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Before the lights, the cameras, or the action, we had to have the pens, the pads, and the practice. Without the rehearsals and the quizzing and the constant practice, we would have never had one of the greatest moments in WWE wrestling history. Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat stole the show at WrestleMania III, but it wasn’t just the match that made it special, it was the preparation and the story telling that allowed these two men to reshape how wrestling on the biggest stage of them all was done.
Steamboat Returns To Stop Savage From Attacking George "The Animal" Steele
For a long time in wrestling history, the Intercontinental Title was held in the highest regard as the “working man’s” title, the title that went to the best worker, and the workers with the highest work rate. The men, and eventual woman, who held the title were some of the best in the business. This is where part of the build came from for Savage and Steamboat. Randy Savage was historically known for his obsessions with his beautiful wife Elizabeth and with winning championships wherever he worked. This included the Intercontinental Title.
After winning the Intercontinental title in February 1986, Savage had a historic run as champion, defending the title regularly, including in a feud with longtime friend of Steamboat, George “The Animal” Steele. Steele and Savage would build a story line around Steele’s, not Savage’s, obsession with Elizabeth. This unhealthy obsession with her would come to physical terms between the two men at WrestleMania that same year. After a successful defense at WrestleMania 2, Savage and Steele seemed to be done, but the story with Steamboat and Savage was just beginning.
In November 1986, Randy Savage would defend the title against Steamboat in a match for a TV taping where he won by count out. It wasn’t the win that garnered attention but the brutal beating that followed. Savage assaulted Steamboat violently after the match. This included a bludgeoning with the ring bell that would injure Steamboat’s larynx, putting him out of action for several weeks.
The following January, Randy Savage would have a match with George Steele one more time. This time he intended to end it the same way he did against Steamboat. The crowd was in silence as Savage approached for the assault, but in true hero fashion, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat made his triumphant return, saving his friend and setting up for the rematch for the title, but this time at WrestleMania III and inside the Pontiac Silverdome.
Steamboat And Savage Planned Out Their Entire WrestleMania Match Beforehand
Before this match, the majority of pro wrestling matches were “called in the ring," meaning that the more experienced worker, or sometimes the “heel,” would give short calls during the match so the men would know what to do next. This was not the case in Steamboat vs Savage. They knew the match had to be perfect. With the closing match of the night and main event featuring the two biggest names in wrestling, and one of the biggest story lines at the time with the “irresistible force meeting an immovable object” in Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant for the WWE World Heavyweight Title, Savage and Steamboat knew what they were up against, and they planned to steal the show perfectly. This meant knowing the match inside and out.
Using yellow legal pads and pens, Savage and Ricky Steamboat would meticulously plan and call every spot, writing them down in order, one through the finish. The pair of men worked hand in hand with David Hebner, their assigned referee for the match. The three men who were in the match knew every step along the way, from the stare downs to the finish. One thing of importance about this match, also, was that during this almost three-month build and planning period, Randy Savage and Rocky Steamboat were the only two men producing the match. Vince McMahon and other creative minds at the time had almost no say as to how the match worked from beginning to end. This was almost unheard of.
“Step number one, lock up. I went ‘Savage, come on, we know we are gonna lock up.’… ‘Write it down Dragon, write it down.’ I was using one of those legal pads, and I’m on to about the fifth page. I’m at step 250. I’ve never had a match that was laid out from A to Z, and had to remember everything, knowing there was no deviation.”
Steamboat Vs Savage At WrestleMania 3 Is One Of The Best Matches Ever
The use of false finishes allowed for the build to the end. With 21 pin fall attempts but no finishing maneuvers hit, the crowd was at the edge of their seats with anticipation. They had no clue who truly had the upper hand. Then, after Hebner was knocked out of the match, Savage hit the flying elbow. With no one to count to three, Steamboat recovered and started his shine. After a callback to the November incident with Savage grabbing the ring bell, Steamboat hit a small package roll up for the victory.
The match itself, after months of planning and meticulous rehearsals, went perfectly. The match was a masterclass of technical wrestling, mixed with high-flying athleticism and entertainment. It checked all the boxes and is still regarded as one of the greatest matches of all time, all through a new approach to match planning that is still being mimicked to this day.