WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Macho Madness (1988)

WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Macho Madness (1988)

Coliseum Video compilation. The front cover features Randy Savage holding Miss Elizabeth on his shoulder at the end of WrestleMania IV

Gene Okerlund hosts from the studio, along with WWF Champion Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth. Randy is immediately accusing Gene of trying to move on Elizabeth. Seems about right

We start with clips from Saturday Night’s Main Event XII in October 1987, as Randy has WWF Intercontinental Champion Honky Tonk Man beat, when the Hart Foundation run in to cause the DQ. That leads to an epic beatdown, until Elizabeth fetches WWF Champion Hulk Hogan to make the save - kicking off what would become the Mega Powers. This was great stuff

Back in the studio, Savage is still vibrating from the electricity of the first Mega Power handshake

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Honky Tonk Man v Randy Savage: From a live event in New York City on December 26 1987, with Jimmy Hart suspended in a shark cage. I always dug how Gorilla Monsoon would try to estimate the cost of the various robes guys would wear to the ring. Savage forces Hart into the cage and unloads on Honky, and a snapmare allows Randy a kneedrop. Honky tries a backdrop, but Randy blocks, and blasts him with a backelbow. Honky ends up on the outside, so Randy drags him back in, but gets tripped up by Peggy Sue in the process. That allows Honky to get control, and Honky tries the swinging neckbreaker, but Macho backdrops him to block. Randy dumps him over the top, so Peggy goes after Liz, distracting Randy from diving at Honky. Savage, of course, loses his mind, and Honky capitalizes by nailing him with the title belt, but the referee sees it, and calls for a DQ at 3:21. These two had wonderful chemistry, but this was too short to really be anything. *

Clips of Savage against Ted DiBiase from Saturday Night's Main Event XV in March 1988, with another Mega Powers moment, as Hogan runs in to make the save when Andre the Giant is beating Macho down

Next up, clips from WrestleMania IV, highlighting Savage’s four tournament victories, on his way to the WWF Title

More clips, this time from SNME XVI in April 1988, with Savage defending against One Man Gang. This was kind of pointless, since the earlier clips at least were highlighting story points, this was just a title defense with no angle to it. They’re also going really clip heavy here for a two hour tape, usually that was reserved for the one hour jobs

WWF Title Match: Randy Savage v Ted DiBiase: From a live event in NYC, May 27 1988. Savage charges in to kick start the contest, and a clothesline leads to a flying axehandle. Randy nails him with the title belt to send DiBiase to the outside, and he regroups out there for a bit. Inside for a slugfest, and Macho wins that with an atomic drop, then sends his challenger over the top with a clothesline. That leaves DiBiase bleeding badly from the nose, and Savage follows, so Virgil tries a distraction, but Randy slips away. DiBiase finally manages to nail Randy to buy some time, and man, he’s really gushing from the nose here. DiBiase unloads on the champion in the corner, and a backelbow puts Macho down for a blatant choke. Ted with a 2nd rope axehandle to set up a fistdrop for two, so Macho tries throwing fists, but DiBiase cuts him off with a turnbuckle smash. DiBiase unloads chops, and a clothesline leads to another 2nd rope axehandle for two. Piledriver gets two, but another 2nd rope axehandle gets blocked with a gut-punch, and Randy goes into comeback mode. He delivers a series of elbowsmashes, but DiBiase sidesteps a charge, and Macho goes flying out of the ring. DiBiase follows to the outside with a bodyslam on the floor, and a backelbow sets up a fistdrop on the way back in. Another pair of fistdrops get two, and a vertical suplex is worth two, so Virgil undoes a top turnbuckle pad. DiBiase tries sending Randy into it, but Savage reverses, and both guys are left looking up at the lights. Savage manages to roll over for the cover, but Virgil breaks it up for the DQ at 11:57. This had some cool stuff, but I found it pretty underwhelming overall. * ½ 

Randy Savage v Virgil: From Superstars on May 21 1988 (taped May 10) in Duluth Minnesota, with the title not on the line. Interestingly, they’re selling this as a match Savage demanded in response to the interference in the previous bout, despite that one taking place after this was taped/aired. This was also Virgil’s first nationally televised match (he’d done some stuff that aired in local markets, like MSG house shows, prior). Virgil attacks before the bell, and pounds Randy down. Turnbuckle smash rattles Randy, and a cross corner whip rattles the ring. Another one, and Virgil unloads in the corner, while Ted DiBiase takes cheap shots. Virgil with a bodyslam to set up a flying splash, but Macho dodges, and connects with a high knee. Flying axehandle follows, and a bodyslam sets up the flying elbowdrop, so DiBiase shakes the ropes. Randy goes after him, allowing Virgil to sneak attack, and he brings a dazed Macho Man back inside for a backelbow for two. Clothesline gets another two, so Ted tells him to toss Randy over the top, and Virgil complies. Ted goes after Elizabeth with a fistful of cash, but that fires Macho up, and he nails both heels with a flying axehandle on the floor. Back in, Savage goes up with the flying elbowdrop at 5:28. This wasn’t much as a match, but it was entertaining. Afterwards, the heels go for a beatdown, but a bunch of guys (both heel and babyface) break it up. ½*

