Macho Man Randy Savage dead @ 58

**killgod** · 05-20-2011, 11:47 AM

noooooooooo that sucks.

**EmpireWF** · 05-20-2011, 11:47 AM

What?

Damn.

TMZ spoke with Randy's brother, Lanny Poffo, who tells us the wrestling legend suffered a heart attack while he was behind the wheel around 10 AM ... and lost control of his vehicle.

Earlier this month, Savage celebrated his 1-year anniversary with his new wife Lynn.

Savage was 58.

Macho Man began wrestling in the WWF in 1985 and became a superstar with his trademark catchphrase "Ooooooh Yeaahhhhh."

UPDATE: Florida Highway Patrol tells TMZ ... Savage was driving his 2009 Jeep Wrangler when he veered across a concrete median ... through oncoming traffic ... and "collided head-on with a tree."

Savage was transported to Largo Medical center, where he died from his injuries.

Savage's wife was a passenger in the vehicle during the collision -- but survived with "minor injuries." She was transported to a different local hospital where she was treated.

According to officials, Randy and Lynn were both wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.

Cops say alcohol was NOT a factor.

An investigation into the accident is underway.

**Dan The Man** · 05-20-2011, 11:48 AM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**LiquidLarry2GhostWF** · 05-20-2011, 11:50 AM

**EmpireWF** · 05-20-2011, 11:52 AM

WWE better have a graphic for him on Monday night.

**Warner2BruceTD** · 05-20-2011, 12:00 PM

Do the right thing, Vince. Even if the rumors are true and he banged out Steph.

**LiquidLarry2GhostWF** · 05-20-2011, 12:00 PM

25

"Macho Man" Randy Savage

*Open the spoiler, hit play, and read the profile*

Titles

2-time NWA Mid American Heavyweight Champion
3-time ICW World Heavyweight Champion
1-time CWA Heavyweight Champion
1-time CWA International Heavyweight Champion
1-time WWC North American Heavyweight Champion
2-time Southern Heavyweight Champion
1-time USWA Unified Champion
1-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
2-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion
4-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion

Accomplishments

1988 Pro Wrestling Illustrated "Wrestler of the Year"
1987 Pro Wrestling Illustrated "Match of the Year" (vs. Ricky Steamboat, WrestleMania III)
1987 WWF King Of The Ring Tournament Winner
1987 Wrestling Observer "Match of the Year" (vs. Ricky Steamboat, WrestleMania III)
1995 WCW King of Cable Tournament Winner
1995 WCW World War 3 Battle Royal Winner
Wrestling Observer Hall Of Fame

The Definitive Match

Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat - WrestleMania III

The match that stole the show at WrestleMania III. "Macho Man" Randy Savage, the hottest heel in all of wrestling, defends the Intercontinental title against Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. Steamboat was arguably the best worker in the WWF during this period, and this was a perfectly built feud culminating at the biggest event in WWF history. The match would win every significant "Match of the Year" award for 1987, and is one of the most famous matches in wrestling history.

The Career

Randy Poffo made his debut in 1973, while simultaniously playing minor league baseball. Once his baseball career fizzled, he turned to wrestling full time, headlining for his father Angelo Poffo's ICW promotion.

Poffo's ICW was an outlaw group, running in direct opposition to the Memphis territory headlined and partially owned by Jerry Lawler. The war became so bitter, that Savage would challenge Lawler to shoot fights in his promos, flat out telling the audience that the Memphis wrestling was "fake", and even gave out Lawler's personal phone number at one point. They would also run the same towns as the Memphis group a few days earlier, and give the upcoming Memphis results away to the fans, since like todays WWE, Memphis would often run the same house show in every city with the same finishes.

Savage also offered Lawler a legit bounty to come out of hiding and fight him for real. This of course was grandstanding, but with little risk if the fight was to actually take place, because Savage was a legit tough guy, and Lawler was not known for being any sort of athlete or fighter.

Eventually ICW realized they were losing the war, and both sides buried the hatchet to make some money together as Savage came to Memphis to finally take on Lawler. The feud drew good business, and lasted two years, with Savage at one point turning babyface to team with Lawler, before eventually turning on him building towards a "loser leaves town" blowoff. Lawler won, and Savage was off the the WWF.

Savage entered the WWF with huge expectations. He had gained a rep working territories for working a hellacious, athletic, hell-on-wheels style, and had a unique promo style like nobody else in the business. Accompanied by his manager (and legit wife) Elizabeth, his gimmick, the "Macho Man", was that of an jealous, overprotective bully boyfriend. And while they never flat said it, it was strongly impled through fantastically done (particulary by Elizabeth) mannerisms that he was physically abusing her. He was instantly over as a heel, but kept away from Hulk Hogan (they did have a few house show matches during this time, but no TV angles), who at this point was at his peak as the superhero babyface.

Savage won the Intercontinental title from Tito Santana in a famous match at Boston Gardens, and spent the next year feuding with Santana, Junkyard Dog, and other upper mid card babyfaces, eventually settling into a program with Ricky Steamboat.

Steamboat was being positioned as the #2 babyface behind Hogan, with the long term plan of eventually turning Savage babyface, because he was already getting babyface reactions from much of the audience as a "cool" heel. They did an angle on "Saturday Nights Main Event" where Savage delivered his trademark flying ax handle to Steamboat, who was draped over the steel railing, "crushing his throat" and threatening his career. This set the stage for the WrestleMania III IC title match, with the storyline of Steamboat making a miraculous recovery in the face of retirement.

