What If? - "Macho Man" Randy Savage In The Attitude Era

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

While I won't and most importantly can't tell anyone reading this thread how to exactly post on this topic, I am at least going to politely ask that we avoid backstage scuttlebutt and urban legends when approaching this subject. As the thread title dictates, I want to discuss what "Macho Man" Randy Savage's career would have been like had he had a role in the WWF's "Attitude Era".

I write this hypothetical from the perspective of Randy Savage still having gone to WCW in 1994. Now, what I had heard is that Randy Savage's sole appearance in 2000 with WCW was not under contract. Therefore, 1999 was said to be the end of his WCW contract. I know that Savage would have been very close to the age of 50 by the time this would have occurred, but I still think he could have had a role in the WWF just because of how charismatic he was and well just how great he always had been.

With WWF having a second prime time show in the form of SmackDown, maybe this time around Savage would have better acquiesced to a commentator's role now that he was indeed several years removed from his last stint as a commentator. Personally though, I think he could have had some great outings against stars at the time like Austin, Undertaker, The Rock, Chris Jericho, Mankind and Triple H. Those were all just great possibilities. Hypothetically, I think Savage could have recreated and even rivaled some of the magic he had against rivals like George Steele, Ricky Steamboat, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan against the staples of the Attitude Era.

I respect Savage's personal choices in no longer wanting to be actively involved in the wrestling world on a full-time basis, he was probably very content with what he saved and earned. However, I as a fan always missed The Madness.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts, I'd like to read the contributions of others about this what if scenario. Again, I ask that we approach this from a sensible standpoint and not muck it up with hearsay and rumor.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

It would've been embarrassing. He was way past his prime as a worker and as a character. Savage was well loved, but if he was involed in the Attiitude Era that wouldn't have meant a thing. They'd have used the fact he was a legend to put over anybody.

WWE are way more respectful of legends now than they were then. Being in WCW with all the old boys was the best place for Savage.

 

[lifelongfan]

its really hard to say but my gut tells me he would have been the one to put stone cold over rather than brett hartt. much like he did with ddp. i to loved the maddess and wish he could have got more love an respect before his death. the man deserved it

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

It would've been embarrassing. He was way past his prime as a worker and as a character. Savage was well loved, but if he was involed in the Attiitude Era that wouldn't have meant a thing. They'd have used the fact he was a legend to put over anybody.

WWE are way more respectful of legends now than they were then. Being in WCW with all the old boys was the best place for Savage.

I think Jake is right here. I don't think Savage would have contributed anything in the ring in the Attitude Era, he was WELL past his best at that point. And as Vince had already basically forced him behind the commentators desk before he went to WCW, I don't see the WWF doing much with Savage in the ring if he came back aged 50.

I think it was for the best that he didnt come back to the WWF. I would hate to have seen his legacy tarnished by jobbing to midcarders like Val Venis and D'Lo Brown.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

You say you want to avoid the urban legend stuff but it's inherent in that time frame because that is when Hunter was gaining steam and they put him with Steph.

Now personally I don't believe the Steph stuff for a second. Vince hated Savage cos he took the Slim Jim deal with him and that was one of the major reasons for the financial difficulties in the mid 90's. But either way there is a lot of awkwardness if Randy returns in 99.

First off he's gonna have some blowback with Vince whatever the reason and as such he's not going to walk straight into a feud with Austin, Foley, Rock or Hunter as a result. Now if there was anything to the Steph stuff that is also going to make life difficult as she's part of the show now and they'd be keen to make sure it didn't "get out" or become part of the story. So he'd be kept away from Test and Steph... that's another logical guy he could work with out the picture.

So assuming he comes back with Gorgeous George in tow, then he has to deal with the "It's not Liz" factor. She's with Luger now and on WCW TV so the only real direction they can take it with her is Val Venis (as she did make the famed selfshot video). Now the IC title is not a bad place for him to be, fighting against Val but the only way it would work was for George to "dump him" for Val... thus he would have lost Liz and now George. Perhaps you then put him with Trish when she comes in but Savage always needed Liz to be at his best.

So assuming he comes back, has put Val over after his short IC reign he would then maybe start with the bigger names but he's not really beating any of them so he'd be fed to Kurt Angle to kickstart his career or end up feuding with Davey Boy.

