Reimagined: What If Randy Savage Never Left WWE?

In October of 1994, “Macho Man” Randy Savage left the WWE after a 9-year run with the company. Second only to Hulk Hogan, Savage’s departure from the company was considered one of the most monumental in its history. Randy quickly signed with WWE's rival promotion then; Ted Turner-owned WCW. Several theories have surfaced over the years about why Randy left WWE. In a rare move, Vince McMahon wished Savage well upon the news of his leaving the company on the air during a Raw broadcast. This was so unprecedented that McMahon didn’t even do the same for Hogan upon his departure. 

Our reimagining will commence on Nov 1st, 1994, one day after Savage’s final appearance in WWE. We will follow the timeline of Randy’s lifespan, which was tragically cut short in 2011. This will cover a 17-year period. Of course, we will ideally operate assuming Savage never suffered any serious injuries. We will assume that he could compete on at least a part-time basis until his untimely passing. 

Survivor Series 1994

We are going to keep things simple here. One of the featured traditional Survivor Series matches in 1994 would see Team Luger vs The Million Dollar Team. We will simply replace Mabel with Randy on Team Luger, who, after not competing as a full-time wrestler for several months or longer, will now be doing so. Randy and Adam Bomb will be the survivors of Team Luger, as the company still seemed somewhat invested in the latter at the time. This is changing the actual result, as The Million Dollar Team went over, but we need this for Savage's comeback story. 

Royal Rumble 1995/WrestleMania 11

Randy Savage is announced as a participant in the 1995 Royal Rumble. He makes it to the final 5, but as he and his old nemesis, Crush, are brawling, they are both eliminated by Davey Boy Smith. A quick shot of Randy’s face indicates a mixture of disbelief and simmering rage. Shawn Michaels still wins the match and challenges Diesel for the WWE title at WrestleMania. There is speculation as to what role Savage will have at the big show.

In early February, Savage is booked for a tag match with none other than Bret Hart. He has frequently watched Hart’s back in his on-again/off-again feud with his brother, Owen. This time it will be Savage and Bret vs Owen and Jeff Jarrett in the main event of Raw. During the match, Bret suffers a minor injury and has to be helped to the back. Savage is left in a handicapped situation for the next few minutes. He valiantly fights off Owen and Jarrett and manages to stay in the match. 

Suddenly, Bret returns to the match as the crowd roars in support. Savage finally makes the tag, and Bret is a house of fire. He ends up submitting Owen with the Sharpshooter, to the overwhelming approval of everyone….well, almost everyone. Savage stares at Bret with a strikingly similar look in his eyes as the Royal Rumble. As the camera remains on him, it starts to become clear that Randy feels disrespected. Bret offers a handshake and a high five several times. Randy just stares at him, before finally leaving, never reciprocating Bret's gesture. Raw goes off the air with Bret looking confused, and the commentators wondering what might be going through Savage’s mind. 

Over the next two weeks, Savage’s attitude and demeanour seem to continue evolving or devolving. He’s more aggressive in the ring and doesn’t interact with fans on his way to it. He refuses any interviews until Shawn Michaels requests that he and Bret Hart appear on an episode of the Heartbreak Hotel. Shawn wants the dirt on exactly what happened between two men who once seemed to be strongly aligned. Bret also agrees, and the segment is set for Raw in late February. 

HBK establishes the setting, as Savage and Bret stare at one another. Savage is stoic and slightly brooding. Hart, who is focused but uncertain, speaks first. “You know, Randy, I've had respect for you since the first day I arrived here in the WWF.” You always looked out for me and advised me when needed. I thought we were friends in a business you don’t have many in, and I know you well enough to know that something from our match a couple of weeks ago didn’t sit well with you.” 

“I'm here to get to the bottom of this, Randy,” because your mentorship and your friendship are something that I have and will always appreciate.”

Savage continues to stare at him intensely before he finally speaks. “You know, Hitman, they say pride comes before the fall, yeah. I've watched you become a Superstar and a champion here in the World Wrestling Federation, and I’ve also watched you change as a man. I've seen that look in your eye, change over the years. It’s an unmistakable look because it’s the same one I've seen in my reflection in the past, uh-huh.” 

