DOING THE JOB......(By Mike Steele) The early rise of Macho Man Randy Savage. ~As a teenager, Randy Poffo was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals organization as a catcher. s placed in the minor leagues to develop, where he mostly played as an outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago White Sox farm systems. Savages last season was 1974, when he played for the Tampa Tarpons. He played 289 games in four minor league seasons, batting .254 with 16 home runs and 66 RBIs. During his off seasons, Randy Poffo caught the wrestling bug. His father Angelo Poffo was a wrestler who ran the outlaw promotion ICW. NOTE-Rumors persist to this day that Randy Poffo made his debut under a mask as The Graduate in his fathers promotion. In November 1973, The Graduate was unmasked as Jim Pride, nevertheless both could possibly have played the character, take this one with a grain of salt though. Heres an example...... Paducah Kentucky Paducah Sports Arena Thursday September 20 1973 World Tag team title match Paul Christy and Buddy Hack (champions) Vs Angelo Poffo and The Graduate ~Randys first real character in wrestling was The Spider, based largely on Spiderman. It was said one of the reasons Randy donned the gimmick was to hide the fact he was wrestling from his baseball coaches. 1974 Miami Florida February 25 1974 Tag team bout: The Spider (Randy Poffo) and Sonny Rogers vs. Frank Hester and Mike Pappas. ~First match i could find featuring Randy Poffo as The Spider. All South Wrestling Ann Gunkel Promoter Columbus Georgia September 16 1974 The Spider vs. Gama Sigh NOTE-On OCTOBER 8 1974 The Spider competed unsuccessfully in a tournament for the Georgia title. Orlando Florida December 23 1974 Mike Pappas beat The Spider Detroit Michigan Cobo Hall December 27, 1974 Wildman beat The Spider 1975 Ft. Myers Florida January 14 1975 Larry Sharpe def. The Spider Orlando Florida February 24 1975 Ricky Fields beat The Spider NOTE-Begins working as Randy Poffo. Akron Ohio Akron Armory March 29 1975 The Mongols (Ghito and Bolo) double disqualification vs. the Poffo’s (Randy and Angelo) Detroit TV April 17, 1975 Killer Karl Kox beat Randy Poffo Detroit TV May 15, 1975 Karl Von Brauner beat Randy Poffo Detroit Cobo Arena, Saturday, September 27, 1975 Stan Stasiak beat Randy Poffo Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto Ontario Canada Sunday, October 19, 1975 Sweet Daddy Siki beat Randy Poffo 1976 NOTE-Randy and his brother Lanny would form quite the successful tag team throughout 1976. Mobile, Alabama January 20, 1976 Gulf Coast Tag Team titles Randy and Lanny Poffo battled to a draw with.The British Bulldogs (Not Davey and Dynamite, Edward Heath & John Foley) NOTE-On February 17, 1976 Gulf Coast tag champs Lanny & Randy (he became Randy Savage later) Poffo went to a no-contest with the heel English Bulldogs, Edward Heath & John Foley--some legit problems occurred during this match between the teams-later in the dressing room, Rip Tyler knocked Randy Poffo across the dressing room, from reports told by a those who were there. The 3 Poffo’s were fired on the spot, & they left the promotion that night. Lanny Poffo has told a slight variation of this story. Detroit Michigan April 17 1976 Jay Strongbow beat Randy Poffo Friday May 7 1976 St Louis Missouri Kiel Auditorium Randy Poffo vs. Black Jack Lanza NOTE-Randy Savage would appear as Randy Poffo in Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling throughout 1976. Friday, July 9, 1976 Memorial Auditorium- Canton, OH Promoter: Vince Risko George Steele vs. Randy Poffo July 12 1976Greenville