Physically Savage was not at his best so putting over would be his only function, it'd not have worked to see him win the World title - perhaps he could have had one "last" title match on a live RAW or PPV to pop a number on WCW but you would have missed classics like Rock v Mankind to do that.

Rude coming back in 99 works as he had those few lesser years on Savage, Luger could have come back and Hall and Nash easily could have... but Savage was just that wrong side of his decline and whatever the reason he left under a cloud, the cloud would have choked his chances.

It's not right to say he would not have contributed at all - he could have done a lot for a Val Venis, Goldust, Billy Gunn and Angle but he wouldn't have been that guy for any of the big 6 of that time (Austin, Rock, Angle, HHH, Taker, Foley) maybe he'd have been a better notch on the streak than Bossman was but that's about all I got...

 

[CrunKSinatrA]

I don't think that Macho Man would've been as a big a deal during the Attitude Era.

A lot of his appeal is in his character and he would've had to change with the times. Even the Undertaker stopped being the Deadman and became the American Bad Ass. Jeff Jarrett was still there for most of 99 and cut his hair. Even the British Bulldog ditched the Union Jack trunks for jeans tucked into his socks like he was living in rat infestation.

So that leaves Macho at the mercy of Vince Russo for a new gimmick. *shudder*

New gimmick or not, I doubt he would be in the title picture with the youth movement the WWE had going at the time. I imagine Macho's run to be like when Dusty Rhodes went to the WWE in the late 80s and he would work with other big names when the title scene was too crowded.

Hopefully they would bring him to put over newer talent and pair him up with someone that could help hide Macho's age and put on a good match.

Steve Austin was Savio Vega's whipping boy until he worked with Jake Roberts. So can you imagine where Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, or Kurt Angle would be if they had gotten a chance to feud with Randy Savage?

Maybe the Macho Man could have served as the Hardy Boyz mentor instead of Dok Hendrix.

Or what if... the rumors of Savage/Stephanie are only rumors and the WWE decided to use them for fuel for an angle? Vince tried to crucify Stephanie, had her date raped into marriage, and had his own daughter **** shamed for years on national television. Therefore, Stephanie's cherry popping rumors are ripe for an angle.

This way Macho Man could have been the one to marry Stephanie instead of Test. Test was being pushed heavily at the time and maybe working with Savage was the last push he might have needed.

Or maybe HHH interrupts the Savage/Stephanie wedding ceremony. Even though he is a multiple time WWF/E champion and main evented several Wrestlemanias, HHH has never had the same crossover appeal as the Rock and Austin. Maybe one last feud with Randy Savage before the WWF/E title shoots him onto their level.

 

[#heel420]

I think he would best suited as the Commissioner from August 1997 through late November 1998 taking Sgt. Slaughter's place. Having matches here and there against Superstars that give him trouble. Have him put over Austin & D-Generation X. Savage would have fit in the early Attitude Era better than Slaughter did.

 

[Goldie]

Radny was already phased out as a main attraction by Vince as early as 1993 (which of course prompted Randy to leave for WCW the following year).

Had he stayed and wrestled in the WWE.... he'd have been in his late 40s when Attitude was in its heyday ... and the WWE were never as keen as WCW at pushing veteran stars.
Randy would have still recieved the living legend treatment, but would be asked to put over the next generation of stars.

I wouldn't forsee Randy challenging for the WWE world title or anything.
Sure Hogan won it at age 48 .... but thats Hogan! There was an air of nostalga when Hogan returned after 9 years away.... Nostalga is great at attracting short term interest, but with Randy staying all the time in this scenario... there wouldn't be that air of nostalga for him.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

I don't think that Macho Man would've been as a big a deal during the Attitude Era.

A lot of his appeal is in his character and he would've had to change with the times. Even the Undertaker stopped being the Deadman and became the American Bad Ass. Jeff Jarrett was still there for most of 99 and cut his hair. Even the British Bulldog ditched the Union Jack trunks for jeans tucked into his socks like he was living in rat infestation.

So that leaves Macho at the mercy of Vince Russo for a new gimmick. *shudder*

New gimmick or not, I doubt he would be in the title picture with the youth movement the WWE had going at the time. I imagine Macho's run to be like when Dusty Rhodes went to the WWE in the late 80s and he would work with other big names when the title scene was too crowded.