“It’s easy to fool these people because I've been doing it for years, but you can’t fool me.” “You see, Hitman, I've had a front-row seat to your transformation, and I've come to one conclusion. That conclusion is that your younger brother, Owen, is exactly right about you. You are a selfish egomaniac, and you will go out of your way to ensure the spotlight stays on you.” Bret looks perplexed and offended but manages to crack a nervous smile, thinking that Randy is possibly kidding.

“I saw the real Bret Hart when I fought the odds on my own, only to have you steal the glory and make sure everyone remembered you, uh-huh.”

The audience audibly groans as Bret shakes his head in disagreement.

“Randy, I would never intentionally disrespect you. I don’t know where these words are coming from, but this isn’t the Randy Savage I have come to know.”

“Shut up!” Randy shouts, to which Bret visibly tenses up in response.

“I am here to challenge you to a match at WrestleMania, yeah. You call yourself the Best there is, but I am going to remind you are from the Best there was, and I will decide if you are the Best there ever will be.” 

Bret’s posture and demeanour instantly shift from respectful to defensive. His tone deepens as he says, “Randy, if it was being excellently executed was what you wanted all along, then it would be my pleasure to do it at WrestleMania. Bret extends his hand, and Randy hesitates for several seconds. He looks at Shawn, then the audience, then at Bret. He finally speaks and says, “if you want a handshake from me, you’re going to have to earn it at WrestleMania.”

Savage then abruptly leaves the ring to the shock and awe of the crowd.

The match continues the trend of a classic opening match from the previous year and kicks off the show. Bret and Savage go back and forth for 20 minutes before Savage misses an elbow drop. Bret then uses a rarely seen at the time la mahistral rollup to put Randy away. Bret offers his hand to Savage, who hesitates for several seconds, before finally acquiescing. Bret raises Savage’s arm and gestures to all four sides of the ring. However, when Bret turns his back, Savage runs him hard into the turnbuckle. 

The commentators are incredulous as Randy viciously attacks Bret. He takes him to the floor and runs the Hitman into the ring post, before blasting him with the axe handle from the top. Randy punctuates the attack by striking Bret with the ring bell. The audience is stunned as the commentary team pleads for officials to intervene. They decree that the Macho Man has wholly snapped, showing us a side we had forgotten he possessed. 

King Of The Ring/SummerSlam/Survivor Series 1995

Bret and Randy have a blow-off match on Raw, and Randy wins by tainted means. For now, they go their separate ways as Savage enters the King Of The Ring tournament in June.

Instead of the ill-advised Mabel win, Savage takes a similar route to victory. He beats Savio Vega in the finals with a little bit of help from none other than Luna Vachon. Yes, this is something of a retread of The Macho King and Sensational Sherri, but this time Savage is even darker. He dubs himself The Mad King, clad in almost all black, similar to his NWO gear. Luna becomes “The Maiden Of Madness,” Together, she and Savage stalk their way to SummerSlam.

Thanks to his KOTR victory, Savage earns a title shot at Diesel. He and Luna proceed to play mind games with Diesel in the buildup to the PPV. The announcers frequently remind us that Diesel has never encountered an opponent quite like “The Mad King.” They seem to suggest that a new WWE champion may be inevitable. Diesel and Savage have a physical contest at SummerSlam. At one point, Luna gets involved, but her interference backfires and inadvertently costs Savage the match. Diesel retains, and Savage and Luna remain united for now. 

At Survivor Series in 1995, we will slot Randy in Dean Douglas’s place in the Wild Card match. This gives the match more star power as the Dean character was not clicking then. Savage’s team ultimately comes up short, and after a mini-TV feud with Ahmed Johnson, Randy declares himself for the Royal Rumble. Aside from Vader, another former WCW sensation is advertised as an entrant in the Rumble. His name is Marc Mero. 

Royal Rumble 1996/WrestleMania 12

At the Royal Rumble, both Randy and Marc Mero draw numbers in the 20s. They make it to the final six before Mero shockingly eliminates Savage. Savage is apoplectic and attacks Mero, controversially eliminating him in the process. The two brawl all over the arena before security can finally separate them. Over the next few weeks of TV, Mero and Savage continue to assault one another. Finally, Savage demands a match with Mero at WrestleMania 12. 

