Oh hey. Welcome to the blog that just keeps coming back, no matter how many times it’s been buried alive.
For anyone who missed parts 1 and 2, don’t forget to check them out and let me know how wrong I am about everything :). And while you’re at it, check out my articles covering the ending of the streak and a retro review of ECW Wrestlepalooza 98!
For those not in the loop, this series is meant to compare highly publicized (often well received) matches and compare them to their follow up matches that are often less fondly remembered. Now (like with Undertaker and Kane), some matches listed will be between guys who have had dozens of matches together. I’m looking for the match with the biggest, most well remembered initial entry, as well as the most notable 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) installment.
Vol 3 – Savage vs Warrior – Mania 7, SummerSlam 92
Mania 7
Video package bay-bay:
Main Event November 23, 1990: the Macho King Randy Savage attacks The Ultimate Warrior and beats him down with his royal scepter.
Royal Rumble 91: the Macho King’s manager, Sensational Sherri, attempts to seduce The Warrior as a means of getting a title shot for Randy down the line. Her affections are rebuffed. Later that night, both Sherri and the Macho King interfere in Warrior’s match against Sargent Slaughter and cost him (Warrior) the title.
Post package we learn that this is a career vs career match. We also see Savage’s former manager, Ms. Elizabeth, sitting in the crowd.
Match Intro
Savage and Sherri out first. They are carried to the ring on a “golden” throne. Interestingly, the guys carrying them to the ring are all dressed in wrestling gear. So yeah, Savage is literally wrestling royalty.
Warrior out next. Uncharacteristically, he walks to the ring. He gets in a little posing on the apron before stepping into the ring (Savage bails out). Warrior is a massive dude. The steroid scandal isn’t far off.
Warrior has “means much more than this” written on the back of his trunks with a picture of the WWF title in the center. IE: this feud means more then the title. Rock on.
The Match
Bell rings and both men get crowd heat.
Lock up. They jockey for position against the ropes. Savage breaks clean and talks trash. Lock up 2. Warrior shows his power and throws Savage across the ring. Savage, the aggressor, gets in a little offense before getting taken down by a shoulder tackle. He takes a powder.
Sherri distracts Warrior from the apron and Savage attacks him from behind. Warrior recovers with a stiff clothesline. Warrior in control. Pair of atomic drops. Two handed choke spot. Sherri runs into the ring and Savage is thrown right into her. She bumps to the outside.
Savage gets in a little more offensive. His top rope cross body is caught but Warrior actually places him on his feet…. And gives him a slap. Great spot. Another powder for Savage.
The action is non-stop. Savage throws a chair into the ring and when Warrior turns his back (distracted by the chair), Savage jumps him. Warrior regains control again before missing a corner splash and flying to the outside.
Sherri gets in a few cheap shots including a back rake!
Back in the ring we get another stand off and Savage spits at the Warrior before taking another powder. The heels attempt another distraction spot but Savage is caught this time. Some more back and forth and we get a double clothesline. Both men down.
Warrior manages a small package but the ref is busy dealing with Sherri. Two count. Ref bump.
Savage holds Warrior as Sherri climbs to the top rope, shoe in hand. Warrior breaks free and she clocks Savage. Warrior chases Sherri around the ring until Savage catches him with a school boy. Two count.
Savage in control and he hits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 top rope elbow drops. Warrior preps for his kick out right away (boo) but kicks out late (yay). Warrior also has the decency to slowly “Hulk up” and not just shoot up to his feet.
Warrior hits punches and clotheslines. Press Slam. Splash. Kick out!
Warrior in shock, looks up to the Gods. Disenchanted, he slowly makes his way to the ring apron. The ref tries to talk him out of it (if he’s counted out, his career is over). Savage blindsides the Warrior and he topples to the outside. Sherri holds Warrior’s neck over the guardrail. Savage off the top rope… Warrior counters.
A teary eyed Liz watches from the crowd.
Back in the ring, a huge shoulder tackle from Warrior. Then a 2nd. Then a 3rd. Warrior places his foot on Savage’s chest and gets the 1, 2, 3. (20:47)
Post Match
Warrior re-jackets and poses and heads off.
Sherri into the ring. She beats on Savage. Cue Elizabeth storming the ring. She tosses Sherri to the outside.
Savage staggers to his feet and nearly takes a swing at Liz. Drama as Sherri screams from the outside.
Just Savage and Liz now. Liz crying…. BIG HUG!
Liz on Savages shoulder, posing. Fans crying in the crowd. A little more pomp and circumstance as Savage poses for the crowd. Liz and Savage head to the back together.
Thoughts:
****1/4. Great up-tempo, action packed match. A well told story of Warrior’s strength vs Savage’s speed and conning. Maybe the best worked match of Warrior’s career. There were a large number of inference spots but I never felt they hurt the flow of the match. Even though the 5 elbow drops/kick out spot was a bit overkill, I’d imagine it was Savage’s decision to go through with it. The post match was wonderful as well. The reuniting of Savage and Liz as Savage walks off towards the sunset…. Though (spoiler alert) he would be WWF champion this time the following year. But hey, who would have known that at this point? I will say the actual finish to the match was a little flat, if sensible, after the 3 tackles and the nonchalant pin.
