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Top 50 Randy Savage Rivalries

Oooh yeah! Although he was only inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015, Randy "Macho Man" Savage has long been regarded as one of the top names in the industry. 

For over 30 years, Savage clashed with some of the best in the business, including top names in the Mid-South territory, the WWF and WCW (and even a brief run with TNA). Barking promos in his patented growl, the Macho Man's legendary ferocity and unique charisma made him one of the biggest superstars wherever he went. Of course, that means he made an enemy or two along the way...

 

We're basing the following list on storyline rivalries Savage had with wrestlers and non-wrestlers alike, not speculating on what may have happened backstage (although in some cases, these will fall under both categories). 

 

In counting down the Top 50 Randy Savage Rivalries, Wrestling Merchandise and Memories looked at the following criteria:

 

  • How prominent was the rivarly?

  • What type of stage(s) did it play out on?

  • How memorable were the matches and/or segments?

  • How much did the rivalry do to advance either person's career?

 

If you'd like to be a part of this conversation, Tweet us at @canadianbulldog using the hashtag #Top50, or leave a comment below.

50.

Doink The Clown

Although it may not sound like Randy Savage and Doink had much of an issue, the two engaged in a series of matches in 1993 on both house shows and Monday Night Raw. Interestingly, Savage was aided in some of these matches by "The Macho Midget," an individual who would later become Dink The Clown.

48.

Kevin Sullivan

Kevin Sullivan was one of Randy Savage's first opponents when he arrived in WCW in the mid-1990's. After defending Hulk Hogan, Savage was targeted by Sullivan and various members of his Dungeon of Doom faction. Savage and Sullivan battled several times on Monday Nitro in 1995.

46.

Virgil

During the height of Randy Savage's rivalry with The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase in 1988, bodyguard Virgil would often get involved in the action to give his client an advantage. The two wrestled in a televised match, with Savage winning but setting up an attack by The Million Dollar Man.

44.

Jeff Jarrett

While WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett and Randy Savage are both second generation stars that worked in Memphis, WWF and WCW at the same time, they never really had much conflict in any of those promotions. It wasn't until 2004, when Savage briefly worked in TNA, that he started a rivalry with The Chosen One.

42.

The Gilbert Family

A family feud took place in 1984 when Randy Savage took on International Champion Eddie Gilbert at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis. Savage's brother Lanny Poffo aided the Macho Man, while Eddie's father Tommy Gilbert seconded his son, leading to a series of wild tag team matches.

40.

The Undertaker

In his early days in the WWF, The Undertaker tested his mettle against Randy Savage, who was mostly substituting at the time for an injured Ultimate Warrior. Years later, Undertaker saved Savage and Elizabeth from an attack by Jake Roberts, and the two men put aside their differences to form a tag team.

38.

The Junkyard Dog

The most high-profile battle between The WWE Hall of Famer Junkyard Dog and Randy Savage took place in November 1985, when the two met in the final round of The Wrestling Classic (WWF's first pay-per-view event) and JYD was victorious. JYD also challenged the Macho Man for his Intercontinental Title several times.

36.

Miss Elizabeth

Despite being Randy Savage's manager and wife (both on- and off-screen), he and Miss Elizabeth had conflicts in the twice during their careers. In the late 1980s, Elizabeth sided with Savage rivals Hulk Hogan and Dusty Rhodes. And several years later in WCW, she turned on Savage during a program with Ric Flair.

34.

Exotic Adrian Street

Randy Savage's first run as a babyface actually took place in Memphis in 1985. His main opponent at that time was Exotic Adrian Street, who battled The Macho Man throughout Memphis and even managed to pin Savage cleanly during a big match in February of that year.

32.

Dutch Mantel

Dutch Mantel (a/k/a Zeb Colter) had quite a rivalry with Randy Savage during their days in the Memphis territory when Savage was NWA Mid-America Champion. At one point, the two had a wild no disqualification match where the action often spilled outside of the ring.