Hopefully they would bring him to put over newer talent and pair him up with someone that could help hide Macho's age and put on a good match.

Steve Austin was Savio Vega's whipping boy until he worked with Jake Roberts. So can you imagine where Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, or Kurt Angle would be if they had gotten a chance to feud with Randy Savage?

Maybe the Macho Man could have served as the Hardy Boyz mentor instead of Dok Hendrix.

Or what if... the rumors of Savage/Stephanie are only rumors and the WWE decided to use them for fuel for an angle? Vince tried to crucify Stephanie, had her date raped into marriage, and had his own daughter **** shamed for years on national television. Therefore, Stephanie's cherry popping rumors are ripe for an angle.

This way Macho Man could have been the one to marry Stephanie instead of Test. Test was being pushed heavily at the time and maybe working with Savage was the last push he might have needed.

Or maybe HHH interrupts the Savage/Stephanie wedding ceremony. Even though he is a multiple time WWF/E champion and main evented several Wrestlemanias, HHH has never had the same crossover appeal as the Rock and Austin. Maybe one last feud with Randy Savage before the WWF/E title shoots him onto their level.

Jake wasn't the factor in Austin's push - Pillman's crash was. Had that not happened we'd have had Pillman as the face of Attitude, not Austin... he might have still gotten over and Savage would have been the perfect guy to help that happen but attributing it to working with Jake, who was in horrific shape by then is a mistake.

In terms of Savage and Steph, it would have been a step(h) to far to have her with Randy... while she had the kind of look that would work as an Elizabeth type, he was clearly "with" Gorgeous George in WCW and using the cherry popping stuff would have been that bit too tasteless that it could have worked against the Attitude era. Just as there was a backlash in Marvel when Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver got it on... we barely accepted the Katy Vick stuff, pedophilia even implied would not have gotten Randy over or the WWF over in the slightest.

 

[Wald]

Savage didn't care enough about wrestling in 2000 to have made any difference to be honest. I mean the roster they had in 2000 was stacked with young talent looking to make a mark. Savage would have stuck out like a sore thumb in matches against Angle, Jericho and Benoit. Keep in mind that the nostalga factor that greeted Hogan in 2002 wasn't there yet in 2000 when the WWF had attracted a new generation of fans who didn't give two craps about the rock n' wrestling era.

 

[obamartins]

I disagree with everyone.

Macho Man Randy Savage reinvented himself in 1999 - he tweaked his persona, he was more jacked, he updated his ring gear, slicked backed his hair & he had a hot new valet in Gorgeous George.

His performances couldn't touch what he did in his prime due to his knee injury but by no means were his performances not respectable & in some cases good. In July 1999 he had a good match with Hollywood Hogan, in August 1999 he carried non-worker Dennis Rodman to a watchable match & in January 2000 he had a decent match with Rick Steiner for NJPW.

With Steve Austin & The Undertaker injured & Mick Foley nearing retirement there was an opening on the card in 2000 (Savage wrestled his last WCW match as a replacement for Bret Hart against Sid Vicious on the 14th January 2000 at a house show which coincidently was the day his WCW contract expired). Savage was 47 years old at the time.

Savage still had the look, presence, intensity, charisma, promo ability & star power to make a difference & an impact. His limited in-ring ability could be masked in matches by his ability to work the crowd, shortcuts (brawling outside the ring, blood, tag matches) & being carried by his younger opponent.

In 2000, I reckon the build-up for Randy Savage vs. The Rock would have been off the charts (the promo exchanges alone) & most importantly it would drawn big money. I could also see a feud with Triple H doing good business plus I could see him being used as a stepping stone to help get Kurt Angle over.

There was no way Savage would have returned to the WWF to be anything other than a major player & he would have had to be given a limited date schedule.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

No one was disupting Savage still had something... that he got cast in Spiderman was a pretty big deal at the time.

But he wasn't the guy who was gonna "make" someone, in wrestling terms he would be a "notch on a belt" rather than an epic, career making win. Like today beating Randy Orton or Big Show is not a big deal and won't make someone. Beating Cena would...

 

[Mustang Sally]

I respect Savage's personal choices in no longer wanting to be actively involved in the wrestling world on a full-time basis, he was probably very content with what he saved and earned.

Are you talking about his job as commentator in WWE? Was it his choice to stop wrestling full-time and work instead sitting on his behind? I always presumed it must have been his idea, because it's hard to believe Vince McMahon wanted him kept out of the ring.

