The SmarK Rant for Coliseum Video presents Macho Madness
Released October 19 88
Yes, time for a redo for the first ever Coliseum Video rant! Although Savage had a previous video release in 1986 as a heel, this is considered his most famous one by far.
Hosted by Mean Gene, Randy Savage and Elizabeth. Savage clarifies that his success wasn’t just a “spin around three times and find yourself on the top of the mountain” type of deal, YEAH. He had to work for it!
Weirdly they edit out the music on the “What the world is watching” intro on the WWE Network version.
Intercontinental title: Honky Tonk Man v. Randy Savage
This is joined in progress from the September 87 SNME, as Savage hits the double axehandle and Jimmy Hart makes the save. Later on, Honky tries for the finisher, but Savage escapes and drops the big elbow on him, which prompts the Hart Foundation to run in for the DQ, setting up the famous beatdown which requires Liz to find help. Nice of Hulk to wait until AFTER they break the guitar on Randy’s head, by the way. Also, for those looking for symbolism, you’ll note that Hogan immediately puts himself between Savage and Elizabeth when celebrating at the end.
Intercontinental title: Honky Tonk Man v. Randy Savage
From MSG, December 87 this time, with Savage now fully turned babyface and nearing the peak of his popularity. Jimmy Hart is locked in a cage above the ring in a gag borrowed from Jim Cornette, which always works. Honky desperately clings to the cage on the way up, but Savage yanks him down and hauls him into the ring for a beating to start. Honky bails and Savage hauls him back in, but Peggy Sue trips him up and Honky immediately bumps the ref. Honky with the Shake Rattle and Roll, but Savage escapes and sends Honky to the floor while Peggy attacks Liz, and now Honky uses the belt on Savage to knock him out on the floor for the apparent countout at 2:38. But then we learn it was actually a DQ win for Macho instead. I mean, I do enjoy the appropriate amount of nonsense in these matches, but this was all nonsense and no actual body to the match. Also Savage pulls off Peggy Sue’s wig, but she runs away before we can learn her shocking identity. 0 for 1.
Randy Savage v. Ted Dibiase
Clips of the meeting between them from SNME in March 88, as we pick it up with the ref getting bumped and Andre getting involved, prompting Elizabeth to retrieve Hogan from the back, no doubt having to promise him perverted sexual favors and drugs to entice him to help his so-called Megapower partner and best friend. And Hulk of course saves with a chair after taking his time getting to the ring.
Next up, we get clips of Savage’s four matches at Wrestlemania, culminating in him dropping the big elbow on Dibiase to win the belt after four hours of a dead crowd sleeping in their comped seats.
Gotta say, we’re half an hour into this tape already and we’ve barely had a single full match featured.
And then more clips, as we get the ending of the Savage-Gang rematch from SNME in April. I feel like Homer in the movie theater yelling START THE MOVIE ALREADY.
WWF World title: Randy Savage v. Ted Dibiase
From MSG in May of 88. Savage attacks to start and chases Dibiase to the floor. We’ve got the awesome twosome of Rodger Kent and Superstar Graham on commentary for this one, which is…something. Was Vince just stealing people to mess with Verne Gagne at this point? Actually never mind, we know the answer. Savage goes after Virgil and then chases Dibiase around the ring, but Ted catches him and throws him over the top after somehow managing to get a wicked nosebleed already. Back in the ring, Dibiase slugs away in the corner and puts him down with a back elbow for two. Dibiase chokes away and puts the boots to him. To the top for an elbow and Dibiase drops the fist for two. Dibiase slugs away, but Savage fights back, so Dibiase runs him into the turnbuckle and beats on him with chops before hitting a clothesline and another elbow from the middle rope. That gets two. Savage fights back with elbows and makes the comeback with the 10 hits to the turnbuckle and then follows with the necksnap, and you know there’s no one better to sell it than Dibiase. Maybe Mr. Perfect. Dibiase runs him out of the ring again and Savage manages to bump onto a chair on the way down, so Dibiase slams him on the floor for good measure. Back in, Dibiase takes over again with a back elbow and clothesline and follows with a pair of the fistdrops for two. Dibiase continues slugging away on him, But Savage fights back and Dibiase cuts him off with a suplex for two. Virgil pulls a turnbuckle off while the ref is distracted with Elizabeth, but Savage runs Dibiase into the steel, and Virgil runs in for the DQ at 11:55. DAMN they were having a banger before that finish! 1 for 2, although this was easily a **** match on its own.
Randy Savage v. Virgil
From WWF Superstars in May 88, which is supposed to be in response to that MSG match according to Mean Gene, but was actually taped and aired before the MSG show. This was, I believe, the first time Virgil ever wrestled on TV, in fact. Dibiase interferes and allows Virgil to choke Savage out to start, and he slams Savage before going up with a flying splash that misses badly. It’s the FUCK MONEY SHOT. Actually Virgil’s having a rough time so let’s all be nice to him. And then Savage knees him in the back and wipes him out with the axehandle before going up to finish. But then Dibiase distracts him for a chase outside the ring, which allows Virgil to take over again. Back in for a back elbow that gets two. Virgil and Dibiase get some more abuse on Savage before Dibiase decides to stop and wave money at Liz, which allows Savage to make the comeback and drop the big elbow and turn Virgil into meat sauce at 5:32. This was mostly fine considering Virgil’s very limited in ring credentials at this point. 2 for 3. And then it turns into a pullapart brawl, with all the other wrestlers coming to separate them, but Savage still manages to get away and kick Virgil’s ass one more time for good measure. Poor Virgil.