30.

Ravishing Rick Rude

Speaking of Bobby Heenan Family members, his client and WWE Hall of Famer Ravishing Rick Rude battled WWF Champion Randy Savage several times in mid-1988. Years before that, the two battled in Memphis, when Rude was part of Jimmy Hart's First Family faction.

28.

Jimmy Hart

Another manager that was a constant thorn in Randy Savage's side was WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart. The bad blood began in Memphis, when Hart was in charge of the First Family and continued into the WWF, where The Mouth Of The South managed The Honky Tonk Man, The Hart Foundation and other rivals.

26.

Big Boss Man

When Randy Savage captured his first WWF World Title in 1988, one of his many challengers was WWE Hall of Famer Big Boss Man, who was managed by Slick. Eventually, The Slickster pooled his resources and sent both Twin Towers after the Macho Man. In turn, Savage recruited his Megapowers partner Hulk Hogan.

24.

Avalanche

Another big man Randy Savage clashed with was Avalanche (a/k/a Earthquake).  Savage took on Avalanche as part of Kevin Sullivan's Three Faces of Fear faction, including a match at the Uncensored pay-per-view in 1995. They also did battle when he changed his name to The Shark. 

22.

Crush

In 1993, Crush was shown as being mentored by Randy Savage... until the big man from Kona lost a match to WWF Champion Yokozuna. Crush blamed Savage for the loss, sided with Mr. Fuji, and battled Savage in a Falls Count Anywhere match at WrestleMania X.

20.

Bruno Sammartino

When Randy Savage crushed Ricky Steamboat's larnyx in 1986, the Macho Man was immediately confronted by WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino, who had retired but was working as an announcer. Sammartino shockingly choked out Savage, leading to a pair of main event matches at Madison Square Garden.

18.

Bret Hart

Randy Savage gave WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart one of his first breakout matches as a singles star during their classic 1987 bout on Saturday Night's Main Event. They would face each other again when Hart was WWF Champion during a tour of Japan, and then had a series of matches when both went to WCW.

16.

Kevin Nash

It wasn't until their respective WCW runs that Randy Savage and WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash did battle. Nash first targeted Savage as he formed the nWo and later challenged Savage for his WCW Title at The Great American Bash 1999. They were also on opposite sides during Savage's one TNA match.

14.

Bad News Brown

During Randy Savage's first WWF Title reign in 1988, Bad News Brown claimed that Savage's manager Elizabeth had granted WWF President Jack Tunney "favors" to avoid giving Bad News a title shot. As a result, Brown had several wild "streetfight" matches for Savage's title on the house show circuit.

12.

Dusty Rhodes

The Macho King's next conquest after Hacksaw Jim Duggan was WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes. The philosophical differences between the elitist King and the common man Rhodes made for a great clash of styles and culminated in a mixed tag bout at WrestleMania VI.

10.

George The Animal Steele

WWE Hall of Famer George The Animal Steele had a long rivalry with Randy Savage, including matches at WrestleMania II, spanning several episodes of Saturday Night's Main Event and culminating at WrestleMania III, when Steele was in Ricky Steamboat's corner. At the heart of the conflict was Savage's manager Elizabeth.

8.

The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase

Even before Randy Savage and WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase battled in the final round of the WrestleMania IV World Title Tournament, they met on Saturday Night's Main Event. After The Macho Man bested The Million Dollar Man, the rivalry led to a tag team match at the first SummerSlam.

6.

Jake The Snake Roberts

WWE Hall of Famer Jake The Snake Roberts gave Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth a live cobra as a wedding gift, and things only got worse from there. Tying up Savage in the ropes, Roberts coaxed a cobra to bite Savage on the arm, forcing the (then-retired) Macho Man to return to active competition.

4.

The Ultimate Warrior

Randy Savage and WWE Hall of Famer Ultimate Warrior first paired off when Macho Man was WWF Champion and Warrior Intercontinental Champion. The bigger feud culminated at WrestleMania VII when Warrior forced Savage to retire. Unretired later, the two had one final go in the main event of 1992's SummerSlam.

