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NPR News

The Grace And Power Of 'Macho Man' Randy Savage

Randy "Macho Man" Savage won some 20 championships during his career in the wrestling ring.
Randy "Macho Man" Savage won some 20 championships during his career in the wrestling ring.
(
AP
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Professional wrestler "Macho Man" Randy Savage, who died Friday in a car accident in Florida, was legendary for his crazy costumes and his even crazier voice.

His personality was big, his battles with guys like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair even bigger.

Back on March 24, 1991, there wasn't a dry eye in the house at Wrestlemania 7 as Macho Man was reunited with his former manager and one true love, Miss Elizabeth.

Macho Man had just lost to the Ultimate Warrior. His current manager, the evil Sensational Sherri, was beating and kicking him as he lay broken in the ring, and then Miss Elizabeth came charging out of the stands, fought off Sensational Sherri, and reclaimed her Macho Man as his theme music swelled on the PA system.

I remember being a little kid, watching wrestling late at night with my dad. I think he didn't want to admit that he just liked the violence, so he would say things like, "Well, they're great clowns AND great athletes!"

But the thing is, that was true about Savage. He had the outsized personality to wear mile-long neon orange fringe in a Slim Jim commercial, and he had the grace and power to bring the pain in the ring.

Wrestlers call it looking "stiff." When Macho Man dropped his signature flying elbow on an opponent, it looked like the wrath of God.

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Savage spent close to three decades in the ring, winning some 20 championships. He finally retired in 2004.

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