But, if so, why did he go to WCW to be a wrestler? When he arrived in Atlanta, the belly fat he sported in WWE was suddenly gone, and while he didn't look as good in the ring as during his prime, it seemed to me he could've handled himself in WWE's Attitude Era.

But I'll qualify that answer: While a Savage pushing 50 years of age probably couldn't have gone as hard in the Attitude Era as he did when he was younger, if Savage was 35-40 in the late 90's, he would have freakin' owned the Attitude Era.

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

Are you talking about his job as commentator in WWE? Was it his choice to stop wrestling full-time and work instead sitting on his behind? I always presumed it must have been his idea, because it's hard to believe Vince McMahon wanted him kept out of the ring.

Mustang Sally, I didn't state that properly, I meant when he ended his full time wrestling role in 2000, and chose not to continue his career with WCW or go back to the WWF. I think he was content with his career and chose not to continue a full-time career. I should've explained that better.

When it comes to Randy Savage and the WWF, we'll never really know the whole circumstances, I presume.

 

[Goldie]

Are you talking about his job as commentator in WWE? Was it his choice to stop wrestling full-time and work instead sitting on his behind? I always presumed it must have been his idea, because it's hard to believe Vince McMahon wanted him kept out of the ring. .

It was Vince phasing him down... Bret Hart even alludes to this in his book.
If Randy was happy to be a commentator and bit-part wrestler he would have stayed.
Savage still felt that he had enough in the tank (and for 3 or 4 years he did!) so if WCW were going to give him the opportunity to wrestle (and headline) again... of course he was going to jump at the chance

But I'll qualify that answer: While a Savage pushing 50 years of age probably couldn't have gone as hard in the Attitude Era as he did when he was younger, if Savage was 35-40 in the late 90's, he would have freakin' owned the Attitude Era.

I wouldn't disagree if he was 10 years younger

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

I think his impact would've been comparable to Flair's later in the WWE. He would've served to be a living legend who could be brought in for a big headliner match from time to time against folks like Austin, Rock and Michaels, once he returned. No doubt Savage's best days were behind him, but there's emotion tied up in certain wrestlers: Hogan stepping back into a WWE ring in the 2000s. Flair's final match with Michaels. Undertaker in a Streak match. Savage would've been at that level. He never would've been "the guy" again, but he would've been able to put on a main event level match from time to time.

 

[The Eighties]

When I first saw the thread title my mind went straight to 97 where the attitude era began, between there and 98 I think Macho would have been a big asset. In 97 his work with DDP was excellent and would have applied to a feud with someone in WWE, and in 98 his lone wolf persona was as over as he'd ever been but may have clashed with Austin's character.

However in the time-frame discussed here I think Randy was done. He changed his look and also his style to compensate for the knee injury he suffered in 98, and simply wasn't anywhere near the performer he'd been even just a year prior.

As far as a nostalgia run goes I'm not sure it would have worked as well for Macho as it did for Hogan, The Hulkster's routine was always more important than his actual matches so him being barely mobile wasn't an issue, however the expectation of a Randy Savage match was much higher his perfectionism was well known. I did actually think Randy might show up during Hogan's feud with Vince, either during the actual match like Roddy Piper did, or maybe even to do a Mega Powers vs The McMahons match similar to what DX did.

I personally wish Randy had, had one last short run to sign off in WWE and remain as an occasional special guest appearance like Bret, Piper and Austin have done, but I can't think what the exact right angle would have been. In truth I don't think he needed to put a young guy over specifically at that juncture, so maybe he could have been a streak opponent for Taker at Mania 19 instead of that crappy tag match he was in.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

To be honest, if he went to the WWF in 1999, I see him being used in a similar way that the Big Boss Man was. He wouldn't be a primary guy on the roster. He'd be part of whatever faction was popular at the time (Corporation, Corporate Ministry, McMahon-Helmsley Faction, etc). I don't think he would have been a stooge, but he would have been an "enforcer" where they could still utilize his look, personality and intensity, without him working often. He could have sporadic matches, and fit in, yet still job to the big guys like Rock, Austin and 'Taker. But honestly, it wouldn't have worked out well for Randy in the end.