At WrestleMania, it’s billed as the Wildman vs The Macho Man. It’s the first time Savage has referred to himself as that since becoming “The Mad King,” but it suits the occasion. Savage and Mero go 10 minutes, as the Iron Man match is still given most of the show. However, they have a fantastic encounter with a lot of energy and a fast pace. Mero wins with his Wild Thing finisher, a move the WWF audience has never seen. 

Luna looks on at Randy in disgust after yet another high-profile loss. Savage looks to her for consolation, but she refuses. She leaves Randy in the ring, seemingly abandoning their partnership indefinitely. Randy looks on, confused, disillusioned, and now alone. We don’t see him again until the Fall of 1996.

Survivor Series 1996 To Survivor Series 1997

When putting his team together for the 1996 Survivor Series, Jerry Lawler promised to have the most distinguished team in history. Before announcing his final member, Lawler reminds us it “takes a King to know a King,” and introduces Savage. Randy will now be a part of the team facing Rocky Maivia in his WWF debut match. The match plays out essentially the same, only it comes down to Randy and Rocky at the end. After a sterling first effort, The future Rock defeats Savage in a significant upset. 

This establishes the company's commitment to the young Maivia, who has just cleanly defeated one of the biggest stars in WWE history. For his part, Savage can’t deny what he has just experienced, and when it appears he may attack, he extends his hand to Rocky. Maivia reciprocates the handshake, and Savage raises his arm. This is the step into a new phase for Savage, as he begins to turn back into a babyface. At the end of the following month, Savage is again announced as an entrant into the Royal Rumble.

Randy enters the Rumble at #16 and lasts until the end before being eliminated by Vader and Mankind. This is the impetus for the next few weeks of conflict, as Savage begins feuding with both men, who were loosely aligned at the time. This leads to Rocky Maivia eventually coming to Savage’s aid to even up the odds. A  WrestleMania tag match is set. This avoids the forgettable Maivia/Sultan affair at the event, which didn’t do much for Rocky in his WrestleMania debut. Also, Owen Hart and Davey Boy defend the titles in the opening four-way match. 

Randy Savage and Rocky Maivia are victorious, and the post-match still allows Rocky Johnson to get involved. We get the image of both Savage and Maivia’s father endorsing him in front of the Chicago crowd. For the next several months, Randy engages in a few mini feuds. However, at this point, he is working fewer and fewer dates on the road. He’s left off the KOTR and SummerSlam card and is only on TV sparingly. 

After coming to the aid of The Patriot, who was feuding with The Hart Foundation in the Fall of 1997, Savage reignites his old rivalry with Bret. After defeating Davey Boy Smith, Randy earns a shot at the WWF title at Badd Blood in October. The same PPV that featured the first Hell In A Cell match will also see Randy Savage receive his first title match in over two years. He ultimately comes up short, but the crowd gives him an ovation after the match. They may be starting to sense that Savage is entering the twilight of his career. 

In real life, Randy is still actually quite close with Bret Hart. His contract is set to expire in 1999, after agreeing to 5 years in 1994. After the Montreal screw job, Savage takes personal offense to the incident and walks out in protest. The difference between Randy and Mick Foley is that Savage doesn’t come back. McMahon gives Randy some time before eventually firing him in the Summer of 1998 for breach of contract. We don’t see Randy Savage in a WWF ring again until 2001.

2001 Return 

It’s the night after what many consider the most incredible WrestleMania in history; 17. At the top of the second hour, the crowd erupts in joy and shock when “Pomp And Circumstance” play over the speakers. “Macho Man" Randy Savage has not been on WWF television in over three years. He soaks up the cheers for several moments before saying, “I've had a lot of time to do some thinkin, thinkin, yeah!” “I can see the landscape has changed since last I was here.” 

“You see, The Macho Man was here when the foundation was built, and I was one of the guys at the forefront. And now we’re the only game left in town, uh huh. It takes a grand vision to realize a grand plan but also a ruthless tyrant to corrupt the core. I walked out of this company when I knew that the one thing that kept the Macho Man loyal to it for all those years was gone, and that’s trust!” “So I'm here to get some answers all these years later and, if necessary, some closure.” “McMahon, get your ass out here!!”