NC Lanny & Randy Poffo beat Larry Zbyszko & Johnny Eagle 7/10/76 Hampton WV Randy & Lanny Poffo beat Johnny Rivera & Tiger Conway 7/13/76 Raleigh Randy & Lanny Poffo beat Johnny Eagles & Manuel Soto 7/16/76 Richmond Randy & Lanny Poffo beat Danny Miller & Dr. Fujinami 7/19/76 Charlotte Johnny Weaver & Ron Garvin beat Lanny & Randy Poffo July 24 1976 8,451 attendance Greensboro NC Ronnie Garvin & Tiger Conway Jr. beat Lanny & Randy Poffo Saturday September 11 1976 Greenville South Carolina Dino Bravo and Tim Woods beat Randy and Lanny Poffo 10/2/76 Richmond Randy & Lanny Poffo beat Tony Atlas & Johnny Weaver 10/25/76 Charlotte Tony Atlas beat Randy Poffo 10/26/76 Columbia SC Tiger Conway Jr beat Randy Poffo 11/21/76 Roanoke Va Dino Bravo & Tiger Conway Jr beat Randy & Lanny Poffo Tuesday November 23 1976 Raleigh, NC Mid Atlantic tag team title bout: Dino Bravo & Mr. Wrestling defeated Randy & Lanny Poffo 1977 NOTE-Randy began using Savage at the suggestion of Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) booker Ole Anderson, who said that the name Poffo did not fit someone who wrestled like a savage The Macho Man nickname was adopted after his mother Judy Poffo read a Readers Digest article predicting that the phrase would become the next hot term. 1/10/77 Charlotte Ron Starr beat Randy Poffo 3/21/77 Augusta Randy Savage beat Bob Backlund 3/25/77 Atlanta City Auditorium Randy Savage beat Bob Backlund ~Was shocked to learn these two wrestled a series of matches in 77. 4/1/77 Atlanta City Auditorium Randy Savage beat Ray Rougeau 5/22/77 Marietta Richard Blood drew Randy Savage Another shocker! For those who dont know, Richard Blood is otherwise known as Ricky The DragonSteamboat. 5/27/77 Atlanta Omni Mike Graham beat Randy Savage 5/31/77 Macon Randy Savage beat Richard Blood 7/29/77 Atlanta City Auditorium Dino Bravo beat Randy Savage Monday August 15, 1977 Augusta Georgia William Bell Auditorium Tommy Rich beat Randy Savage Macon, Georgia Coliseum, Tuesday, September 27, 1977 Dick Slater beat Randy Savage Atlanta Georgia Omni, Friday October 14, 1977 David Von Erich beat Randy Savage All i have to say is i wish this match was available for our viewing pleasure. Some things in life just arent fair. Georgia Championship Wrestling TV results for December 17, 1977 with Gordon Solie (Atlanta) Thunderbolt Patterson beat Randy Savage December 25 1977 Atlanta Georgia Atlanta City Auditorium Bob Armstrong pinned Randy Savage 1978 NOTE-On January 3 1978 Randy Savage beat Bulldog Don Kent to win NWA Mid American heavyweight title. Chattanooga Memorial Auditorium, Tennessee Saturday, February 4, 1978 Macho Man Randy Savage (Mid-America champion) over Pistol Pez Whatley NOTE-Also on the above card, NWA Champ Harley Race went to a draw with Lanny Poffo. Nashville, Tennessee, Wednesday, March 8 1978 Special challenge match Randy Savage vs. Haystacks Calhoun (Result unknown) Birmingham, Alabama, Monday, March 13, 1978 Randy Savage beat Dutch Mantel NOTE-On March 25, 1978 Dutch Mantel defeated Randy Savage to win the Mid America title. NOTE-In 1978 the Poffo family of father Angelo and brothers Randy and Lanny bought into the Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling territory in the Maritimes. Randy and Lanny would have several matches against each other. Randy was billed as International Champion at the start of the summer season but lost the title to Lanny on July 18. Truro, Nova Scotia Stadium Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling Tuesday May 23, 1978 Lanny Poffo topped Randy Savage by DQ ~First brother vs brother match i could find. Nashville, Tennessee Fairgrounds Arena, Wednesday, October 25, 1978 Special challenge match Macho Man Randy Savage battled to a draw with Bobby Eaton Nashville, Tennessee, November 11 1978 Randy Savage defeated Dutch Mantel for his second NWA Mid America title. 