 

[Goldie]

He could have sporadic matches, and fit in, yet still job to the big guys like Rock, Austin and 'Taker. But honestly, it wouldn't have worked out well for Randy in the end.

Agreed. By 1998 the WWE already had enough 'stars'.... had Savage rejoined in '95 or '96 there would have been hope of a push, as the roster was being rebuild.... with only Bret, Shawn, Taker, Nash as established headliners.

By the late Attitude era there was Austin, Rock, Foley, Taker, Tripper, Angle... and guys like Big Show, Jericho, Benoit who could always fill a headline spot occasionally to mix things up.

Randy would be way down the pecking order.... working a part time schedule as the 'living legend' .... like Flair did from 2002-2008 would have been Randys spot

 

[Ubermensch]

I don't see where he would have fit in that dynamic. Like ^ said, maybe early in the Attitude era when Hart was still around, they could have pulled it off, but only after he had been in the NWO and already got rid of the confetti attire.

Later in the Attitude era was about pushing the younger guys and either ego, or storylines would have been an obstacle.

Looking back Hogan had largely overshadowed Macho Man everywhere they went.

 

[Rocky84]

I disagree with everyone.

Macho Man Randy Savage reinvented himself in 1999 - he tweaked his persona, he was more jacked, he updated his ring gear, slicked backed his hair & he had a hot new valet in Gorgeous George.

His performances couldn't touch what he did in his prime due to his knee injury but by no means were his performances not respectable & in some cases good. In July 1999 he had a good match with Hollywood Hogan, in August 1999 he carried non-worker Dennis Rodman to a watchable match & in January 2000 he had a decent match with Rick Steiner for NJPW.

With Steve Austin & The Undertaker injured & Mick Foley nearing retirement there was an opening on the card in 2000 (Savage wrestled his last WCW match as a replacement for Bret Hart against Sid Vicious on the 14th January 2000 at a house show which coincidently was the day his WCW contract expired). Savage was 47 years old at the time.

Savage still had the look, presence, intensity, charisma, promo ability & star power to make a difference & an impact. His limited in-ring ability could be masked in matches by his ability to work the crowd, shortcuts (brawling outside the ring, blood, tag matches) & being carried by his younger opponent.

In 2000, I reckon the build-up for Randy Savage vs. The Rock would have been off the charts (the promo exchanges alone) & most importantly it would drawn big money. I could also see a feud with Triple H doing good business plus I could see him being used as a stepping stone to help get Kurt Angle over.

There was no way Savage would have returned to the WWF to be anything other than a major player & he would have had to be given a limited date schedule.

This is so true. People forget how much of a badass the Madness was. He was one crazy mofo and could pretty much out-work anybody on the WWF roster during the attitude era. Let's not forget how close the Nwo-Wcw angle was to compared to the attitude era. So if Savage was doing well there I have no doubt he'd be fine in the WWF. Especially with his reinvented look when he had Gorgeous George. Macho was the frikkin man and would have been awesome against Austin, The Rock, Triple H, or The Undertaker. If Flair came back at 100 years old and main evented then why exactly couldn't Macho?

It happened the way it was supposed to though. He was perfect in Wcw with the Nwo, but the real question is how he would've don had he come in after the purchase of Wcw when all the old school guys came back...Hogan, Flair, Nash etc..

I researched the issue a lot because I wanted to get to the bottom of the reason why Vince didn't bring him back. According to credible sources like Macho's brother, Bret, etc...the fact that Randy not only left but took the Slim Jim deal too hurt Vince the most. The Steph thing was utterly ridiculous, and never happened. Macho was insulted by Vince insinuating that he was too old to wrestle with the younger guys they were trying to push. So he tried to teach Vince a lesson and show he still had it. If he hadn't taken the Slim. Jim deal things would've went differently.

Macho's dream match was against a prime HBK according to his brother, and I would've loved to see that at Mania 19 or 18 if HBK came back a few months earlier than Summer Slam 2002. It's a shame Macho didn't come back honestly. He could've been awesome during the late Attitude era.

 

[deadman talking]

i really think he would have fit in well. he would have had to drop some of his 90s attire, but he could have gotten a bit more like he was in the 80s. more madness. toned down some of his crazier promo o yeah shit, but they could have moved him between the upper and midcard easily. wovld have been fun to see him and jericho work together in that moment in time. macho in dx possibly, idk