr. Perfect vs. Ric Flair & Razor Ramon (Survivor Series '92)
7. vs. DDP (Spring Stampede 1997)
8. vs. Ted DiBiase (WrestleMania IV)
9. vs. Hulk Hogan (Philadelphia Spectrum, 1985)
10. vs. Jake Roberts (SNME)
This is the Top 10 Based on Savage's Dance Partners.
(Portrait Courtesy of Rob Schamberger. Twitter/Instagram: @RobSchamberger)
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