Back at the studio, Mean Gene wants to know how Savage felt about Dibiase holding Liz hostage at one point during the match. Answer: He didn’t like it. That’s the kind of insight you’re paying for with these things.
WWF World title, cage match: Randy Savage v. Ted Dibiase
Back to MSG in June 88 now, with Lord Alfred joining Kent and Superstar on commentary now. Dibiase attacks and beats on Savage to start, but he misses a kneedrop and decides to climb out instead. Savage saves and runs him into the turnbuckles 10 times before hitting his own kneedrop, but Dibiase catches him with his head down and hits a backbreaker to take over. Dibiase tries to climb out again, but Savage hauls him down by the hair and slams him off the top. Dibiase beats on him in the corner to take over again and follows with a clothesline and fistdrop. Dibiase runs him into the cage and beats him down again, but he goes for the door and Savage grabs him by the hair to stop him. Savage fights back and they’re both down off a double clothesline and Savage goes for the door. Dibiase cuts him off while Superstar Graham talks about how he told Elizabeth to gain 80 pounds and take up power lifting so she can be more of a factor. And in fact a decade later, she did just that. So blame Graham for the sad end to her life I guess. They both climb the cage after another double down, but Virgil climbs the cage and keeps Savage inside this time, and Dibiase tries for a suplex that Savage reverses. Savage runs him into the cage with an atomic drop and goes for the door, bur Virgil rams the door into his face to cut him off again. Savage fights to the top again and Virgil cuts him off again, but now the heat is so insane that a kid tries to climb the cage and help, at which point Savage runs Dibiase and Virgil together to knock them down, and he climbs out to win at 12:20. Another **** match and legit great one between them with unreal heat at the end. 3 for 4.
WWF World title: Randy Savage v. Ted Dibiase
And it’s one of the lost matches from Wrestlefest 88. Dibiase uses some distraction to hit a back elbow and take over right away, but Savage clotheslines him and sends him to the floor with a kneelift, and then hauls him back in and puts him over the top again with an atomic drop. Back in, Dibiase catches him with a knee and slugs away, but Savage blocks a sunset flip and this time Dibiase dumps Savage to the floor. They fight out there and back in for a further beating from Dibiase, as he slugs away and puts the boots to Savage, and a running clothesline gets two. Savage tries to run him into the corner, but Dibiase gets the boot up and goes up with an elbow off the middle rope to take over again. That gets two. Dibiase with a backbreaker for two. Macho reverses a suplex and they slug it out, with Savage hitting a crossbody for two before Dibiase clotheslines him down for two again. Dibiase goes to the chinlock and Savage powers out of that, so Dibiase takes him down by the hair again. Savage fights up and runs him into the corner to break and he makes the comeback with the 10 shots to the turnbuckles. That gets two. Heel miscommunication leads to Savage rolling him up for two, but Dibiase clips the knee and puts him in the sleeper this time. Savage quickly falls into the ropes, but Virgil smashes a chair into his head behind the ref’s back, and Dibiase gets two off that. Dibiase with a pair of fistdrops, but Savage gets the small package for the pin to retain at 15:00. Another great one, although with a little less intensity and urgency than the previous meetings, as the feud was losing steam. 4 for 5.
From Superstars, Randy Savage introduces his MEGAPOWER PARTNER for Summerslam, as the Megapowers unite and cut a coke-fueled promo of insanity to build up the main event for the PPV and the screen keeps cutting to black for some reason. Maybe a young Chris Benoit was in the audience for reaction shots.
Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage v. Ted Dibiase & Andre the Giant
And of course we finish with the Megapowers v. Megabucks at the Summerslam 88, with special referee Jesse Ventura as the voice of law and order. I still don’t get the bizarre run where he switched the tag ropes to different corners. Interesting how MSG looks totally different when lit like a regular PPV show and produced by someone other than MSG Productions. Hulk starts with Dibiase after a bunch of gaga and the Megapowers pinball him in the corner before Hogan puts him down with the clothesline. Double elbow and Savage beats on Dibiase in the corner. We’re clipped to Andre attacking Hulk from behind and tossing him out of the ring as both Megapowers are out on the floor as a result. So this prompts Elizabeth to take the ref before pulling off her skirt for her famous bikini bottom distraction, and Hulk and Macho recharge with the MEGAPOWER handshake, and probably a few lines of coke, before Hulk quickly slams Dibiase and Macho dispatches him with the flying elbow and legdrop combo at 4:48 shown. Well they basically edited out the entire match here. Whatever, Liz awkwardly prancing on the apron is still enough for a point. 5 for 6.
This one doesn’t have the array of matches that something like Macho’s future DVD releases did, but the series of Dibiase matches on here are FIRE. And really who wants to watch all the WM4 tournament matches and SNME TV matches again anyway? Big thumbs up for this one, one of the best compilations they did.