Back in the studio, Randy notes that he doesn’t like the idea of Elizabeth as a hostage. Unless he’s the hostage taker, I guess

WWF Title Cage Match: Randy Savage v Ted DiBiase: From a live event in NYC, June 25 1988. DiBiase attacks as Randy climbs into the cage, and he unloads on him with some good fire. Snapmare sets up an elbowdrop, but Randy dodges, and delivers one of his own. He throws rights, so DiBiase goes to the eyes, and uses a backelbow to put him down for a fistdrop. Ted climbs, but Randy pulls him off for a series of turnbuckle smashes, and a snapmare sets up a kneedrop from the champion. Backdrop, but DiBiase blocks it, and delivers a backbreaker to set up another pair of fistdrops. DiBiase tries to climb, but Macho slams him off the top rope, and delivers an axehandle drop. Turnbuckle smash, but DiBiase reverses, and hammers him in the corner. He goes to toss Savage into the cage, but Macho blocks, so DiBiase drills him with a clothesline to set up another fistdrop. DiBiase climbs, but Macho pulls him back down, leaving Ted in a tree of woe. That allows the champ a path to climb, but Virgil meets him at the top, and knocks him back down as DiBiase recovers. That allows Ted to try tossing him into the cage again, but Randy reverses, and he makes another climb attempt - only for Virgil to thwart him. That allows Ted to tie him in a tree of woe, but Savage fights him off, and rattles him with a turnbuckle smash. He climbs, but DiBiase is too close, and cuts him off. Ted slams him off the top rope, and he goes for the door, but Savage grabs his ankle to block. Savage with a hangman clothesline, and it’s his turn to go for the door, but Virgil blocks him. That allows DiBiase to bash Macho’s face into the mat a few times, but a criss cross ends in both men looking up at the lights. Both guys climb opposite sides, but Virgil blocks Randy, and DiBiase… climbs down to go stomp him. Okay, that came off poorly. Like, he had a clear path to victory, and then just came back down for no reason. It’s not like Virgil’s interference backfired, or something. Ted tries a vertical suplex, but Savage reverses, and Macho adds an atomic drop. He goes for the door, but Virgil slams it in his face to save his boss’s hopes. Ted crawls past Savage to go for the door himself, and he nearly makes it out, but Macho pulls him back in just in time. That leads to a slugfest on their knees, and a fired up Savage wins it. He sends DiBiase into the cage from there, and that allows him to climb, but Virgil blocks. That enrages the crowd so much that some stupid teenager hops the rail and climbs the cage, which is about the dumbest thing a person could do. He’s lucky they were fifteen feet in the air and couldn’t pound the hell out of him. Security pulls him off, allowing the workers to get to the finish: Savage bashes their heads together at the top of the cage, and climbs out to retain at 12:20. Was there a single resthold in this thing? A hell of a match, and I really dug how it was booked differently than a lot of their other matches, and differently than a lot of other cage matches, for that matter. Like, Savage didn’t even deliver a single flying axehandle, and there was a lot of build up before anyone got sent into the steel. Plus, having Virgil there to stack the odds against Macho was done perfectly, and while the finish was predictable, it was also satisfying because they did a good job of building to it. *** ½ 

WWF Title Match: Randy Savage v Ted DiBiase: From WrestleFest on July 31 1988 in Milwaukee Wisconsin. A distraction by Virgil allows DiBiase a sneak attack, and he delivers a pair of turnbuckle smashes, then whips Randy into the ropes for a backelbow. DiBiase with chops in the corner, but another backelbow misses, and Savage delivers a clothesline. Corner whip rebounds Ted into a backelbow, and a kneelift sends the challenger to the outside. Ted beats the count, so Macho sends him right back over the top with an atomic drop. Ted stalls out there to break the momentum, and he comes back in throwing rights. Sunset flip, but Macho blocks, and follows up with a clothesline. DiBiase dumps him to the outside to buy time, and he follows to smash Macho’s face into the timekeeper’s table a few times. Inside, DiBiase keeps hammering him, and a clothesline gets the challenger two. Turnbuckle smash, but Randy reverses. Savage with a cross corner whip, but he runs into a boot on the charge, and DiBiase leaps with a 2nd rope axehandle for two. Backbreaker gets two, but Savage reverses a suplex, and they stagger to their knees for a slugfest. Macho gets the better of it, and a criss cross allows him a bodypress for two, but DiBiase cuts him off with a clothesline for two. Ted grounds him in a chinlock, but Savage fights free. He tries a high knee in the corner, but Ted sidesteps, and Macho smashes his knee into the buckles. That allows DiBiase to try for a figure four, but Randy blocks, and DiBiase takes a bump over the top. Ted tries diving back in with a flying axehandle, but Savage blocks, and makes a comeback. Series of turnbuckle smashes get him two, and Savage snaps his throat across the top rope. He limps to the top for a flying axehandle, and then back upstairs for the flying elbowdrop, but Virgil distracts him. That allows DiBiase a sneak attack, but it backfires, and Macho schoolboys for two. I thought for sure that was the finish. Savage goes for a backdrop, but he’s tired, and telegraphs it, allowing DiBiase to block. That’s enough to allow Ted to slap on the Million Dollar Dream, but Savage gets into the ropes. Virgil responds by whacking him with a chair, and Ted covers for a dramatic two. The crowd totally bought that as the finish. DiBiase with a pair of fistdrops, but Randy counters a bodyslam into a small package at 14:50. This took a little while to get going, but it was really strong once it did. ** ½ 

