Randy Savage the book by John Finkel
I posted a book review of this book on Goodreads recently. I really looked forward to reading this because Randy Macho Man Savage was a top name in wrestling for many years. He was a champ multiple times. Fans had their Macho Man impressions.
Today he is hardly mentioned. There are troubling rumors or reasons behind his fading into history. The author doesn’t go into those rumors so it could be true, it might not. Who knows. The book was more a fan book than warts and all story.
Savage was a top name but when he turned into a good guy and champ, he was a weak champ. He got pushed around. He would get distracted. He won by run ins or count outs. His first title reign was designed to build Hulk Hogan up again. They would have this big match at Wrestlemania where, of course, Hogan won. Savage’s second title reign was to build up Ultimate Warrior or Ric Flair.
When Hogan was becoming passé, Savage could’ve carried the WWF forward, but he wasn’t shown as “the guy.”
It is part of being champ to build up the opponent. If you do it well, you are still “the man.” Do it wrong and you get a weak champ. WWF would do this same bad career trajectory to Bret Hart years later. Hart held the belt while someone else was being built up. That’s another story.
Macho Man goes to WCW and they don’t know what to do with him. He’s older and slower. He can still put in a great match and build others up. He doesn’t carry the federation into the future. He goes through variations of his look and gimmick, nothing sticks.
Accusations of abuse toward girlfriends come out. His short temper was known in and out of the locker room.
He retires. It looks like that is when he is happy and not paranoid about the business.
His career gets another look after his passing and fans see just how good he was. WWF doesn’t acknowledge his work to this day. There are rumors why.
I read the book hoping to understand why he should be passed into history. The book didn’t tell me.
Do you remember Randy Macho Man Savage?