There’s a pause, and to everyone’s surprise, including Savage’s, McMahon comes to the ring, but it’s not the one we expected. Instead, Stephanie McMahon comes to the ring. Savage looks confused and honestly a bit uncomfortable. Stephanie grabs a microphone and glares at Savage before caustically saying, “welcome back, Randy. I’m sure even these people know you, and I need no introduction. No, you know me quite well, and I know you better than I ever wanted to.” 

Randy looks uncharacteristically flustered, and when he begins to speak, Stephanie balks, “shut your mouth!” “Now you’re going to listen to me, you ungrateful narcissist. You have been a parasite to my family for almost two decades. My father made you a household name and saved you from the irrelevance your bloodline was always destined for. He made you one of the biggest stars in the WWE, and how do you repay him? You abandon him at the peak of the greatest threat he has ever known, and now that he has conquered that threat, you conveniently reappear.” 

“How dare you disrespect my family and father by referring to him by last name only, you indignant bastard.” “Because if anyone in the McMahon family knows exactly what kind of “man” you are, it’s ME!” Stephanie pauses and then slaps Savage in the face. He looks stunned and slightly humiliated. She goes to slap him again, and Randy grabs her hand. Suddenly, Triple H emerges behind Savage and blasts him with the sledgehammer. 

A vicious attack ensues as Hunter assaults Savage with a deliberate rage. He eventually pedigrees Savage twice. Then takes him to the ringside and hoists him onto the table. Triple H pedigrees Savage through the table to punctuate the beating. He then holds Savage up by the head and motions for Stephanie. She slaps him several more times as blood runs down Savage’s forehead. The announcers’ layout, as officials respond to the situation. The show goes on a break. 

On Smackdown, Triple H and Stephanie open the show later in the week. Hunter says that in this business, there are both “men and there are monsters.” He continues, “sometimes a man can embody a monster if the situation demands it.. There are some people who feel that I have been a monster at times,” but I ask you, what kind of a MAN is Randy Savage. For years, he has played the icon to all of you and convinced you that he possesses at least some redeeming qualities.” “But I, especially my wife, know exactly who you are, Savage.” 

Triple H and Stephanie finish their promo, and the fans anticipate Savage’s arrival and response, but it doesn’t come. The announcers speculate that The Macho Man isn’t even in the building. Later in the evening, Mr. McMahon gives Randy Savage an ultimatum. He must be at Raw on Monday to address Stephanie and Triple H, or he will be fired and sued for breach of contract. 

Throughout the night, Savage’s pending response to Triple H and Stephanie is promoted during the broadcast. Until the 11th hour, there is no confirmation that Randy is even in the building. Finally, with 15 minutes left, Savage’s music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. His trademark intensity is coupled with an expression of dread, almost embarrassed or shame. He grabs both a microphone and a chair. He scans the entire room, unfolds the chair and takes a seat. 

“It was 16 years ago that I began working for the McMahon family. Some of you may know, and some of you may not, that I come from a wrestling family myself. I understand what it means to live and breathe for this business, and I have no regrets! Well, I didn’t, at least until now. I am here tonight not as The Macho Man, Randy Savage, but as The man, Randy Poffo.” 

“As a Performer here in WWF, I have had my character questioned many times over the last few years. But I have never questioned it as Randy Poffo. I met Stephanie McMahon in 1986. She had a smile and an energy that would light up the room, and she inherited the quick wit of her father. We became buddies, and she loved to shadow my ex-wife. As Stephanie grew, we remained friends, and our bond grew closer after my divorce. But I am here to tell you that my intentions and actions with Stephanie were never anything less than pure.” 

Randy continues but is interrupted by Stephanie. “I've heard enough!! You are a man who has abused everything and EVERYONE who ever came into your life!” “I watched you isolate your ex-wife like the paranoid maniac you’ve always been, and….” “Stop!!” Savage yells!! “Try as you may, Stephanie; you will never drive me to hate you, but tolerating you is getting tough. You profess your love to a man who drugged and married you and then joked about doing other unspeakable things to you, yet you’re here passing judgment on me?!” 

