The pro wrestling world lost one of its greats today: Macho Man Randy Savage died in a car accident this morning at the age of 58. The wrestler reportedly suffered a heart attack while driving and lost control of his vehicle.
Given Savage’s outsize TV persona, it’s tempting to make light of the tragedy. As Jamie Mottram pointed out on Twitter, “The moratorium on Macho Man jokes was so infinitesimal it can’t be measured by any known unit of time.” This is understandable and expected, and we’re probably not going to help matter by posting a bunch of our favorite Randy Savage moments below.
But it’s worth remembering just for a second the guy behind the costume. And so, Randy Poffo of Downer’s Grove, Illinois, we offer you a hearty thanks for letting us enjoy your outlandish athleticism and charisma all those years. On to the clips:
Savage’s musical-style monologue about Macho Madness:
Talking at Arsenio Hall and Morgan Fairchild in 1989:
The moment that made hopeless romantics out of even the most hard-bitten wrestling fans:
And, in full, Savage’s “Wrestlemania III” bout with Ricky Steamboat, widely regarded as his (and the sport’s) finest hour:
