Randy Poffo

Randy Poffo (born November 15, 1952), better known by his stage name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, is a professional wrestler who has worked for the WWE (WWF at the time) and WCW promotions. He has also performed under the names Macho King and Mr. Madness.

Profile

• Height: 6'1"
• Weight: 235–245 lbs
• Birthday: November 15, 1952
• Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
• Trained By: Angelo Poffo
• Professional Debut: November 1973
• Previous Identities: The Destroyer, The Executioner, The Spider, The Macho King, The Macho Man, Macho Man Randy Savage, Mr. Madness
• Previous Manager(s): Miss Elizabeth, Sherri Martel, Gorgeous George, Madusa, Miss Madness, Angelo Poffo, Jimmy Hart, Woman
• Quotes: "Ooh Yeah!"
• Finishing/Signature Move(s): Savage Elbow (Flying Elbow Drop), Top Rope Double Axe Handle
• Movie(s): Spider-Man (2002)

Career

Before he started his full-time wrestling career, he was a minor league baseball catcher in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system. He injured his natural throwing shoulder at one point, so he learned how to throw with his left arm instead.

He is a second-generation professional wrestler; his father, Angelo Poffo, was a well-known wrestler in the 1950s and 1960s. His brother Lanny had a moderately successful career as a wrestler, under the stage names "Leaping Lanny Poffo" and "The Genius."

Savage wrestled in what is widely considered to be one of the greatest matches in North American wrestling history when he faced Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat at Wrestlemania III in the Pontiac Silverdome. The match was the culmination on a long and bitter feud between the two and featured tremendous athleticism and in-ring storytelling. After numerous false finishes, Steamboat pinned Savage to end his reign as WWF Intercontinental Champion. The match was an extremely choreographed one, as opposed to "called on the fly" nature of most wrestling matches. Savage was a stickler for detail and he and Steamboat laid out and rehearsed every spot in the match prior to Wrestlemania. It still stands up to the test of time and is cited by such wrestling luminaries as Chris Jericho as their inspiration for becoming a wrestler.

Savage achieved his greatest fame during Wrestlemania IV when he defeated "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase in the final of a tournament for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Title. Savage would hold the title for almost a full year, before losing it to Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V in 1989. Savage would have another run as WWF World champion, defeating Ric Flair at WrestleMania VIII in 1992, and holding it until September of that year, when he lost it back to Flair at a WWF television taping. Savage and Flair would later swap the WCW World title during their 1995–96 feud, making them the only duo to win and lose both the WWF/E and WCW versions of the world title.

The Macho Man is known to wrestling fans and non-fans alike for his trademark loud, drawn-out cry of "Ohhhhhhhhhh, yeahhhhhhhhhhhh!" made even more popular by a series of Slim Jim advertisements. For much of his tenure in the WWF, he was managed by the late Miss Elizabeth (real name Elizabeth Hulette), whom he was married to on December 30, 1984.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s he also became known for a supposed friendship with Hogan that quickly developed into a very open (and unscripted) animosity after Savage accused Hogan of sleeping in Elizabeth's bed during a road trip. Savage and Elizabeth were divorced on September 18, 1992. Savage and Hogan have a strained relationship to this day.

Savage is now pursuing a career as a rap artist; his debut album, Be A Man, was released on October 7, 2003. He also appeared in the original Spider-Man feature film, as the underground wrestler "Bone Saw McGraw".

Titles and Accomplishments

World Wrestling Entertainment

• 2-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time WWE Intercontinental Champion

World Championship Wrestling

• 4-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion

National Wrestling Alliance

• 3-time NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time NWA South Eastern Tag Team Champion (with Lanny Poffo)

American Wrestling Association

• 2-time AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time AWA International Heavyweight Champion

Miscellaneous

• 1-time United States Wrestling Association Unified World Heavyweight Champion
• 3-time Independent Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time World Wrestling Council North American Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time Georgia Championship Wrestling Tag Team Champion (with Lanny Poffo)

• Winner 1989 WWF King of the Ring
• Winner 1995 WCW World War 3 Battle Royal

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 9 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003. PWI also ranked him # 57 of the best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Hulk Hogan.

• Savage won some PWI Awards during his career. He won Wrestler of the Year in 1988, Most Popular Wrestler in 1988, Most Hated Wrestler in 1989 and Comeback of the Year in 1995. He was also involved in the 1987 Match of the Year (vs. Ricky Steamboat) and 1997 Feud of the Year (vs. Diamond Dallas Page).

External links

• Macho Man official website
• MTV: Savage will become a rapper