Stephanie is now in the ring, and suddenly Triple H emerges from the crowd. Savage shifts his attention, but Stephanie pulls his hair from the back and turns him to slap him again. Randy blocks it as Hunter goes after him, but Savage telegraphs it. He and Hunter exchange punches, and Randy gets the better of the fight. Stephanie gets the sledgehammer as Hunter and Savage struggle over the chair. Upon returning to the ring, Savage is about to hit Hunter with the chair, but he ducks, and Stephanie is struck. 

The crowd goes into shock, not to mention Savage himself. Hunter is beside himself with emotion when he realizes what has happened. Savage looks mortified as officials charge the ring. Stephanie is eventually put onto a stretcher. The commentary goes silent, and the show goes off the air without a single word uttered. 

An enraged and emotional Triple H opens Smackdown that week. He says while Stephanie’s condition has improved, she suffered a concussion due to the chair shot. He says that while Stephanie has always known who Randy Savage was, now the entire world does too. He says he went to Vince, and he has Randy at Backlash. He looks into the camera and says, “Savage, I am not going just to hurt you at Backlash. I am going to punish you for every sin you have committed. As for Stephanie, I am going to end you.” 

It's a wild brawl at Backlash; stiff, intense, and emotionally charged. The match is given a No Holds Barred stipulation and eventually spills outside the ring and into the backstage area. Hunter and Savage are seemingly not interested in beating each other but instead maiming one another. The action spills outside the arena, where Savage has Hunter prone on the hood of a car. It appears that he will attempt an elbow drop of some sort when suddenly he is struck by another car. The impact immediately incapacitates him, and the car stops. Stephanie emerges from the car and assists Hunter as the commentary expresses complete shock. 

8 days later, Savage’s real-life girlfriend, Serena (Stephanie) Bellars, is advertised for Raw. She will be giving an update on Randy’s condition after being struck by the car. During the segment, Stephanie and Hunter appear in the arena for the first time since the PPV. They enter the ring, and Stephanie begins to taunt Bellars. Bellars fires back and tells them that she will be encouraging him to do so while Randy has yet to press charges against them. Stephanie and Hunter look at one another, and Stephanie then says, “I guess we'll just have to give Randy a reason then.” She slaps Bellars, who slaps Stephanie back immediately. Hunter grabs Bellars while Stephanie repeatedly strikes her. The segment ends with Stephanie delivering a pedigree to Bellars. 

The following week on Raw, Mr. McMahon gives Stephanie and Hunter the night off. However, they requested an interview time via satellite to explain their actions last Thursday. During the interview, a pounding knock at the door startles the couple. Hunter asks Stephanie if she’s expecting anyone, and she says no. As they go to answer the door, a sudden cacophony is heard from the kitchen. 

After a few seconds, Randy Savage rushes through the sliding glass door and attacks Hunter. A chaotic brawl ensues all over the house. Stephanie attempts to intervene, but suddenly Bellars emerges and begins tussling with her. The crew tries to restore order as one screams for the police to be called. A bloodied Hunter grabs a kitchen knife, and we hear another plea for help. The show cuts to break. 

After they return from the commercial, Jim Ross solemnly apologizes for what we just witnessed. “No one had any idea what Savage and Ms. Bellars would do tonight other than the parties themselves.” “We here at WWE claim no responsibility for how this unfortunate situation has escalated, nor do we condone it.” The show continues, and Ross promises that any updates regarding the condition of Triple H and Stephanie will be promptly provided upon reception. By the show's end, we are informed that Savage and Bellars left home before the police arrived. 

A cool-down period is unofficially invoked for the rest of the week, and none of the parties are in attendance for Smackdown. Mr. McMahon has promised to have an update this Monday on Raw. Vince heads to the ring at the top of the second hour on Monday. He says what happened last Monday is not only reprehensible but criminal. He says The Macho Man  has given him no choice; he looks into the camera and begins to say, “you're….but is interrupted by Motorhead's “The Game.” Triple H power walks to the ring and enters. He looks at Vince, who looks back with unease and surprise. He motions for the mic, and Vince hands it to him. Hunter breathes heavily for a few moments before simply saying, Savage….Hell In A Cell!!!! He throws down the microphone and storms to the back.

The match is made official for Judgment Day. We get only one promo from Savage before the event, as a no-physicality clause is implemented before the match. Also, Savage and Hunter have agreed that if all legal matters are foregone, this will be the final time they interact. The match is a 25-minute exhibition of emotionally charged violence and brutality. Savage connects with an elbow through a table from the top, but it isn’t enough. The Macho Man can kick out of a pedigree onto a chair. 

