M.O.T.Y.? - Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat - Wrestlemania 3, 1987

[IrishCanadian25]

With a crushed larynx and bruised hopes, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat saught to avenge an injury suffered at the hands of Macho Man Randy Savage and win the Intercontinental Title at Wrestlemania 3. With the backdrop of Hogan vs Andre, Savage and Steamboat put on an epic for the IC Title. The match, which ended in a victory for Steamboat, is often regarded as one of the greatest Intercontinental Title bouts of all time, along with Hart vs Bulldog and Michaels vs Ramon.

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But was it the match of the year in 1987?

For many. Dusty Rhodes' visionary "War Games - The Match Beyond" at the Great American Bash was the best of the year, featuring a 5-on-5 war between Nikita Koloff, Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, and Paul Ellering vs The Four Horsemen (Anderson, Flair, Luger, Blanchard, Dillon).

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Or perhaps the Main Event of 1987's Wrestlemania 3, the epic between Hogan and Andre and the "Slam Heard 'Round the World" should have earned the honor?

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Finally, the 3rd runner up, Ric Flair vs Ronnie Garvin on September 25th, 1987, featuring Garvins first and only NWA Title win.

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[FlairFan2003]

War Games - Pro Wrestling Illustrated Magazine's top feud of the decade, Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes, coming to a head in a brutal cage match. The old NWA cage matches were way better than the old WWF matches, the big blue structure you had to climb out of. The old NWA matches were extreme compared to the WWF, and this was no exception.

That said, Steamboat/Savage would be close. great match, great feud, and a memorable ending playing off another, albeit more comical feud (Savage vs George Steele). The fact that this match stole the show from Hogan/Andre speaks to how good it was.

Hogan/Andre was a good match, considering the limitations of the two. These guys had a great set up, aided by Andre's 20 year undefeated streak and specter of Bobby Heenan, and while not as fast paced as Savage/Steamboat or as brutal and bloody as War Games, this match had plenty of intensity and tense moments. To watch this match outside the context of the feud and the build up does not do it justice. If you were not around back then and saw this match now you wouldn't be impressed. Considering the character development and the build up, it was a good match. Not as good as the first two though.

Garvin/Flair in Detroit was a good match, plus it ended Flair's 14 month title reign as champion. Another bloody, violent cage match, Garvin was a stiff worker who made his hits hurt. I personally think Flair vs Barry Whyndam was a better match in 1987, and enjoyed the Flair/Jimmy Garvin Cage Match at the Bash more due to the combination of the good match and the great story, kinda like Hogan/Andre. That said, this match ranked as high as it did because of the fact Garvin upset Flair.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'm split here between two matches on the same show. While it's fairly clear that Savage Steamboat are better in ring by far, the match has little long term remifications. Hogan Andre on the other hand is perhaps the most famous match of all time. That match set up the rematch on the Main Event, leading to the tournament, leading to Savage's run, leading to Wrestlemania 5. Also, this match really established Hogan as the official king of wrestling, whereas Savage Steamboat pretty much ended that night. I'll have to give it to Hogan Andre, simply because of the magnitude of the match. It was the first tiem that a pay per view was built entirely on the strength of its main event. It also established the formula for Wrestlemania: A mega main event, and a solid upper mid card match as well. Have to go with the most famous match ever, Hogan and Andre.

 

[Father:_Polley]

Honestly, I thought this match deserved the match of the year. It was one of Sam's Match of the Week choices a few week back, and I really enjoyed the match. The back and forth in the match, and the build-up to the big match really made this effective. Any time Hogan is upstaged in a wrestlemania match, especially one where he picked Andre the Giant up and slammed him, undoubtedly one of the moments most remembered in any wrestlemania of all time.

That is how effective the match was and to be honest, I have a hatred of cage matches, no matter how big the names involved. So good as the other options may have been, I'm not impressed so Savage vs Steamboat deserve the award for me.

 

[midgensa]

Hogan vs. Andre ... it is STILL one of the most talked about matches in wrestling history between two of the top 10 this business has ever seen.
While Steamboat vs. Savage almost stole the show ... you can see the crowd in the Hogan match and know which one Brought the House DOWN!
It cannot be denied that this should have been match of the year ... hell it could be argued as match of the decade or century!

