The Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage (w/ “Sensational Queen” Sherri) in a Career Threatening Match
We come to the biggest show of the year and there was a lot of pressure going in due to the previous year’s show being one of the most memorable Wrestlemania’s of all time, but looking at this card it seemed like this show had plenty of potential to be a fantastic show. Aside from some pretty big matches set for this show, there was no doubt that one of the biggest matches of the night was between Warrior and Savage with some major stakes involved. It was amazing how quick they built it up after teasing a feud between them back in the summer, and after Savage cost Warrior the title at the Rumble they ramped it up big time and it was jarring that they put that stipulation in place. Going in, you couldn’t fathom the fact that one of the them was going to have their career ended and you also wondered how the match was going to come off, but knowing who was involved you figured that this would be at least a good match.
Following their match at Madison Square Garden back on 1/21, it was announced on the 2/1 Superstars that both men had challenged each other to a career match at Wrestlemania and it was officially confirmed the next week. The two men would cut promos on each other as they vowed to end the other’s career and on the 3/2 Superstars, Warrior would send a message to Savage by attacking Brother Love and he would destroy the Brother Love Show set. They would continue to cut promos on each other and at Superstars and Stripes Forever, they would officially sign the contract with the Undertaker and Paul Bearer coming out to confront Warrior. It was interesting that they already started teasing a feud with Warrior and Taker as it might have tipped off who was going to win.
In what seemed like a random moment right before the match begins, Bobby Heenan mentions that he sees Miss Elizabeth and we see that she is in the crowd, and Savage was red hot as a heel as he and Sherri were in their grand glory. Warrior then gets a big pop from the crowd as he walks to the ring instead of running which Bobby calls out, and he and Gorilla also put over Warrior’s attire and they hype the gravity of the match. The two men square off to start the match and they both play to the crowd as they lock up with both men jockeying for position, and Savage gives a clean break on the ropes and they lock up again with Warrior shoving Savage to the mat. They lock up again with Savage getting a knee in and he pounds on Warrior before raking the eyes and he continues to pound on him, and he hooks a headlock as Warrior whips him off and knocks him down as Savage begs off and rolls outside to regroup. Sherri gets on the apron and distracts Warrior as Savage returns to the ring and nails Warrior from behind, and Warrior reverses a whip and hits a clothesline on Savage before stomping on him as he hoists him up in a choke and he tosses him to the mat. Warrior hits an atomic drop on Savage and then he hits a second atomic drop as he hoists him up in a choke again, and Sherri gets in the ring only for Warrior to toss Savage into her and she rolls back outside. Warrior pounds on Savage who gets tied up in the ropes and Warrior stomps on him as the ref frees him from the ropes, and he gets a shot in to the ribs only for Savage to catch him ducking with a kick and he hits a hooking clothesline on Warrior. Savage goes up top only for Warrior to catch him on a leap and he puts him back on his feet before slapping him in the face, and Savage goes outside to stall as Sherri gets on the apron and tries to distract Warrior again. Savage grabs a chair and tosses it into the ring as the ref grabs it and Savage quickly returns to the ring, and he nails Warrior from behind as the ref puts the chair out of the ring only for Warrior to knock Savage down twice and Savage begs off. Warrior continues to pound on Savage and whips him into the corner before stomping on him repeatedly, and he continues to pound on Savage and whips him into the corner only to miss a charge as he tumbles over the top to the floor. Sherri picks Warrior up and gets a shot in as Savage goes up top and hits an axehandle on Warrior, and Savage rolls back into the ring as Sherri rams the knee into Warrior and she rakes the eyes before scratching his back. Warrior shoves Sherri to the floor and stalks her as Savage goes outside and nails Warrior from behind, and he rams Warrior into the post and rolls back into the ring before distracting the ref as Sherri gets a kick in on Warrior. Savage pulls Warrior back into the ring and hits a slam before dropping a knee on him for a two count, and he attempts a neckbreaker only for Warrior to hook a backslide for a two count and they have a staredown. Savage spits on Warrior and retreats outside to stall as Sherri gets on the apron and distracts Warrior again, and Savage returns to the ring only for Warrior to catch a kick attempt and he hits a clothesline on Savage. Warrior runs the ropes repeatedly only to miss a diving tackle as Savage slams him into the mat, and he slams Warrior’s head into the mat for a two count and hooks a submission on as he grinds down on Warrior. Warrior fights to his feet and breaks the hold as he knocks Savage