Randy Savage: Legacy of the Macho Man

Two years ago on this day, the world of professional wrestling lost one of the most loved and respected individuals. Professional wrestling can be either like a dysfunctional family, with people holding grudges against each other and trying to halt each other’s success, or at times, it comes together to share happiness or sorrow, just to let each other know that no matter what, they belong to the same family, and at the end of the day, they have no one else but each other. When this certain individual passed away, the whole wrestling fraternity came together and sang praises about him even though he hadn’t been involved with professional wrestling for over half a decade. It’s still hard to believe that two years have passed since we last heard the raspy voice of Randy Poffo, better known to the wrestling fans as the “Macho Man”, Randy Savage.

When we talk about Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, we see a similarity between them. Both of them were handpicked by their respective organizations to be the face of the company, and to carry the company for long periods of time. But the unsung heroes are those who supported these individuals as the foundations, to hold everything together so that it would be easier for them to move forward. When the then WWF needed a change, something different to the bland, pasty gimmick of Hulk Hogan, one man started a revolution by coming out in flashy attires and a colourful gimmick. That man was also one of the most talented performers in the company, and not long after, became one of the top guys in the then WWF. He was none other than Randy Savage.

Savage was a completely different package than what the clichéd performers the fans got used to. Savage didn’t cut the same bland promos, but he innovated and brought something new every time, and his deep voice was something different to what the fans got used to hearing. Randy’s ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ ushered a music revolution in the company, and Randy Savage was destined for greatness. It was evident that Randy Savage was meant to achieve success in the professional wrestling business, but his legacy isn’t confined to his in-ring abilities and his character. Randy Savage was a larger than life character, and just as a good protagonist needs a good antagonist, Randy Savage needed someone to complete his character. But unlike anything seen in those days, it wasn’t a good heel. Instead, Randy Savage brought in Miss Elizabeth.

Professional wrestling has seen its share of valets and romances, and everything seems to be repetitive and clichéd. But when you talk about valets or divas, there is no one whom the fans love and adore more than Miss Elizabeth. Rightfully known as the ‘First lady of wrestling’, Miss Elizabeth exemplified everything good about professional wrestling. Her grace, charm and character won the fans over, as she was idolized by them. When she became more than just a valet to Savage, that was when professional wrestling crossed borders from being a work of fiction to reality. In a world filled with smokes and mirrors, Miss Elizabeth and Randy Savage brought out the true essence of professional wrestling transcending into reality. They had their share of ups and downs, but when Savage finally embraced Miss Elizabeth and proposed to her, the fans couldn’t hold back their tears. As the entire arena looked like it was straight out of a romantic novel with a nonchalant vibe, Savage and Miss Elizabeth embraced, and the whole place came unglued. It was one of those rare occasions when the fans didn’t care about professional wrestling, as something unique was happening in front of them. That night, professional wrestling was real.

Randy Savage captured the WWF title twice during his tenure with the company. Savage had some great matches, most notably against Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat during WrestleMania 3 at the Pontiac Silverdome, where the match stole the show! After a couple of years, Savage formed an alliance with the other top star of the company, Hulk Hogan, to form one of the greatest alliances in the history of professional wrestling, known as ‘The Mega Powers’. Although Savage was one of Vince’s favourite stars, they soon had a fall out, the reason for which isn’t known till date. Savage left the WWF for its competition, WCW, and went on to hold the WCW Heavyweight championship on four different occasions. Randy Savage was a part of something that wasn’t just confined to professional wrestling. Randy Savage was one of the greatest superstars of all time, and one of the most loved performers in the business.

On May 20^th 2011, reports came in that Randy Savage was involved in a car crash along with his second wife. As everything became clear, the fans were treated with the harsh reality of his passing. The wrestling world mourned the death of one of the greatest performers the business had ever witnessed, and one of the most entertaining and charismatic individuals. Vince McMahon, who had “irreconcilable differences” with Savage, paid tribute to him in Time Magazine. Two years have passed since anyone heard the words “Oh Yeah!”, as Savage left a huge void in the world of professional wrestling. They say the industry is bigger than an individual, but sometimes that isn’t true. The fans and the professional wrestling industry owe a lot to Randy Savage, and will forever be grateful to the “Macho Man”.