1979 Detroit Olympia arena Monday March 10 1979 Sheik Farhat defeated Randy Savage NOTE-On March 13 1979, Savage defeats his brother Lanny for the ICW Heavyweight title, (At least one source claims this match never happened and Savage held the belt all the way until 1983) Knoxville Chilhowee Park, Saturday, July 7, 1979 Bob Orton, Jr. (Southeastern champion) battled to a double disqualification against Macho Man Randy Savage Knoxville Evan Collins Field, Saturday, August 11, 1979 I quit match: Randy Savage lost to Ronnie Garvin There are so few I Quit matches documented that its cool whenever you find one listed in the archives. Knoxville, Tennessee WNOX Auditorium, Saturday, November 22, 1979 Title vs. title ICW title vs. Southeastern title: Randy Savage vs. Terry Gibbs 1980 Manchester, Kentucky Ernie Couch’s Entertainment Center, Sunday, January 27, 1980 Randy Savage vs. Ric McCord dai.ly/xy4q5e Olive Hill Kentucky National Guard Armory Thursday June 7 1980 Bob Roop over Randy Savage via disqualification Georgetown Kentucky Horse Park Inn Thursday July 17 1980 Street fight Randy Savage beat. Pez Whatley Lexington Kentucky WTVQ Studios Saturday air date August 30 1980 Television tournament finals Bob Roop pinned Randy Savage Milwaukee Wisconsin UWA Wrestling Saturday September 6 1980 ICW Title vs. UWA Championship: Randy Savage beat King Kong Patterson NOTE-Macho Man spent a good portion of 1980-1982 facing off with Ronnie Garvin in different specialty match types in ICW. Randys other most frequent opponents were his brother Lanny Poffo, Pez Whatley and even Bob Orton Jr. 1981. Saturday July 4 1981 Mt Sterling Kentucky Yellow Paint match: Ronnie Garvin beat Randy Savage (Yellow streak gets painted down the back of the loser) Sunday July 26 1981 Louisville Kentucky Commonwealth Convention Center Randy Savage and Crusher Broomfield (One Man Gang) vs Ronnie Garvin and Lanny Poffo Wednesday September 23 Lexington, Kentucky Henry Clay High School ICW World Title Match two out of three falls Jim Bunning special referee Randy Savage defeats Lanny Poffo two falls to one. 1982 Beckley West Virginia Raleigh Civic Center Thursday February 4 1982 Steel cage bout Randy Savage against Crusher Broomfield Johnson City Tennessee Johnson Recreation Center Tuesday June 8 1982 Randy Savage beat Ox Baker Springfield Illinois Prairie Capitol Convention Center February 12 1983 ICW World title match Randy Savage beat.The Great Kabuki Frankfort, Kentucky Capital Plaza Sports Center, Wednesday, May 4, 1983 ICW World title match Randy Savage vs. The Sheik (Result unknown) NOTE-Savage starts making appearances for St Louis Wrestling At The Chase starting in the summer of 1983 as the ICW Champ. Springfield Illinois November 26 1983 Paul Christy over Randy Macho Man Savage to win the ICW World Heavyweight title bout in a hair (Miss Bunny Love’s) vs. the belt challenge. Randy Savage was already a unique character in the world of wrestling. It was barely the beginning of the 80s but shortly there would be no stopping him. A big feud with Jerry :Lawler on the horizon, and Macho Madness would enter the hearts and minds of wrestling fans worldwide. That story to be told, in Part two of this series. Coming soon.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:06:19 +0000
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