For so many in my generation that grew up with the World Wrestling Federation Hulk Hogan was the defining icon of their childhood. Not for me.
Randy "Macho Man" Savage was always my guy. My first wrestling memory was when Savage turned on Hogan on Saturday Night's Main Event when I was 4 years old. The turn made Savage a mega heel (bad guy) and put Savage and Hogan on the road to the main event at WrestleMania V. I stuck by Savage and was always drawn by his charisma and over the top personality.
From "Pomp and Circumstance" to the robes, the bright colored tights, the sunglasses, and the distinctive voice ("ohhhh yeahhhhh") he always managed to stand out.
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He always stood out yet it never seemed like he could get top billing all to himself.
Two names were always connected to him throughout his career:
Hulk Hogan and Miss Elizabeth.
WrestleMania IV saw Savage win his first World Wrestling Federation Championhsip. His title win was aided by interference from Hogan though. For the next year the two competed together as the Mega Powers and then feuded for the title leading into WrestleMania V. Hogan won the title that night and Savage wouldn't see the title again until 1992.
WrestleMania VIII featured a "double main event." Savage was challenging Ric Flair for the title while Hogan was competing in his "final" match against Sid Justice. Savage won the title that afternoon but the show closed with Hogan's match and that is where most of the event's focus was placed.
Alas both of those feuds had a common denominator: Miss Elizabeth. The storyline between Savage and Hogan saw Savage turn on Hogan because he was convinced that Hogan wanted Elizabeth. The feud with Flair 3 years later saw Savage wanting to avenge Elizabeth after Flair spread lies about a previous relationship with her. Some of this screamed of lazy booking, but at that point they were so intertwined it only made sense to keep including her in his feuds.
The bottom line is that Randy Savage was a main event player and a true superstar when the World Wrestling Federation hit its first age of mega popularity. He could work with anyone and make himself and his opponent look like gold. He carried ,and got great matches out of, Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior, neither of whom were considered to be good workers. He always generated a reaction from the fans. Whether a "good guy" or a "bad guy" the fans were always passionate about the Macho Man.
His greatest feat though was understanding the business of it all. He knew Hulk Hogan was the meal ticket and allowed himself to become the Scottie Pippen to Hogan's Michael Jordan. He could have carried the company if need be, and he could have done it without Hogan and Elizabeth as crutches. Instead he accepted the situation and made the best of things.
I would later move on to adopt Bret Hart and later Shawn Michaels as my favorite wrestlers. Today I still watch but I would be hard pressed to name one wrestler that invokes the same excitement in me that those three did. I'll always be a fan and different wrestlers will catch my interest, but as they say, you never forget your first.
R.I.P. Macho Man
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