- Bill Camp

This week I promised to write about Randy "Macho Man" Savage in my column.

At the time I said I would write about that, I had no idea what was about to happen to his former manager, and ex-wife, Elizabeth, which I'm sure everyone has heard about by now. Therefore, this month I would like to dedicate this column to that lovely and talented woman, known in wrestling circles as Miss Elizabeth. May she rest in peace.

I should also point out that this column will only look at Savage's early heel years. I may later on decide to write about his babyface turn and then his second run as a heel, but for now, I'll only look at his entrance and initial heel run.

The heel managers immediately began a bidding war over his services. The WWF actually ran the same angle when Brutus Beefcake first came in as a heel, but this time the managers were even more determined to get Savage wrestling for them. One week, Savage would be wrestling, and Bobby Heenan would come out to watch him. The next week Fred Blassie would come out to see him wrestle, then Mr. Fuji, then Luscious Johnny V., then Jimmy Hart.

Eventually, every manager in the WWF came out to get a closer look at Savage at the same time! Finally, Savage announced the following week he'd pick a manager.

So the following week, anybody who'd been watching wrestling for any length of time, knew he wouldn't pick any of the current managers, but would pick someone new. This actually made the segment seem even more special because you knew someone new would be coming in. Would it be J.J. Dillon? Paul Jones? Skandor Akbar? Paul Ellering? No. It was Miss Elizabeth. I wasn't sure how to take this just yet. I mean Elizabeth was a true vision of loveliness at ringside, not one of the skanks you see in wrestling today. 

Savage was supposed to be a heel, and with this woman, he'd surely be cheered. Was the "Macho Man" turning babyface already?

Well, the powers that be thought of that too, and had Savage get mad at Elizabeth for the smallest infractions. Getting mad at that beautiful creature was sure to get Savage booed even in Philadelphia.

At the house shows, the WWF in those days, wouldn't usually put guys into main events immediately. They would showcase them against guys who worked the lower cards. So Savage's first series was actually against Scott McGhee, a small but highly talented grappler, who made a name for himself in Florida. Unfortunately, McMahon couldn't see past his short stature, and kept him in the lower cards. So Savage took on him and other varied opponents like Paul Roma and Rick McGraw.