2.

Ricky The Dragon Steamboat

Bad blood between Randy Savage and WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat began in a televised match in late-1986, in which Savage crushed Steamboat's larnyx with a ring bell. This set up a lengthy rivalry that culminated in their iconic Intercontinental Title match at WrestleMania III.

49

King Kong Bundy

In the early 1980s, before either made their fame and fortune in the WWF, Randy Savage and King Kong Bundy were fixtures in Memphis. At one point, Savage was teaming with the likes of Jerry The King Lawler as they attempted to rid the company of Bundy, Rick Rude and other villians.

47.

Dennis Rodman

Although Randy Savage and basketball bad boy Dennis Rodman were initially on the same page during their time together as part of the nWo, a rivalry later developed. After Savage called Rodzilla out during Monday Nitro, a match was held at Road Wild 1999 where they had a wild brawl around the ring.

45

Big Van Vader

While multiple time World Champions Randy Savage and BIg Van Vader never had a one-on-one contest, they did feud briefly in tag teams -- Savage with Hogan and Vader with Ric Flair. This also led to a match of sorts on an entirely different television show: The "Bash at the Beach" episode of Baywatch.

43.

Dino Bravo

Dino Bravo and Randy Savage had a program while both men were at their respective career peaks, yet the rivalry was limited to house shows in Canada. Bravo began the series by besting WWF Champion Savage by countout in Toronto, and then followed up with a series of matches in Toronto and Montreal.

41.

Arn Anderson

In WCW, Randy Savage targeted WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson, with the two going to a time-limit draw on WCW Saturday Night. Later, they found themselves on opposite sides of a tag team feud -- Anderson with best friend Ric Flair, and Savage with his "frenemy" Hulk Hogan.

39.

Austin Idol

Fresh off working for his father Angelo Poffo's outlaw promotion, Randy Savage came to Memphis and began feuding with Southern legend Austin Idol for Idol's International Title. The two met several times in the famed Mid-South Coliseum, with Idol often getting disqualified for using dirty tactics in their matches.

37.

Shawn Michaels

According to Savage's brother Lanny Poffo, Randy Savage once proposed a two-year feud with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels which ultimately never happened. Still, the two clashed several times in the early 1990s, for both Savage's WWF World Championship and Michaels' Intercontinental Title.

35

The Rock 'n Roll Express

During his run in Memphis, Randy Savage teamed up with Lanny Poffo and father Angelo Poffo as "PoffoMania" to tangle with Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, a/k/a WWE Hall of Famers The Rock 'n' Roll Express. At the height of their feud, Savage piledrove Morton through a table - believed to be the first time that spot was ever done.

33.

Rowdy Roddy Piper

WWE Hall of Famer Rowdy Roddy Piper and Randy Savage had a number of matches together. The rivalry began in the mid-1980s when Savage was Intercontinental Champion. Later, when Macho Man was part of the nWo, he and Hot Rod battled it out in WCW.

31.

Bobby The Brain Heenan

Over the years, and particularly during Randy Savage's WWF run as a babyface, he often clashed with representatives of the Bobby Heenan Family. These included Andre The Giant, King Harley Race and King Haku, with the WWE Hall of Famer always getting involved. They also clashed when both were commentators.

29.

Lex Luger

During Lex Luger's big return to WCW in 1995, Randy Savage was among those skeptical of his true intentions. The two battled at the World War 3 pay-per-view that year and again when Savage joined the nWo and Luger was still siding with WCW, including a match at 1998's Souled Out.

27.

Ron Garvin

Prior to his Memphis stint, Randy Savage competed in International Championship Wrestling. There, he crossed paths with future NWA World Champion Ron Garvin, who told the world that Savage was actually "Randy Poffo". Garvin also dressed Pez Whatley up in drag as "Miss Macho Man".

25.

