In the 1980's, the muscle-bound, charismatic Macho Man Randy Savage became one of the biggest
wrestling stars in the world. But in 2011, fans were shocked when he suddenly passed
away. Here's a look at what the final days of Randy Savage's life were really like.
The "explosion" of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage's Mega Powers tag team may have all been part
of a storyline, but the tension between these two wrestling greats was definitely real.
When Savage's marriage to Miss Elizabeth ended in 1992, the Macho Man reportedly pinned much
of the blame on Hogan, and the years that followed saw him repeatedly throw shade at
his former WWE tag teammate. Heck, Savage even went as far as to release a hip-hop album
in 2003, which included the title track, "Be a Man" — an obvious diss track against the
Hulkster.
According to Bleacher Report, the two didn't speak for a long time, apparently due to several
misunderstandings between both men that were blown way out of proportion. But a chance
meeting at a medical facility not long before Savage's death instantly thawed the ice between
Savage and Hogan. At that time, Savage was accompanying his mother for an electrocardiogram
when he was told by a nurse that Hogan was also there.
Savage's mother, Judy Poffo, said
"He came up and grabbed Hulk from behind. Hulk turned around and he was so happy. Randy
wasn't angry anymore."
The Macho Man's younger brother, former WWE Superstar Lanny Poffo, likewise noted that
Randy was, quote, "tired of being mad all the time" when he buried the hatchet with
Hogan.
Well before he became known the world over as WWE Superstar "Macho Man" Randy Savage,
young Randy Poffo, as he was known in real life, was a talented high school baseball
player in his hometown of Downers Grove, Illinois. While he went undrafted by the MLB in 1971,
he signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and also spent time with
the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox organizations during his four-year career
in the minors.
According to Bleacher Report, Savage continued to support the Reds during his wrestling career,
actually appearing as a guest radio announcer for the team in 1989. When his brother brought
up that onetime guest spot to longtime Reds mainstay Joey Votto in 2011, that was enough
for the star first baseman to invite the Macho Man to a June 2011 game against the Tampa
Bay Rays at Tropicana Field — which wasn't far from Savage's Largo, Florida, home. The
offer came with some nice VIP perks for the retired wrestler, including batting practice
privileges.
Although he was known to be a recluse toward the end of his life, Savage accepted the invitation
to the game. Tragically, though, he never had the chance, as he passed away five weeks
before the game.
Macho Man Randy Savage came from a wrestling family — his brother Lanny Poffo wrestled
in WWE under both his real name and as The Genius, while their father, Angelo Poffo,
was a veteran wrestler and promoter who worked in the industry for several decades. That
family legacy was a key topic of conversation for the two brothers on the night before Savage
died.
According to Bleacher Report, the Macho Man invited his brother to his house for a few
beers, as they discussed how their father was excluded from a 1987 WWE battle royal
featuring several other old-school wrestling legends. This permanently soured Savage's
relationship with WWE and its chairman, Vince McMahon, and he supposedly told his brother
that he
"[...] handled it like Martin Luther King [but] should have handled it like Malcolm
X. By any means necessary."
In addition, Savage was supposedly emphatic about his stand that he wouldn't want to be
inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by himself — it had to be the entire Poffo family or
no one at all.
Ultimately, and tragically, that decision fell on Lanny rather than on the Macho Man.
Lanny said that he felt torn between honoring his brother's wishes and honoring his brother's
legacy. Ultimately, he agreed to allow Savage to be inducted alone, and the Macho Man was
enshrined as part of the WWE Hall of Fame's class of 2015.
On the morning of May 20, 2011, Randy Savage told his wife, Lynn, that he wasn't feeling
well. This apparently wasn't unusual for him, as years of taking bumps in the ring had left
him in constant physical pain. With that in mind, Lynn suggested that they go out and
have something to eat. That didn't help, though, as Randy didn't appear to look any better
despite having his usual order.
After leaving the restaurant, Lynn suggested that she drive Randy home, but according to
Bleacher Report, the Macho Man insisted on taking the wheel of his 2009 Jeep Wrangler.
The wrestler then said that he thought he was about to pass out, and he lost consciousness
with his foot still on the accelerator. Lynn grabbed the wheel and swerved to avoid a motorcycle
and a bus that were moving in their path; the Jeep crashed into a tree, but a potentially
much more serious accident was averted.
Lynn escaped with only minor injuries, but Savage was pronounced dead at Largo Medical
Center, with his cause of death listed as heart disease — apparently, his heart had
stopped beating while he was driving. He was just 58 years old.
Lanny Poffo told The Bright House Sports Network that he was glad his brother didn't suffer.
"It was a beautiful way to die. It was quick, painless."
Looking back on his brother's funeral, Lanny noted that Savage, even in death, still had
that intimidating appearance that made him such a believable performer during his WWE
and WCW heyday. He told Bleacher Report,
"Even in the casket, he had that look. He looked like he was just resting until he could
get up and kick your ass."
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more Grunge videos about your favorite
wrestlers are coming soon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.