 

[Davi323]

Screw it being the match of the year...Savage/Steamboat at Wrestlemania III is perhaps the single greatest match in WWF/E history. The fact that so many of us still talk about it 21 years later is testament to how damn good the match was. Polley:wanna_cracker has it exactly right...the fact that this match is so memorable on a PPV that featured the biggest main event in history, Hogan/Andre, where Hogan actually managed to slam Andre, in perhaps the biggest Wrestlemania moment ever, showcases just how good Savage/Steamboat was. With Hogan/Andre as the main event, it would have taken a match truly spectacular to take away any of the limelight...how many of us can actually recall any other match on the card, other than Hogan/Andre and Savage/Steamboat?

 

[tarp]

Everyone talks about Hogan/Giant as a great match. Come on folks was it important sure, but it was hardly a great match.
My picks
1) Savage vs Steamboat It's obvious just watch the match.
2) No one seems to remember this one because of #1 and War games but Flair vs Windham. This was to me just as good of a match as Flair vs Sting at Clash of Champions that follows later on. I beg people to get Flair first career DVD(produced by WWE) and watch this match.
3) War games was incredible due to it being a first much like Hell in the Cell, Elimination Chamber. However two things would have made this much better. If it had been Windham with the Horsemen instead of Luger, and most importantly if the managers would've been left out. The ending of the match bothers me still. I am A Flair man first, Horsemen second and it was a shame the match was about the mangers and not the great talent involved in the match. I mean Rhodes/ Warriors/ Nikita, Flair/ AA/ and Tully it doesn't get much better.

 

[Fizzy]

in terms of real wrestling then yes it is the m.o.t.y but if its in terms of draw or big match not even remotly close andre vs hogan completly destroys this in terms of draw/big match i mean why do u think 93000+ came? not to see this but to see hogan slam andre so in terms of real wrestling yes it is in terms of draw or w/e hell no not even close

 

[Slyfox696]

There is no doubt that Hogan vs. Andre is far more significant in an obvious way.


However, Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage is by far the best match of 1987. Like someone said above, it's arguably the best match in wrestling history. Everything was so smooth, so real, so believable. It is a match that ALL wrestlers should strive to work for. Not because of the style of wrestling, but because of how they incorporated so many elements into the match at such a high quality. The storytelling was superb, the workrate was off the charts, the psychology and selling were tremendous, and as the match progressed you can almost feel the crowd heat tuning up to another notch. This match is nearly flawless in just about every way imaginable, and there is no doubt that it is Match of the Year.

And War Games doesn't even come close to comparing.

 

[huegtoad]

I LOVED THE STEAMBOAT SAVAGE MATCH. IT STILL WORKS TODAY!!! GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS. THE MOVES, THE NEAR FALLS, THE PSYCOLOGY, THE ANNOUNCING(Gorilla and Jesse were on their A+ game),EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT!!!! BUT take this as an interesting note, as good as that match was, and as ho hum the vast majority of the Hogan Andrea match was, THE FINISH of hogan andre was better than the savage steamboat FINISH!!!! We have seen that finish(the body slam primarily) millions and millions of times. That along with the prematch staredown is a permament calling card of WWE still today!!! Also, the pre event build up was unprecedented for hogan andre. Remember, that's what got 93,173 people under 1 roof!!! Also take note that steamboat fell out of WWE existance shortly after that match, so the match stands alone as a match, unless you want to make a point that Savage's career really flagged after that match. But still the impact of hogan andre was bigger, but steamboat savage was better by far!!!

The War games was unique, special and probably had the hottest crowd in that year!!! It's the one of the greatest matches to eat a pizza to with your buddies. It was the closest to an UFC orgy match that exisited before UFC of course and the finish was brilliant, but as far as techical wrestling is concerned, it doesn't hold up to steamboat savage.

 

[Davi323]

That match, against Ricky Steamboat, is without a doubt, the reason that Randy Savage was chosen to win the tournament at Wrestlemania IV to become WWF Champion. Savage went from being a solid midcard wrestler to a permanent main eventer after that match, and because of that match, he was given the ball a year later. Sometimes one match is enough to convince the boys in the back that you have what it takes. Savage showed it. Without this match, Savage doesn't win the title at WMIV.