Steamboat won the IC title from Savage at WMIII, but his big push was short lived, as he dropped the title to The Honkeytonk Man two months later and left for the NWA. Savage was turned babyface, got the spot originally planned for Steamboat, and was suddenly transformed from a jealous asshole to a complete gentleman.

He was put into progams with Honkeytonk Man and the Hart Foundation until the build for the WrestleMania IV title tournament. Hogan wanted time off, so the plan was to vacate the WWF title (via the infamous two Earl Hebner's storyline), which would be won in a tournamnet by Ted Dibiase at WM IV, who would then feud with the babyface Savage until dropping the belt back to Hogan at WrestleMania V. Instead, Savage was so hot as a babyface, that plans changed, and Savage ended up pinning Dibiase in the tournment final.

The plan was to use Elizabeth as a catalyst to turn Savage back heel for a WM V match against Hogan. The year long storyline played out to perfection, with Hogan returning from his hiatus to form the Megapowers team with Savage. They feuded with Dibiase & Andre The Giant, and after the breakup and heel turn Savage teamed with Zeus, the awful actor/wrestler Tiny Lister who had been Hogan's heel foil in the awesomely bad movie "No Holds Barred".

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0qwjiEHB20&feature=related[/ame]

Hogan's subtle flirtations with Elizabeth eventually sent Savage over the edge, as he turned heel just in time for WM V, where Hogan would win back the title. That match would represent the peak of Savage's stardom.

Savage would spend the next few years as an upper mid carder, as both a heel (Macho King!) and a face, before losing a retirement match to The Ultimate Warrior. We all know how wrestling retirements work, and he would soon return to have legendary feuds with Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Ric Flair. He would win his second WWF Title from Flair at WrestleMania VIII.

Off of steroids, Savage wrestled most of his matches in this era wearing a shirt. With Vince McMahon dealing with steroid scandals and FBI investigations, the focus shifted from larger wrestlers to smaller more athletic wrestlers like Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels. Savage was forced into legit retirement, but was unhappy about being pulled from the ring. He wanted to wrestle, so was let go, and left for WCW.

Savage would win four WCW World Titles during his WCW run, as both a heel and babyface against the likes of Hogan, Flair, Lex Luger, Sting, etc. Like half the of the roster, he would be part of the NWO, and was always kept near the top of the card. He left in 1999.

A brief stay in TNA in 2004 was followed by an even briefer stay on the indy circuit before age and injury caught up to him. Rumors persist of an inappropriate relationship he had with an underage Stephanie McMahon, which is why some claim Savage has yet to be chosed for the WWE Hall Of Fame. True or not, there is obvious some issue between Savage and McMahon which has prevented Savage from any involvement in the WWE since he left for WCW.

Savage in his prime was a fantastic worker who was ahead of his time in a generally bad era in terms of ring work. From 1985-1987 there was probably no better heel in all of wrestling.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crazy Savage Promo Time

Am I the only one who hears a lot of Mick Foley in these old IWC promos? I've never heard Foley claim Savage as an influence, but I have to think he modeled his Cactus Jack stuff after Savage to some degree.

Savage Invades Memphis

After IWC lost the war to Memphis, the hatchet was buried and both sides decided to do business. Keep in mind, this is pre internet. Savage shows up on the WMC-TV set, after FOUR YEARS of running down Jerry Lawler on TV and calling him out for a real fight. This is one of the best angles in the history of wrestling, as Savage invades Memphis:

Randy Savage, Wife Beater

Savage Wins WWF Title

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDn9VXxnmQk&playnext=1&list=PL654529CA6A18 5BE3[/ame]
Savage vs. Ted DiBiase - WrestleMania IV

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMDD0hJDoBA&playnext=1&list=PL654529CA6A18 5BE3[/ame]
Savage vs. Ric Flair - WrestleMania VIII

**Anthony** · 05-20-2011, 12:00 PM

**Rayman** · 05-20-2011, 12:06 PM

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53hiHAkK6KA[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxp_3000h_U&feature=related[/ame]

**JayDizzle** · 05-20-2011, 12:23 PM

RIP Savage.

**EmpireWF** · 05-20-2011, 12:23 PM

<div style="background-color:#000000;width:520px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:video:tosh.comedycentral.com:252223" width="512" height="288" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:4px;margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><b><a href="http://tosh.comedycentral.com/video-clips/-macho-man--randy-savage">Tosh.0</a></b><br/>Tags: <a href='http://tosh.comedycentral.com/video-clips'>Tosh.0 Videos</a>,<a href='http://tosh.comedycentral.com/'>Daniel Tosh</a>,<a href='http://tosh.comedycentral.com/segments/web-redemption/'>Web Redemption</a></p></div></div>

**EmpireWF** · 05-20-2011, 12:24 PM

Spot your mainstream news inaccuracies....

1. Fox News-- http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...t-report-says/

Savage, 58, had just celebrated his first wedding anniversary with his wife Lynn. It was his second marriage. His first wife died of a drug overdose shortly after their divorce in 1992.

Who knew 2003 was "shortly after" 1992.

**manchild24** · 05-20-2011, 12:30 PM

wow- what a shame. Wonder if the WWE will do anything Monday night for him

**Obst** · 05-20-2011, 12:37 PM

RIP to my favorite wrestler and rapper

Macho Man Randy Savage dead @ 58

Macho Man Randy Savage dead @ 58

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