Yokozuna

In 1993, Randy Savage and WWE Hall of Famer Yokozuna were the last two men in the ring at that year's Royal Rumble, only to have the sumo star win the match. Later, when Yokozuna became WWF Champion, he battled Savage on house shows and on Monday Night Raw.

23.

Andre The Giant

Yet another big man Randy Savage did battle with was WWE Hall of Famer Andre The Giant. As Savage prepared to win the WWF World Title at WrestleMania IV, Andre was constantly a thorn in his side. They met in both singles matches and tag teams, including the main event of SummerSlam '88.

21.

Sting

When WWE Hall of Famer Sting captured the WCW World Heavyweight Title from Hulk Hogan, few realized that Hogan's nWo ally Savage would be the one to unseat The Stinger, but that's what happened at Spring Stampede in 1998. The two met several times after then, including in matches on WCW Nitro and Thunder.

19.

Akeem

Randy Savage had known Akeem since he was Crusher Broomfield in ICW during the early 1980s. But by the end of that decade, Akeem was in hot pursuit of Savage's WWF World Title. He challenged Savage at house shows and on TV, before they had the big MegaPowers vs. Twin Towers blowoff bout.

17.

Brutus Beefcake

WWE Hall of Famer Brutus Beefcake was a victim of Randy Savage's heel turn in 1989, with Savage and manager Sensational Sherri attacking The Barber on television. This led to several matches that year, a tag team encounter at SummerSlam '89, and even more matches when both were later in WCW.

15.

Razor Ramon

Unlike his nWo partner Kevin Nash, WWE Hall of Famer Razor Ramon's conflict with Randy Savage began in the WWF, when The Bad Guy cost Savage his WWF World Title. Later, they had issues in the WCW vs. nWo confrontation when Ramon was Scott Hall, as he was when Savage faced Hall in his lone TNA PPV match.

13.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Towards the end of 1989, Randy Savage transformed from Macho Man to Macho King, thanks to a victory over the reigning "King" of the promotion, WWE Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan. After taking Duggan's crown and cape, Savage radically transformed the look of the King and held back Duggan in their rematches.

11.

Tito Santana

Randy Savage knew he truly had arrived after defeating WWE Hall of Famer Tito Santana for the WWF Intercontinental Championship in early 1986. Over the next year, Savage would constantly turn back Tito's challenge for the title, besting him in several No DQ matches.

9.

Jerry The King Lawler

What began as a real-life cross-promotional rivalry became a part of wrestling history. Randy Savage's family promotion (ICW) challenged WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler's CWA. Eventually they had several bouts throughout Memphis, including more than one steel cage match, and a Loser Leaves Town match that The King won.

7.

The Honky Tonk Man

Randy Savage's conflict with WWE Hall of Famer The Honky Tonk Man became deeply personal when Honky pushed Savage's manager Elizabeth to the ground during an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event. The ensuing rivalry for Honky Tonk's Intercontinental Title was one of the biggest feuds of the mid-1980s.

5.

Diamond Dallas Page

WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page was one of the few WCW originals willing to take on the nWo, which Randy Savage was a part of. Together, the two headlined several pay-per-views, with Savage's (reunited) manager Elizabeth and DDP's wife Kimberly both getting involved in the conflict at various times.

3.

Ric Flair

"She was mine before she was yours," WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair taunted Randy Savage in 1992 as the two prepared for a hellacious match at WrestleMania VIII, alluding to a preexisting relationship with Savage's wife Miss Elizabeth. Later in WCW, they would feud again, this time with Elizabeth dumping Savage in favor of Flair.

1.

Hulk Hogan

One of Randy Savage's very first feuds in the WWF was with WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, who was in his first reign as WWF World Champion. They then formed The MegaPowers, a top babyface team that would last until early 1989, when Savage became jealous of Hogan "lusting after Elizabeth". This led to the main event of WrestleMania V and several other main events after that, including in WCW where they traded the World Title more than once.

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