Finally, Savage wraps his wrist tape in barbed wire and attempts his trademark axe handle from the top. Hunter can secure the sledgehammer in time and blast Savage in the midsection at the final second. He hits Randy with another pedigree but can’t make the pin—savage struggles to his feet, pouring blood, as Triple H screams at him to stay down. Savage is standing but defenceless. Hunter gives him a gut shot, but again, Savage rises. Hunter then blasts Randy in the head with the sledgehammer. The Macho Man manages to get to both knees. 

Hunter screams at him, but Randy stares back, dazed but defiant. The amount of blood Randy has lost is disturbing and quite possibly unwatchable to some. His head is a mangled mess. He stares at Hunter, who finally brings the hammer straight to his head. Savage crumbles face-first, and Triple H covers him for 3. One of the most controversial storylines in WWE history has finally concluded.

2005 Return 

While Sylvester Stallone is a fine choice and brought much mainstream media attention, a better option is arguable to induct Hogan into the Hall Of Fame. The WWF, now the WWE, has not seen much of Randy Savage since 2001. The Macho Man made sporadic appearances and was involved with international tours and the first-ever Tribute To The Troops. It’s announced that Savage will be inducting his old frenemy, Hulk Hogan, into the WWE Hall Of Fame, class of 2005. 

In the event build-up, Savage and Hogan are taunted and challenged by a young wrestler named Muhammad Hassan. Eugene, who has also been a target of Hassan’s, pleads with Hogan and Savage to reunite the Mega Powers again to fight Hassan and his associate, Daivari, at WrestleMania. He gets his wish, and The Mega Powers team up at WrestleMania for the first time. It’s a short and straightforward match that sees The Mega Powers win after Hogan pins Daivari upon being abandoned by his partner. Hogan and Savage both celebrate before Savage leaves the ring, allowing Hogan his moment after being inducted into the HOF the night prior. 

Hall Of Fame Induction/WrestleMania 23

It’s announced that “Macho Man" Randy Savage will be the headliner for the 2007 Hall Of Fame class. Dusty Rhodes is moved to 2008 in Florida, alongside Ric Flair, where it makes more sense for the former to be inducted anyway. In the build-up to the event, Randy cuts a promo about how much the city of Detroit means to him, as it was 20 years before he had his most important match. Randy Orton, who is the Intercontinental champion at the time, and who won’t be participating in the Money In The Bank match, as he was never needed, interrupts. 

Randy insincerely congratulates Savage for his HOF nod. He continues, “you know, it was 20 years ago that you and Ricky Steamboat put this title on the map.” “It’s been too long since I've had the opportunity to kill a legend. So what do you say, Randy, you and me for this Intercontinental title at WrestleMania in Detroit?!” Savage laughs and says he appreciates the offer but has nothing left to prove. Orton nods and offers Savage a handshake; Macho Man is tepid but accepts and is hit with an RKO.

Orton is left hanging with no opponent for WrestleMania. He vows to attend the HOF to “persuade” Savage into giving him his match. Randy Savage is inducted by his family on the night of the ceremony. After an emotional and gracious speech, Savage gets serious and says just one more thing. “Randy Orton, as far as your challenge goes…..Ohhh Yeeeahhh!!!” Orton stands from his seat in the crowd and points at Savage before striking his pose. 

Randy Orton and Randy Savage have a decent 7-minute match at the show. Savage is limited at this point but makes a competent showing for himself. Ricky Steamboat gets involved on Savage’s behalf at one point but eats an RKO. Another RKO later, and Orton officially puts the legend of The Macho Man to rest. Savage is given a standing ovation after the match and soaks in the cheers one final time. It is the last time he ever appears on WWE television. 

Conclusion 

Randy lives quietly in Florida with his wife for the next four years. In 2011, he tragically passed away after heart failure, leads him to crash his vehicle. Professional wrestling loses one of its most colorful and influential characters ever. Randy Savage was a generational talent and gave his all to everything he did. This article was intended to reimagine a scenario in which Randy never left the WWF/WWE and how his career would have evolved if so.