SummerSlam 92
Mean Gene backstage. He wants an answer to the question everyone is asking, whose corner will Mr Perfect be in for Savage vs Warrior? Note: both Savage and Warrior are face going into this match.
Video package: Savage (now WWF champion) and Warrior facing off on an episode of Superstars in an out-of-ring interview segment. Flair and Perfect enter and mock Savage from the ring. Savage runs in and gets beat down. Warrior makes the save.
The next week, there’s a Warrior segment that Flair interrupts and a Savage segment that Perfect interrupts. Basically the heels are playing mind games, trying to convince each man that their opponent isn’t on the level. Very “but whose side is he on?” kind of stuff.
Next a tag match that pitted Warrior and Savage against the Nasty Boys. Miscommunication between the faces and tensions flare up. Flair and Perfect hit the ring and jump Warrior as the Nasty’s double team Savage.
Match Intro
At the announcers table, Bobby Heenan teases saying which side the heels have chosen.
Warrior out first and he bombs it down to the ring.
Savage, the champ, out second. No sign of Flair or Perfect.
The Match
Stand off. Both men hype up the crowd.
Savage offers a handshake. After a pregnant pause, Warrior accepts…. But doesn’t release his grip. Shoves and jaw jacking.
Lock up. Jockeying for position against the ropes. Savage breaks clean. Lock up. Warrior overpowers Savage, throwing him across the ring (deja vu).
Shots and clotheslines from Savage. Pin attempt but Warrior powers out at 1. Warrior takes control and delivers a pair of atomic drops.
Savage back on top (briefly) following a missed elbow. Warrior counters a head lock with a jaw breaker and strings together a little more offense. Neither man is able to stay firmly in control for more then 60 seconds at a time.
Blown spot as Savage grabs Warrior by the tights and attempts to slam him into the turnbuckle but Warrior ends up toppling over. No worries as they repeat the spot and get it right this time. A top rope ax handle is half sold by the Warrior but a second one takes him down. Like the last match, Savage’s top rope cross body is caught and this time turned into backbreaker.
Warrior works the back a little with a series of corner whips, a bear hug throw, and a side slam.
Savage, drawing from his days in Memphis, hits Warrior with the Shake, Rattle, and Roll. Selling the back, Savage is unable to lift Warrior for a suplex.
More shots to the back from Warrior before he misses a clothesline and goes flying over the rope to the outside.
Top rope ax handle to the outside connects. Brawling.
It’s around this time that Perfect and Flair make their way down to the ring.
Back in the ring, Warrior goes for the big splash but Savage gets his legs up. Dub clothesline and both men are down.
Savage back to his feet attempts to run the ropes but is tripped by Perfect, allowing Warrior to take over. Ref bump. Warrior connects with a top rope ax handle but the dazed ref delivers a slow 2-count. Another ref bump.
Savage delivers a pile driver. He goes to revive the ref and Flair/Perfect take the opportunity to cold-cock the Warrior. Top rope elbow from Savage. Slow count. 1… 2… Kick out.
A slow “Hulk Up” from the Warrior. Clotheslines. Shoulder tackle. Press Slam. He goes for the Big Splash but receives a(n) (unseen) chair shot from Flair for his troubles. Savage figures out something’s not right and has a crisis of conscience. Should he deliver the top rope elbow for the tainted win?
Savage turns his attention to Flair and jumps off the top rope to the outside but is caught with a chair shot. Savage sells his leg and is counted out (the ref having missed the interference). (28:00)
Post Match
Savage jumped. Perfect and Flair work over the leg. Figure-4 applied.
Flair goes to hit Savage with a chair but Warrior yanks it away and chases off the heels.
Warrior and Savage back in the ring, Savage still selling his leg. After being declared the winner but not champion, Warrior snatches the title from an outside official. Warrior helps Savage to his feet and gives him the title for a lovely face pop.
Backstage w/ Perfect, Flair, and Mean Gene. Flair says it should have been his title shot. Plan A may not have worked out but there’s always plan B (a tag match perhaps?).
Thoughts:
***3/4. A bit of a step down on all fronts but still a very good much. More fast paced action with both men coming out looking good. The story was the biggest issue. The face vs face 50/50 booking made it hard for either man to get any sustained heat. Also the Flair/Perfect angle just felt so tacked on. Which face decided to turn? Neither? Oh… Alright. Not like there was any drama anyway as the heels continually attacked both faces. The non finish was sensible but still a bit of a let down for the 2nd biggest PPV of the year.
All and all, very pleased to sit through both of these matches. I hope you enjoyed reading. Let me know if you have any thoughts on either the matches or Savage or Warrior or whatever your heart desires. Also, share your thoughts on the blog format. Is it too long or just right (it’s definitely not too short, haha)? Do you like the descriptive match breakdowns or not so much?
Thanks again.
