Superstars of Wrestling: Macho Man Randy Savage

Ring Name: Randy "Machoman" Savage
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 273 lbs.
Born: January 10^th 1954
Died: May 10^th 2011
Debut: November 1^st 1973
Retired: August 26^th 1991/February 18^th 2005. Active as an announcer until 2005.
Moves: Flying Elbow Drop

Randy Mario Poffo was born in Columbus, Ohio, the eldest son Angelo Poffo a well-known wrestler in the 1950s and 1960s. As a child, Randy also lived in Zanesville, Chicago, and Lexington, Kentucky. Savage was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals organization as a catcher out of high school.

Savage broke into the wrestling business in 1973 during the fall and winter of the baseball off season. Machoman took the ring name Randy Savage at the suggestion of a Georgia wrestling booker who said that Poffo "wrestled like a savage". Savage eventually decided to end his baseball career and become a full-time wrestler, working with his brother and father.

By June of 1985, Savage signed with Vince McMahon's WWF. Billed as "the top free agent in pro wrestling," Savage's first appearances on Tuesday Night Titans featured several established managers (including Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart) offering their services to Savage. He eventually declined their offers and chose Miss Elizabeth as his new manager. His gimmick was a crazed, ego-maniacal bully who mistreated Miss Elizabeth (who was his real life wife from 1984-1992) and threatened anyone who even looked at her. He made his pay-per-view (PPV) debut at The Wrestling Classic on November 7^th 1985, participating in a 16-man Royal Rumble tournament. He defeated Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat before losing in the finals to Junkyard Dog.

From 1985 to 2005 Randy Savage was one of the most popular wrestlers in professional wrestling. He faced everyone from Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior to Mr. Perfect when he wasn't color commentating with "Mean" Gene Okerlund. After numerous retirements, knee surgeries, a popular rap CD release in 2003 and returns to the ring, Randy Savage died in a car accident after suffering a heart attack in May of 2011 in Seminole, Florida.

References:

• Obsessed With Wrestling, Randy "Machoman" Savage
• Wikipedia, Randy Savage

Superstars of Wrestling: "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan

Ring Name: "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 280 lbs.
Born: November 15^th 1952
Died; May 20^th 2011
Debut: January 30^th 1979
Retired: Active as an announcer in the WWE
Moves: Tackle, Atomic Drop, Ol' Glory

"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment and wrestling on the Raw brand. Jim Duggan is best known for his time spent in the now mythic WWF in the 1980's when the enterprise was known as World Wrestling Federation. He's best known as an American patriot, wielding his trusty weapon, the 2x4, and as the winner of the first-ever WWF Royal Rumble match way back in 1988.

Duggan, in contrast to his oafish wrestling persona, is a highly intelligent and articulate speaker who regularly meets with his fans at cons. In 1998, he returned to Wrestling after defeating kidney cancer, an illness he was diagnosed with during his time with WCW. His real-life struggle with the disease was very public and his comeback to wrestling after fighting off the ailment was a triumphant affair involving his entire immediate family. Duggan has claimed to have wrestled in all 50 States in America as well as Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Canada, England, France, Germany, Guam, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Scotland and Spain.

References:
Wikipedia, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Obsessed With Wrestling, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan

Superstars of Wrestling: Sergeant Slaughter

Ring Name: Sergeant Slaughter
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 260 lbs.
Born: August 27^th 1948
Debut: 1972
Retired: 2002

After serving in the Marines as a torpedo launcher specialist Robert Remus made a name for himself as a tougher-than-nails wrestler in the WWF from 1980 to 2002 (offically 2002 but more like 1992). Slaughter used his patented Camel Clutch against archrival The Iron Sheik in 1983 and later won the WWF Championship Belt in 1991.

Sgt. Slaughter was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 13^th 2004, the night before Wrestlemania 20.

References:

• Wikipedia, Sergeant Slaughter
• WWF Wrestling, Titles
• Wrestle Info, Sergeant Slaughter