SLL's All-Savage Friday Night

Randy Savage was professional wrestling to me. Like, if wrestling were a person, it would be the Macho Man. Everything sublime and everything ridiculous, everything I love about this stupid, wonderful, fakey sport that I adore...Savage was that. It's been one week since his death today, and as our national period of mourning continues, I think it's only right to pay homage to the man with this week's All-Request Friday Night, as we look back at five Macho matches requested by you, the Segunda Caida readership. Bonesaw is ready, and so am I.

Randy Savage vs. Genichiro Tenryu (Wrestling Summit 8/12/1990)
Requested by Kronos

"Excitement is where I am, and enthusiasm is where I go"....These aren't just words from a promo, this was a genuine code of conduct for Savage. Nobody got you amped up for a match like this guy. He comes to the ring, bristling with energy, that even king of wrestling stoicism Tenryu feels compelled to throw his ring jacket in his face from the floor, just because being in Savage's presence forces you to lash out emotionally in ways you might not otherwise. Then Savage flips out, and he and Sherri are trying to screen Tenryu out of the ring. As long as we're paying tribute to the deceased, Sherri is absolutely queen-sized here (also queen-sized: Sherri's ass...sweet fancy Moses). She was really a perfect valet for heel Savage. Whereas Miss Elizabeth was as effective as she was as Savage's valet because her personality was so different, creating a compelling "beauty and the beast" contrast, Sherri was effective because she was a more smashable version of Savage himself, an intense, volatile personality feeding into and off of Macho Madness. I thought that really came across well here.

This was the big interpromotional show most famous for the Hulk Hogan vs. Stan Hansen main event that a lot of folks have pointed to as the best Hogan match ever. I haven't seen it in a few years, though I've always enjoyed before. However, this match gets glossed over, and on rewatch, I think it might be just as good. Savage loses a shoving match early, and Tenryu is suddenly this plucky, fired-up babyface as Savage loses his shit. He paces around on the outside, has these great facial expressions reacting to the crowd, tells off the referee, and then opts to slingshot back inside, only for Tenryu to paste him with a barrage of hard chops. Tenryu controls a pretty large chunk of this match, and he really lights Savage up with chops, clotheslines, and a flying crossbody off of the apron before Sherri runs interference. I love that Sherri will forearm you in the back hard enough to make you look like a complete badass when you no-sell the valet's offense. Savage kicks out the back of Tenryu's knee and then throws him down hard on the timekeeper's table. Remember that this was back when Tokyo Dome shows had the ring on a raised stage. The timekeeper's table is down a level from that. Savage beats the shit out of Tenryu around the ringside area while Sherri yells at the timekeeper (who apparently took great umbrage to his table being sullied) and various other personnel. Savage controls most of the rest of the match, breaking out the flying axehandle (both in the ring and to the floor) and the top rope elbow, but can't put Tenryu away. At the end of the match, he does a top rope crossbody, and it's the one weak point of the match, as Tenryu was really standing there waiting for it for a while. Still, it does lead to a clever finish, as Savage hits it, but tweaks his knee on the landing, giving Tenryu room to recover and catch him with an enzuigiri and stuff powerbomb for the win. This was awesome, and really left me wishing they had done more interpromotional stuff. Savage was a ton of fun in this setting, and Tenryu worked in a way where he wouldn't have looked out of place as a babyface in the US.

Randy Savage, Harley Race, & Adrian Adonis vs. Ricky Steamboat, The Junk Yard Dog, & Roddy Piper - Elimination Match (WWF 2/23/1987)
Requested by Bloodstain

This is kind of a tricky match for me to review. The layout was outstanding, which is almost a given for Savage matches. What's interesting is that beyond that, there isn't really a lot specific about the match that I can point to as being great, and there are actually a few off moments, and yet, I had a smile on my face the whole time I was watching it. It's very much wrestling comfort food. You have six guys, all of whom are capable of bringing something to the table (JYD hadn't done it in a long time, but he was theoretically capable). None of them give a transcendent performance (though the stuff between Steamboat's elimination and the continuation of the match with Piper as the last remaining babyface may be the best interfall sequence I've ever seen in a match), but on some level, they all deliver what you want from them, they keep it rolling consistently for almost 20 minutes, and that's enough. That's all you really need to be satisfied. Steamboat is a great enthusiastic babyface, Piper is a loveable wildman, Adonis and Race both do some theatrical bumps for the faces and are fun, stoogey heels, JYD doesn't get totally smoked, Slick is hilarious on commentary, and Savage is dangerous and unpredictable, but also kinda cowardly when you have him on the spot. It all comes together, and it's just a good time.

