home | wrestling | flashback_reviews | wwe | coliseum-videos

Coliseum Video Presents -Macho Madness

by Scrooge McSuck

- We continue digging through the worthless pile of VHS cassettes produced by our old, dear, long forgotten friends from Coliseum Video. I was honestly going to work on the “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan video (yes, there’s one for him, too), but thank GOD, it has already been covered, and it wasn’t me, so my insanity cannot be blamed on that one. Instead, we’ll play it safe and go with “Macho Mandess”, the second cassette released dedicated to the Macho Man himself, Randy Savage. This covers pretty much his entire face run up through the Summer of 1988.

- “Mean” Gene Okerlund is our host, along with the WWF Champion himself, and the 1st Lady of Professional Wrestling™. Savage literally cannot stand still for longer than a second. It almost hurts the eyes watching him.

- We see the closing moments of Randy Savage vs. The Honkytonk Man from the October ’87 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event. Jimmy Hart interferes like crazy to keep Savage from pinning Honky. Clipped to slightly later in the match, Savage counters the Shake Rattle N’ Roll and comes off the top with his signature Flying Elbow, but the Hart Foundation run in for the Disqualification and help in triple teaming him. Elizabeth gets shoved to the ground, Savage bashed with the guitar, and Hulk Hogan makes the save to form the alliance known as the Mega Powers.

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match:
The Honkytonk Man © (w/ Jimmy Hart & Peggy Sue) vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth):

From the December 26th, 1987 card held at Madison Square Garden. There’s a cage hanging over the ring, to keep Jimmy Hart locked up and from interfering in the match. Savage personally does the honors, but what about Peggy Sue? Savage, still wearing his sunglasses and bandana, attacks with elbows and jabs. Whip to the ropes and Savage with a back elbow. Honky runs to the floor, but Savage keeps pounding away. Peggy Sue hooks the leg, allowing Honky to attack from behind. The referee gets bumped. Savage counters the Shake Rattle N’ Roll with a back drop, then sends Honky to the floor with a running high knee. Suddenly Peggy Sue goes after Elizabeth, but Savage makes a wild lunge at her. This buys Honky time to recover and knock Savage silly with the IC Title. Suddenly, the bell rings at 4:22, and the official result is a DQ victory for Randy Savage. Don’t you love matches that totally dump over the special stipulations? ½* Not much to this. I’m sure this was one of the highly pushed matches on the card, and to give them less than 5-minutes? Lame. Post-match, Randy Savage pulls the wig off Peggy Sue, but they don’t acknowledge it being Sensational Sherri.

- We see the closing moments of Randy Savage vs. Ted Dibiase from the March ’88 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event. The referee gets bumped, the action spills to the floor, and Andre The Giant lays out Savage, helping Dibiase pick up a cheap Count-Out victory. The full match is pretty good, probably in the 3-star neighborhood. Just another step in the Mega Powers saga, as Elizabeth runs back to the locker room to bring Hulk Hogan to ringside and chase off the dastardly villains.

- Highlights from the WrestleMania IV Championship Tournament. Randy Savage had to go through “The Natural” Butch Reed, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, the One Man Gang, and finally Ted Dibiase to become the UNDISPUTED WWF Champion… but not without a little help from Hulk Hogan.

- MORE Highlights, this time the Championship Match between Randy Savage and the One Man Gang on the April ’88 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event. You know, the tape is alright, but I’m BEGGING for something in the form of a full match.

WWF Championship Match:
“Macho Man” Randy Savage © (w/ Elizabeth) vs. “Million $ Man” Ted Dibiase (w/ Virgil):