From Superstars on July 30 1988 (taped July 13 in LaCrosse Wisconsin), Savage introduces Hulk Hogan to be his tag team partner against DiBiase and Andre the Giant at SummerSlam. This was actually Hogan’s first TV appearance since May (which was itself taped in April) since he was off filming No Holds Barred, and his daughter was born. This wasn’t the best segment, but it was certainly significant, as they officially dub themselves the Mega Powers. “What are they gonna do, when the Mega Powers come runnin’ through,” is not a terrible catchphrase, actually

The Mega Powers v The Mega Bucks: From SummerSlam on August 29 1988 in New York City. Jesse Ventura acts as the special guest referee for this one. Jesse's refereeing outfit is an odd fashion choice, even for him. And, speaking of 'odd fashion choices,' Hogan's standard gear with 'Mega Powers' embroidered on the tush is up there, too. Ted DiBiase forces Ventura to switch the tag ropes onto the traditionally neutral corners before the bell, to put over that Jesse is on the take, and will do what he says. They take a while deciding who's starting, before finally settling on Hulk Hogan with DiBiase. Ted tries an eyerake, but Hulk no-sells, and atomic drops him into the Powers corner for some pinballing. Running forearm smash hits, and he tags out to Randy Savage for a tandem clothesline/tandem elbowdrop combo. The Mega Powers work DiBiase over for a bit, but Hulk stupidly goes after Andre on the apron, and gets smacked. Well, it's his own damn fault! Andre was just minding his own business out there, and Hogan ran up and punched him in the face! What did he expect would happen? Andre tags in and chokes the Hulkster down, then grabs a nervehold after literally ten seconds in the ring. That's, like, Yokozuna level conditioning there. He was terrible at this point, but he was such a presence that you really can't blame them for booking him on top. The Mega Bucks cut the ring in half on Hogan, but he fights off a chinlock from DiBiase, and they work a double-knockout spot. Tag to Savage, and he's a nuthouse of fire! Flying axehandle and a bodypress on DiBiase get two, but he runs into a clothesline, and Andre tags in. The Giant wallops Randy in the corner to completely cut him off, and DiBiase tags in with a vertical suplex for two. Backbreaker sets up a 2nd rope diving back-elbowdrop, but Savage dodges. Tag to Hogan, and he's a tanning salon of fire! Cross corner clothesline and a vertical suplex on DiBiase hit, but Andre rushes in before he can cover. Hulk grabs a sleeper on DiBiase as Savage tries the Flying Elbowdrop on Andre, but hits the giant foot. With Randy down on the floor, Andre headbutts Hogan off of Ted, and they dump him out to the floor as well. With both Mega Powers down on the outside, Elizabeth climbs onto the apron, and rips her skirt off as a distraction. That'll certainly work! The look on everyone's faces (especially Jesse's) is a thing of beauty. So, with the Mega Bucks distracted by Elizabeth's shapely posterior, the Powers attack - Savage hitting the Flying Elbowdrop on DiBiase to setup the Legdrop from Hogan. Ventura stops short of counting three, however, so Savage slams his hand to the mat to help him finish his thought at 13:57. Afterwards, Hogan grabs Elizabeth in a giant bearhug, and though nothing explicit is made of it, you can already see the jealousy blazing in Savage's eyes. Not really a great match, but fun, memorable, and sent the crowd home happy. * ¼

Back in the studio, they wrap up, as Savage presents Gene with a hat and sunglasses to give him ‘some style by a mile’

BUExperience: This was a great tape, and I dug how they didn’t just ‘play the hits,’ but rather showed a bunch of matches that had never aired widely before, while still giving us clips of the big stuff from the more widely seen shows. 

A great addition to your Coliseum Collection