Randy Savage vs. Harley Race (WWF 9/18/1987)
Requested by Phil Schneider

WWF-era Race was not exactly the best Race. I think we all know that. Still, he definitely had stuff going for him as a worker, and Savage is a guy who knows how to work with what an opponent is able to give him. The result is one of Race's better WWF matches, and maybe his best WWF singles match. It's kind of a low-end version of Race vs. Iceman King Parsons from World Class in '83 minus the screwjob ending, as Race is working as grumpy veteran flustered by the high-energy younger generation guy. He was more grumpy than flustered against Iceman, whereas here, he is more flustered than grumpy. His stooging also isn't quite as spectacular as it was four years prior, though it was definitely fun. Savage charges about the ring at the beginning, and Race backpedals, flailing his arms around like he's being attacked by bees, not sure what to make of this crazy kid. His bumping isn't what it was four years prior, but he will get knocked around a lot, take a spill over the top rope (both out of and into the ring), do some great punch drunk staggering, and miss a falling headbutt on the concrete, which had to have sucked to do (and which he blades off of, but you can't really tell from the poor video quality here). Savage holds up his end of the bargain, delivering a quality beatdown with fists, feet, and elbows flying around hard enough to let Race do what he does best. Race takes over, and his offense isn't what it was four years prior, but there's enough left Harley's big bag of moves to impress. He spikes Randy pretty good with a piledriver, some hard fists, and an in-ring falling headbutt that doesn't miss his mark. While this is going on, we get some great picture-in-picture shots of Elizabeth at ringside, hiding her face whenever Macho gets dropped with a big move. We get a fun little finishing stretch, too. Savage punches and bionic elbows his way back onto offense, sending Race tumbling, but he's too close to the ropes to score a pin. he hits a top rope axehandle that Race takes a full DiBiase bump off of, but that sends him all the way to the other side of the ring, so he gets a rope break there, too. It's down to the elbow drop, but Race rolls out of the way. He tries to capitalize with a suplex, but Savage floats over and grabs an O'Connor roll for the win. Maybe not an essential match, but hey, it's Savage vs. Race. You know you want to see it. It's definitely a great one, and a great example of Savage's notoriously thorough pre-match planning paying dividends, as he gets the most out of an aging opponent who's limitations were starting to show, but who still had some real skills to show.

Randy Savage vs. Roddy Piper (WWF 1/22/1990)
Requested by Lacelle

Piper is an interesting guy. He was capable for a large part of his career of delivering in the ring, but he was unafraid to not bring the goods if he didn't have to. This isn't a terrible Piper performance, but it is a match that works mainly because of Savage and Sherri. Sherri's antics early on a priceless, trying to get a peek under Piper's kilt, and then taking a few swipes at him, which he dodges easily and then ends up falling on her ample keister. This creates a distraction, allowing Savage to come off of the top with an axehandle, and if you like Randy Savage's flying axehandles, this is the match for you. At least two in the ring, and two outside, which was nuts. The closing stretch is pretty rad. Piper does an airplane spin, and falls on top of him for two. Savage comes back, does his own, longer airplane spin, stumbles to the corner, climbs to the top, and then tumbles to the floor. Awesome, awesome spot. And when he gets back to his feet, Piper comes off of the apron with his own axehandle. Sherri jumps on his back, getting Savage DQ'd (I think, they don't actually announce the result), and you could imagine she's doing the sleeper, just to complete the hat trick. There's some fun post-match brawling, and Sherri gets her dress hiked up an exposes her thong just for good measure. Ain't nothing wrong with that.

Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan (WWF 1/27/1986)
Requested by Hijo del Parties

A bit on the short side, but it still smokes their Mania 5 match. Savage is all over Hogan from the get-go, repeatedly attacking him with the WWF Title until Liz gets concerned. This leads to one of the better Hulk Ups ever, as Savage yells at Liz while she tries to talk him down, but it forces him to let up on Hogan and allows him to pop up and make the comeback. He does so while wearing Macho's shades, for that matter. Damn, Hogan is actually throwing some good hands here. This is a fun little brawl. Nice to see Savage's flying elbow not instantly revive Hogan, even if he does Hulk up out of it. Good screwy finish with Hogan trying to ram Savage into the post on the outside, but Liz standing in his way, and Hogan actually being gentlemanly for once and refusing to ram into the helpless woman. This, however, gives Savage the opportunity to escape and get back in the ring, winning the match by countout. Good pull-apart, too, with Savage breaking away and scoring a cheap shot before bolting from ringside. I love that guy. Thank you, Macho Man. You are wrestling.