Randy Savage's Best WrestleMania?

[Matty~!]

I think the best match by a long way is Steamboat and Savage as it's just one of those undeniable classics. Where both guys were on top of their game and brought everything they had to the table.

Although it can also be blamed for the start of planning every little spot out in advance prior to the match taking place, here though it is used in the right context to be the feud ender. With both guys wanting to equal the spectacle that Hogan and Andre was going to be.

Other match on the list I have a real soft spot for are, Savage and Flair at Mania VIII because it's the first Wrestlemania I remember watching.

You also can't overlook the herculean effort it took from Savage in making what was in my opinion Ultimate Warrior's career best match at VII.

 

[Slash-LN]

I went with VII because of all of Randy's matches it's the one I have probably seen the most and even with knowing how it turns out I get drawn into it every time. It was a good match where both guys gave their all and the post match stuff with Liz was a great moment. The crowd reaction was great. Even though Savage lost the match he was the star in the end. There's nothing really negative I can take away from the match.

 

[Toron]

I see a lot of people putting down WM7, but I cannot agree. The ending with Ms. Elizabeth was great, but the main reason I cannot vote for this match is because of the ending of the match itself. The match was a good match, until Savage started dropping his 10 million elbows. I have never seen another match where somebody's finishing move has ever looked so weak. And Macho Man's elbow off the top was generally considered to be a very effective move. But the fact that he drops like 5 or 6 something elbows on the Warrior at the end of the match here and then the Warrior just pops up like nothing happened and beats the Macho Man like a minute or 2 later was just terrible. If they felt they had to have this multiple elbows spot, he should have done 3 maybe at the most (and even 3, actually, I'm not too high on). But what made this even worse was the Warrior's lack of selling. Each elbow drop looked so incredibly weak because Warrior barely sells them, I cringe every time I watch it. You can almost see Macho Man just barely landing on the guy. And in the world of professional wrestling, this is probably a very well done elbow drop, but with no selling from the Warrior, this move just looks so weak and embarrassing.

It's a good match, and a legendary post-match ceremony, but the end of this match always kills me. I just cringe when those elbows start flying, and I actually feel a bit embarrassed because at no other point have I ever really truly watched and felt that what I'm watching is so obviously fake.

As for Macho Man's best show, I think you have to go with WM4. I mean he wrestled 4 matches, won a tournament, and became the WWF Champion for the 1st time. And the 1st real legitimate subsequent champion after Hulk Hogan. This was the night that consummated Macho Man as a main eventer. After becoming the WWF Champion on the company's biggest night, after having won an entire tournament, this was the night that Macho Man became the biggest and was really put on the map, and you have to admit it was one of the biggest moments of his career, if not the biggest. So WM4 has to be the winner.

For years I have called Randy Savage the original Mr. WrestleMania.

I love your optimism lol, but no, Savage was not the original Mr. WrestleMania.

 

[The Brain]

I see a lot of people putting down WM7, but I cannot agree. The ending with Ms. Elizabeth was great, but the main reason I cannot vote for this match is because of the ending of the match itself. The match was a good match, until Savage started dropping his 10 million elbows. I have never seen another match where somebody's finishing move has ever looked so weak. And Macho Man's elbow off the top was generally considered to be a very effective move. But the fact that he drops like 5 or 6 something elbows on the Warrior at the end of the match here and then the Warrior just pops up like nothing happened and beats the Macho Man like a minute or 2 later was just terrible. If they felt they had to have this multiple elbows spot, he should have done 3 maybe at the most (and even 3, actually, I'm not too high on). But what made this even worse was the Warrior's lack of selling. Each elbow drop looked so incredibly weak because Warrior barely sells them, I cringe every time I watch it. You can almost see Macho Man just barely landing on the guy. And in the world of professional wrestling, this is probably a very well done elbow drop, but with no selling from the Warrior, this move just looks so weak and embarrassing.

I understand your point and Warrior immediately kicking out of five elbow drops bothered me a bit but I can overlook it. I wouldn't say Warrior no sold them. He was out. What was he supposed to do? It would have been a little better if Savage sold some exhaustion after the final elbow instead of going for the cover right away. Then the kick out would have been at least a little more believable. Either way it doesn't take away from the overall greatness of that match. Everyone calls all the matches between Taker and HBK and HHH at manias 25-28 classics but those guys kicked out of each other's finish over and over.

I love your optimism lol, but no, Savage was not the original Mr. WrestleMania.

By the way wrestling fans define Mr. WrestleMania regarding Shawn Michaels I think it's fair to say Savage was Mr. WrestleMania before Michaels made up the nickname for himself. I don't think you know what optimism means.

 

[Rico_Len]

I agree that Savage was the first Mr. Wrestlemania. He never had a problem doing the job and putting someone less worthy over. Even though the spot light should have stayed on top of him.

It's no secret that Savage lost the best matches of his career. He lost at WM3, he lost at 5, and he lost at 7. (FYI Savage has only lost world title matches to Hogan or Flair, no one else has ever beat Savage for a world title)

Savage vs Steamboat stole the show at WM3, saying that is cliche, and the match has aged well, but it has still aged. It raised the bar, but it has since been raised further.

Savage vs Hogan was the feud to end all feuds, then came Rock vs Austin and Shawn vs Bret.

Savage vs Warrior? No one, no one, has ever topped Savage's face turn at WM7 after his loss to Warrior. The match itself was good, they almost always were. But when Liz hopped the barricade, threw Sherri out of the ring, and then got swat at by Savage who thought he was still getting attacked by Sherri? Then they embraced, and the crowd erupted, women and children were crying tears of joy, everyone was on their feet applauding, and then Savage waved Liz off when she was holding the ropes open for him and he instead held them for her and the crowd did it all over again because of a simple genuine show of chivalry.