From the May 27th, 1988 card held at Madison Square Garden. Savage and Dibiase worked the house show circuit immediately after Mania all the way through the Summer. Normal timetables were a non-finish followed by a return to the same location with a clean one, but they worked the MSG shows in April, May, June, then came back at SummerSlam as part of the Mega-Main Event. Savage attacks Dibiase before the bell, complete with robe on. He knocks him silly with the Title belt (behind the back of the referee), knocking Dibiase to the floor. They exchange rights until Savage sends Dibiase back to the floor following an atomic drop and clothesline. Virgil tries creating a distraction, but Savage doesn’t fall for it. Dibiase lures Savage into a game of cat-and-mouse and dumps him over the top rope. Back in the ring, Dibiase stomps and chokes. He comes off the second rope with an axehandle, followed by his signature fist drop for a two count. Savage teases a comeback, but gets sent to the turnbuckle. Dibiase with a big clothesline and another double axehandle for a near fall. Dibiase with a flurry of rights and piledriver for another two count. He goes high risk again, but this time takes a fist to the midsection. Savage with a series of elbows. Dibiase gets introduced to the turnbuckle 10-times. He hangs Dibiase across the top rope and follows with a pair of running elbows. Dibiase side-steps a third attempt, throwing Savage through the ropes. Dibiase follows, planting him with a slam. Back in the ring, Dibiase drops a pair of fists for a two count. Savage teases a comeback, but Dibiase goes to the eyes and takes him over with a suplex for two. Dibiase tries sending Savage to an exposed turnbuckle, but Savage counters. He throws an arm over for the cover, but Virgil runs in for the DQ at 11:55. **3/4 Good match, but felt a little rushed, and again, we’re just building to the next step.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth) vs. Virgil (w/ Ted Dibiase):

Continuity alert: the wrap-around segments with Okerlund implies this came after the previous match, and is a Championship Match, but introductions state this is Non-Title, and this taped on May 10th and broadcast on the May 21st episode of Superstars. 0 for 2 there, WWF production crew. Vigil attacks from behind with rights. Whip to the corner, followed by shoulders to the midsection. Dibiase with a cheap shot as the referee is distracted. Virgil with a delayed slam, but a splash from the top rope misses. Savage with a running knee, sending Virgil to the buckle. Savage quickly sacales the ropes and connects with a double axehandle. He plants Virgil with a slam, but Dibiase with a distraction to interrupt the Elbow. Savage gives chase around the ring until Dibiase uses Elizabeth as a shield. Virgil from behind to regain control. Back in the ring, Virgil connects with a hard forearm for a two count. Virgil tosses Savage over the top rope as the referee chews out Dibiase. Dibiase tries propositioning Elizabeth for whatever reasons, but Savage revives and comes off the top with a double axehandle. He drops Virgil across the top rope and finishes with the Elbow at 5:34. Post-match, Dibiase lays Savage out with a clothesline and puts the boots to him. Savage gets the dollar bill in the mouth, but avoids further beating as a group of midcarders separate them. It’s not much help, as Savage breaks away from the pact and nails Virgil with another axehandle smash. * Nothing much to this one. Virgil’s offense was mostly punching, and Savage sold for 90% of it.

WWF Championship; Steel Cage Match:
“Macho Man” Randy Savage © (w/ Elizabeth) vs. “Million $ Man” Ted Dibiase (w/ Virgil):

From the June 25th, 1988 card held at Madison Square Garden, and the solo blowoff to their house show run… in the New York area. Dibiase puts the boots to Savage before the bell and unloads with rights in the corner. Savage with a flurry of his own offense until Dibiase goes to the eyes. Whip to the ropes, Dibiase with an elbow. He misses an elbow drop, but puts the boots to Savage and drops his signature fist. Savage rolls away from a knee drop, but Dibiase remains in control. Savage prevents escape and rams Dibiase to the buckle. Savage with a snapmare and knee drop, but a back drop attempt is countered. Dibiase with a back breaker and a pair of fist drops. Whip to the ropes and a clothesline. Savage manages to trap Dibiase in the ropes, but Virgil cheap shots him to prevent an escape. Dibiase gets to taste cage, and again, Virgil interrupts Savage’s progress. Savage valiantly tries to fight Dibiase back, but gets slammed from the top rope. Dibiase goes for the door, unsuccessfully. Whip to the ropes and Savage connects with his hooking clothesline. Now Savage goes for the door, but guess who’s there to cut him off. Whip to the ropes, and again Savage lays Dibiase out with the clothesline. Both men try climbing on opposite sides of the cage. Virgil knocks Savage down… and for some reason, Dibiase gives up and starts stomping away. Lord Alfred of all people does a good job of covering it up about Dibiase’s legs being too weak to climb. Just as he says that, Savage blocks a suplex and counters with his own. Savage with an atomic drop, sending Dibiase face-first into the cage! Savage goes for the door, but gets the door slammed back in his face! Dibiase is practically out the door until Savage drags him back in. They trade blows from their knees, with Savage getting the upperhand. Dibiase gets sent into the cage again. Virgil tries to stop Savage’s progress… and then some fan jumps the rail and climbs up too before security takes care of him. Savage knocks both Virgil and Dibiase down, and finally escapes to retain the Championship at 12:21. *** Hot match that didn’t suffer too much from long, drawn out escape attempts. I’m still not too big a fan of cage matches, but this one is a keeper.

