5 Best Rivals of Macho Man Randy Savage

"Macho Man" Randy Savage is a WWE Hall of Famer and a true wrestling legend. His colorful outfits, gravelly voice, and endless amount of energy etched himself in the minds of fans all over the world who witnessed "The Madness" firsthand. He was the epitome of a larger-than-life personality.

One of the many reasons that Randy Savage became an icon of professional wrestling was the many memorable feuds and storylines he was a part of during his career.

Let's take a look at five of Macho Man's best and most important rivals.

#5 Hulk Hogan

Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan had been part of some of the biggest moments in wrestling history, both as friends and foes.

When the "Mega Powers Exploded" in 1989 at WrestleMania V, it led to the then-highest grossing WrestleMania of all time. Their feud in WWE would carry through most of that year and do big business for the company.

Randy Savage would collide with Hulk Hogan again in WCW

Then, when both men turned up in WCW in the mid-90s, they were immediately thrown into storylines together. Savage and Hogan were allies in the reincarnation of the Mega Powers, in addition to both being eventual members of the nWo.

They would also serve as foils to one another at different times. Before he joined the nWo himself, Savage was a flag bearer for WCW and challenged Hollywood Hulk Hogan for the WCW Championship at Halloween Havoc in 1996.

Later, during the nWo split, Hogan led the black and white contingent of the faction while Savage was a member of the red-and-black Wolfpack.

Their off-screen, on-again-off-again relationship also helped fuel the fire during their various rivalries and partnerships throughout the years. It's almost impossible to mention the career of Hulk Hogan without mentioning Randy Savage as well.

#4. Ric Flair

Another rival that Randy Savage feuded with, in both WWF and WCW, was Ric Flair.

Savage and Flair’s “She was mine before she was yours” storyline involving Miss Elizabeth lead to the main event match at WrestleMania VIII. Savage would eventually take the WWF Championship from Flair at the event and their feud would continue throughout most of the year in 1992.

Savage eventually dropped the title back to Flair in September before recruiting Mr. Perfect to be his tag team partner at that year’s Survivor Series against Flair and Razor Ramon.

Randy Savage and Ric Flair would continue their rivalry in WCW

When Randy Savage signed with WCW in late 1994, Flair was waiting. The two men reignited their rivalry and were at odds with each other for most of 1995 and into early 1996.

Miss Elizabeth would again play a pivotal role in their storyline, only this time it was by doing the unthinkable and turning heel on Macho Man to join up with Flair and the Four Horsemen

There is no denying that a Savage/Flair feud usually meant money, no matter the promotion.

#3. Jake "The Snake" Roberts

You knew that the feud between Randy Savage and Jake "The Snake" Roberts was getting intense when actual venomous snakes got involved.

Over the course of Randy Savage's rivalry with Jake Roberts, a live cobra bit the Macho Man’s arm on television. Does anything more need to be said?

Roberts was a great sinister heel for Savage to play off of. Roberts was the storyline catalyst for Macho Man being “reinstated” out of retirement and back to full-time competition in the WWF. Savage had previously been forced out of action after losing to Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VII in a Retirement Match.

Randy Savage's feud with Jake Roberts got personal

In addition to the snake bite incident, this bitter feud also included Jake Roberts slapping Miss Elizabeth. It was something you just did not see at the time in WWE. In fact, Elizabeth’s family was enraged about the situation because Savage hadn’t smartened them up that it was all just part of a wrestling angle.

Because of the heat that the storyline had generated, it is surprising that Randy Savage and Jake Roberts never got a true blowoff match on a major pay-per-view.

Savage and Roberts first met one-on-one on the experimental 'This Tuesday In Texas' PPV in late November 1991. The feud came to an end after Savage defeated Roberts on an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event in February of 1992.

#2. Diamond Dallas Page

Not only was Randy Savage's feud with Diamond Dallas Page great in its own right, but it was also the pivotal rivalry that made DDP a top star in WCW.

At the time in 1997, Savage was a member of the nWo, and Page was on the cusp of emerging from being a perpetual mid-card talent. But it was the feud with Savage that leveled DDP up the ladder for good.

DDP credits Randy Savage for helping his career more than anyone

In fact, when Randy Savage elected to eat a Diamond Cutter and take a pinfall loss in the first of a series of matches, it cemented DDP as a main event level player. Not many people in WCW could lay claim to beating Savage clean in the middle of the ring at that time.

The rivalry between Savage and Page would spawn three pay-per-view matches in WCW in 1997, including a Las Vegas Sudden Death Match at Halloween Havoc. The feud went over so well that it won Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s award for Feud of the Year.

#1. Ricky Steamboat

Randy Savage vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania III is considered to be one of the greatest matches of all time. But what some fans may forget is how heated the rivalry was between the two in the build-up to that historic match in Detroit.

In the lead-up to the match, Savage put Steamboat on the shelf for an extended period of time by “crushing his larynx” in an attack with the ring bell. "The Dragon" couldn't even speak on WWF TV for multiple weeks following the injury.

Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat put on a clinic at WrestleMania III

The storyline with Steamboat also incorporated George “The Animal” Steele, who had a longstanding feud with Randy Savage and a crush on the lovely Miss Elizabeth.

The match will always be remembered for its technical execution and false finishes, but the emotion behind the storyline was perhaps equally important in setting them apart as show-stealers.

Do you think I left someone off the list who should be mentioned? Let us know in the comments

5 Best rivals of Macho Man Randy Savage