Macho King Randy Savage with the help of his wife performed the greatest face turn in pro-wrestling history, and no one has ever come anywhere near the level of sheer emotional joy Savage generated by once again becoming the Macho Man.

Wrestlemania 7.
And it's not even close.

 

[Clucky Duck]

I really loved his Wrestlemania II match against george "The Animal" Steele. The Animal was one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time, and really brought out and helped Macho man become a star. A consumate professional.

 

[justtxyank]

I didn't vote for it as his best match, but the one with Hogan was huge. It was a good match with awesome psychology. The storyline was top notch and I'd say it was second best at worst in terms of story/build. The storytelling during the match was outstanding.

The Mega Powers explode was one of the best storylines in WWF history.

 

[Toron]

I wouldn't say Warrior no sold them. He was out. What was he supposed to do? It would have been a little better if Savage sold some exhaustion after the final elbow instead of going for the cover right away. Then the kick out would have been at least a little more believable. Either way it doesn't take away from the overall greatness of that match. Everyone calls all the matches between Taker and HBK and HHH at manias 25-28 classics but those guys kicked out of each other's finish over and over.

He shouldn't have been out after the first few elbows. He should still have had the wherewithal to have sold them. Only maybe with the last elbow or 2, around the 5th or 6th one, one can claim he would've been "out".

In regards to your comparisons, those matches are completely different. Their have been lots of matches where competitors have kicked out of multiple finishers (Stone Cold/Rock) and usually that makes the matches more interesting. But never back to back to back to back ect. Stone Cold's never hit the Rock with 5 consecutive Stunners and then just have the Rock kick out, or vice versa. I can only really remember this happening once before, and that was in the Undertaker/Kane match from WM 14. But in that match, however, I thought it was well done. Kane had been built up like a monster and it was a big match (not to mention Kane's 1st loss), but still the Undertaker had only hit him with 3 tombstones before he got the pin. And he had also tried pinning Kane after each Tombstone, so it made sense. I don't remember the 2 Taker/HHH matches from the recent WM's, because I was, actually, not a fan of either, so forgive me if I forgot something, but I know neither man ended up trying to hit the other with his finishing move 5 or 6 times in a row before trying to go for the pin.

By the way wrestling fans define Mr. WrestleMania regarding Shawn Michaels I think it's fair to say Savage was Mr. WrestleMania before Michaels made up the nickname for himself. I don't think you know what optimism means.

I spoke of optimism in terms of thinking Macho Man was Mr. WrestleMania over Hulk Hogan. But no, if anyone was the original "Mr. WrestleMania", it was Hogan.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

While 3 is the standout moment, his second best in my eyes was 10... That was the match where he was "down the card" against Crush, in an unfamiliar stipulation and clearly on borrowed time in Vince's eyes... and Savage made it the true sleeper match of the night... people rave about ladders or brothers but a former champ's last hurrah, in a pretty damn good match compared to some of his other matches.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

I've thought this for years, but never thought of creating a thread...thanks Brain! I believe that Savage is Mr. WrestleMania. His overall resume stands out much more than Michaels'.

My vote goes to WrestleMania VIII. I loved the build for the match and that match itself. So often, wrestlers would be ready to kill each other in the weeks leading up to a PPV and then start their match with a lockup. What!? Savage went right to the ring to kill Flair. The match was great. Like some have said, the post-match interviews were classics as well.

Not all WrestleManias have main events that you cannot wait for. A lot of times, it is simply the last match on the card. As a kid who watched most PPVs at his friend's house on Sunday night, I always wanted more matches so I wouldn't have to go home--the main event meant the end was near. Hogan/Andre, Hogan/Savage, Hogan/Warrior, Austin/Rock...these were matches I actually looked forward to. Hogan/Bundy, Hogan/Slaughter, and more recently Orton/HHH, Cena/Miz and Cena/Rock , these were simply the match I would watch before going home.

Macho Man/Flair was not the last match, but it absolutely could have been and it would have been one I wouldn't have thought "Crap, gotta go home soon" when they announced it. I would have been just as excited as any other great match. The affair angle, the doctored photos, the passion/rage, the match itself, the blood, Perfect, the interviews afterward where you knew this wasn't over...I loved it all!

For years, I would run down Macho's WrestleMania matches and think, like Brain said, this guy was in a title or special match every single time. He truly is Mr. WrestleMania.

 

[deadman talking]

i am surprised more of you didnt choose wrestlemania 5 against the hulkster. it was a really good match, and i cant say that much for hogan. it also had some really good storytelling. the mega powers exploded. awesome

 

[Goldie]

Wrestlemania 7. Sure his match with Steamboat may have been better move for move... but it was a heck of an achievement carrying a guy like Warrior to an excellent match.
The emotion afterwards was off the scale.... Liz and Randy reuniting was moving... I remember the camera shooting to the crowd, where people were so touched by the storyline they were actually weeping.
It was a beautiful moment... there are very few momets like it in wrestling.

 

[The Warlord]

Wrestlemania 7

Yes the Steamboat/Savage match was a classic...but I'll always remember the emotional story of Warrior vs Savage career ending match. It had that extra emotion that wasnt present in his WM 3 encounter. One of my all time favorite matches that ended in a face turn and the reuniting of Miss Elizabeth. Great storyline writing and a great performance from both guys, especially Savage.

Id say runner up would be his tournament title win at Wrestlemania 4.