WWF Championship Match:
“Macho Man” Randy Savage © (w/ Elizabeth) vs. “Million $ Man” Ted Dibiase (w/ Virgil):

More Savage vs. Dibiase? I know I shouldn’t complain, but I could use a different flavor after so many matches. This is from the WrestleFest ’88 show held on July 31st from the County Stadium in Milwaukee, WI. This was originally a 15-match card, with 10 of the matches finding their way onto the official Coliseum Video release, and three unused matches featured on Prime Time Wrestling. This is one of the two that was just cast aside. The other: Curt Hennig vs. Terry Taylor, before either made their debut on TV. That just seems weird that one of the top matches (and one of the best matches) on the card was not only left off the official release of the event, but outside of this cassette, doesn’t exist, along with what is essential the most bottom of the card match possible.

Virgil doesn’t waste time taunting Elizabeth, allowing Dibiase to come from behind with an axehandle. Whip to the ropes and Dibiase with an elbow. Savage ducks under another and comes back with a clothesline. He sends Dibiase to the corner, drops him with an elbow, and knocks him to the floor with a running knee lift. Back in the ring, Savage with an atomic drop, sending Dibiase right back out. Savage controls until getting thrown by the tights to the floor. Whip to the ropes and a clothesline gets two. They take turns reversing a whip to the corner, but Savage meets boot on a charge. Dibiase with a flurry of rights, followed by an axehandle from the second rope for two. Back breaker for two. Savage blocks a suplex and counters with his own. They trade blows from their knees, with Savage getting the upper hand. Whip is reversed, Savage ducks a clothesline and comes off the ropes with a body press for two! Dibiase is up quickly and connects with a clothesline for a two count as well. Dibiase grabs a chinlock, and I never noticed until now, but their matches (on this tape) have had little, if any, rest holds. Savage fights free, but misses a knee to the corner. Dibiase punishes the leg with a spinning toe hold until being kicked off over the top rope. Dibiase tries an axehandle from the top, but takes a fist to the midsection. He introduces Dibiase to the buckle 10-times and covers for two. Savage hangs him up across the top rope and follows with a double axehandle. He goes for the big Elbow, but Virgil with the distraction. We get heel miscommunication, and Savage rolls him up for… two!? Whip to the ropes, Savage sets too soon for a back drop and takes a forearm to the back of the head. Million Dollar Dream applied, but Savage makes it to the ropes. Virgil with a cheap shot behind the back of the referee, but Savage still manages to kick out at two. Dibiase with rights, but a slam attempt is countered with a small package, and that’s good for three at 14:52. Post-match, Virgil and Dibiase work Savage over. ***1/4 Another good match in a series of them between these two. They changed up a few spots and thankfully didn’t follow the same formula each time around.

- Highlights from the events that lead to the Main Event at SummerSlam. Ted Dibiase and Andre The Giant are tormenting Savage, so Hulk Hogan returns from filming No Holds Barred, and the big Main Event is made: The Mega Powers vs. The Mega Bucks.

- We conclude with highlights from the Mega Powers vs. Mega Bucks from SummerSlam ’88, with possible crooked referee Jesse Ventura. I love how Hogan and Savage take the time to do their goofy handshake before making the big comeback, which involved Elizabeth removing her skirt to distract everyone and create some good times for unlucky nerds and their right hands. The match itself is pretty good, probably 3-stars (I know, that rating is very popular with me today), but only about 6-minutes of the near 20-minute match is shown.

Final Thoughts: Running nearly two-hours long, this was mostly a compilation of Randy Savage vs. Ted Dibiase, with only other match being featured not involving that pair. While each match produced quality wrestling, you can only watch the same two guys working for the majority of a two hour video. To my surprise, the WrestleFest ’88 match was the best, and featured a clean pinfall loss. If you’re a fan of the Macho Man, this is a nice reminder of his big babyface run of 1988, and I’d even recommend this to fans of Ted Dibiase, who unfortunately never got a Coliseum Video dedicated to him, nor a modern day DVD release. Mild Recommendation for the casual fans.

back to Flashback Index