Randall Mario Poffo, better known as professional wrestling legend “Macho Man Randy Savage,” died this morning in a car accident following a heart attack in Tampa, Florida. The Macho Man was hands down one of the most recognizable and dynamic stars of the WWF in the 1980s and ’90s, then as part of the rival WCW, and later TNA before his retirement in 2005.
I’ve followed wrestling on and off since I was a kid, but what do you even say about this guy? He really was the sort of character that made watching overgrown men hit each other while wearing tight pants or underwear interesting somehow. The Macho Man character was wildly larger than life, barely making sense at times, waving his arms around, and punctuating every promo aside Mean Gene with an “Ooooh Yeah”, like the Kool-Aid Man personified. By now, everyone knows that professional wrestling is a rough gig for the actual participants, but still it always seemed like Randy Savage walked the balance between being aware of the ridiculous nature of the whole thing and total professionalism in giving the audience a great show. What more could anyone ask from the guy?
From Wrestlemania 3, here’s one of the greatest pro wrestling matches of all time, Savage vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. Apparently, this was one of the first matches to be extensively choreographed instead of improvised on the fly, with Savage and Steamboat practicing for days to get everything just right, and it really shows.
Randall Mario Poffo, the Macho Man Randy Savage, was 58.
This article appears in May 19-25, 2011.
I have been following wrestling since I was 10. Macho Man was the first one who I called my favorite. So many memories I have as a fan and as a kid are of watching his matches, diving off of my dresser and doing an elbow drop onto a doll/pillow of “The Million Dollar Man”, and giving an OOOOHHHH YEEEAAAHHH at my high school graduation when they played Pomp and Circumstance. To say Savage is going to be missed is an understatement. There will never be another Macho Man. If there truly is a heaven, Savage has Miss Elizabeth up on his shoulder. Thanks for the moments and memories Macho Man. R.I.P. OOOOOHHHH YEEEEAAAAHHHH!!