down only for Savage to duck a shot and both men clothesline each other, and Sherri gets on the apron and distracts the ref as Warrior blocks a slam with a small package and he gets a two count. Warrior argues with the ref and Savage hits a high knee to Warrior’s back as the ref gets taken out as well, and Savage holds Warrior from behind as Sherri goes up top only for Warrior to move and Sherri hits an axehandle on Savage by mistake. Warrior stalks Sherri who rolls outside and he follows her out as he chases her back into the ring and she goes out to the apron, and Warrior grabs her by the hair as Savage rolls him up for a two count and Warrior pounds on him. Savage sends Warrior into the corner and then he hotshots Warrior on the top rope before leaping over the top rope as he hotshots Warrior on the top rope again, and he rolls back into the ring and clotheslines Warrior in the back of the head before hitting a slam for a two count. Savage goes up top and hits the flying elbow on Warrior before going up top again and hitting a second flying elbow, and then he goes up top again and hits a third flying elbow before going up top again and hitting a fourth flying elbow. Savage goes up top yet again and hits a fifth flying elbow only to get a two count as he drops an axehandle on Warrior who starts to fire up. He drops a pair of axehandles on Warrior and pounds on him as Warrior no-sells his shots and he knocks Savage down repeatedly, and he hits a trio of clotheslines on Savage and then he hits the gorilla press slam and the big splash for a two count. Warrior looks up to the sky in disbelief and looks at his hands as he goes to leave the ring and gets on the apron, and Savage hits a clothesline on Warrior and knocks him to the floor as he goes outside himself. He puts Warrior on the guardrail and Sherri holds him down as Savage goes up top only for Warrior to toss Sherri aside, and he nails Savage coming in and fires up again before throwing Savage back into the ring. He gains momentum and hits a flying tackle that sends Savage to the outside as he goes outside and throws Savage back into the ring, and then he hits another flying tackle that sends Savage to the outside and he goes outside before throwing Savage back into the ring. He hits a third flying tackle that sends Savage to the outside and he pulls Savage back into the ring as he puts a foot on his chest which gets the three and Warrior wins the match which means Savage’s career is over.
After the match, Warrior goes outside and grabs his coat which he puts on and he gets back in the ring, and he poses for the crowd and stands over top of Savage before heading to the back as Sherri gets in the ring. She throws the ref to the outside and yells at Savage before kicking him repeatedly as Elizabeth looks on, and Sherri rams Savage’s head into the mat repeatedly as Elizabeth hops the guardrail and runs down to the ring. She gets in the ring and grabs Sherri as she tosses her to the outside to a big pop and she checks on Savage who swats her away twice, and he gets to his feet and turns around as he nearly hits Elizabeth and he is shocked to see her. He looks out at Sherri who is yelling at him until the ref forces her to the back and Savage is conflicted with what to do, and then the two embrace to a huge pop and Savage raises Elizabeth’s arm before putting her on his shoulder as we see fans crying. She then holds the ropes open for him only for Savage to pull her aside and he holds the ropes open for her as she goes outside, and he gives a final sendoff to the fans before heading to the back with Elizabeth.
The match itself was tremendous as both men worked hard and put on a fantastic match that really stole the show, and you can tell that both men went in with the intent to steal the show and they did just that. Considering how fast they ramped up the feud to the point that they went with the stipulation, they did a great job in building the heat and it was just enough of doubt that you could see either guy having their career ended at this point. As I mentioned, they could’ve tipped their hand too much by teasing a feud with Warrior and Taker, but during the match there were more than enough times where you thought Savage could win. They had great chemistry and really went all out to the point that Savage hit his finisher five times, but in the end he puts Warrior over super strong to the point that he let Warrior pin him with a boot on his chest. But as great as the match was, what happened afterwards was perhaps even more memorable with Savage and Elizabeth finally reuniting and Savage is in essence turned face as a result and you pretty much forget that Warrior won as Savage goes out like the conquering hero with his woman by his side again. Gorilla and Bobby were great as well putting over the severity of the match as well as putting over Savage and Elizabeth reuniting. The crowd was red hot for the whole match and popped for Warrior when he won, but they were even hotter for when Savage and Elizabeth reunited to the point that people were visibly crying due to the emotion of the moment. Warrior gets the win over Savage and his career continues as Savage’s is now over, but he still wins in the end as he is back together with Elizabeth.
Final Grade: *****
