What was so great about Savage/Steamboat?

[WinOwensWin]

Surprisingly, I had never seen Wrestlemania 3 before today, so naturally, this was the first time that I had seen the classic Steamboat/Savage encounter....And I just don't see what was so great about the match. I've been watching wrestling for almost 15 years, and I knew that I had to see this match, and was highly disappointed. Can someone explain to me why it is considered one of the best matches of all time?

[MGH]

I'm in the same boat as you in not being all that impressed. That being said, it's considered an all time great match given when it happened and how it stacked up to other things in that era. Those kind of matches weren't always happening in WWE around that time. It had a big time storyline build behind it, and it involved some great wrestling and not just a huge babyface hero against a giant monster heel.

I've seen the match topped 100x over by god knows how many other matches since then, but looking at it in the context of when it happened it makes it easier to swallow.

[lildude8218]

they had a match in Toronto about 8 months before Wrestlemania that was way better

[Hanzo]

Back then, matches of that style were very rare. Usually, back then, people where treated to matches involving basic-move using babyface hero vs. basic-move using villian. I guess you could somewhat say that it was Cruiserweight wrestling before Cruiserweight wrestling was brought to America.

Sorry if I'm not making much sense.

[El Dandy]

The pacing of the match was as perfect as it can get. I think there are much better matches out there (my personal favorite of all-time probably being Bret vs. Owen at WrestleMania X), but the constant near pinfalls and exchanges and back and forth action made for a very well executed match.

[KLRA]

This pops up at least once a month. So I'll say what I say every other time: This match was amazing FOR IT'S TIME. For the time, place, and company that this match took place in, it was perfect and had the perfect build.

HOWEVER. The match itself does not stand the test of time because of how many times that it has been topped.

[Monster Under Your Bed]

I still enjoy watching it. A lot. I think its still really good. But that's me. Maybe I'm easily entertained.

[Spankymac is sick of the swiss]

stevedave said:

This pops up at least once a month. So I'll say what I say every other time: This match was amazing FOR IT'S TIME. For the time, place, and company that this match took place in, it was perfect and had the perfect build.

HOWEVER. The match itself does not stand the test of time because of how many times that it has been topped.

This. The match is very much a product of it's time, and it doesn't hold up remarkably well. A great match, but there are worlds better ones out there now.

[Samoa Kenny]

I think that the match is amazing FOR ANYTIME! The pacing is great, the psychology is extremely great, they told a story with the match, something that rarely seems to happen these days. Near fall after near fall, the excitement was there. I think the crowd being so hot helps it a lot too. I'm not such a huge fan of the finish as I wish Steamboat went over clean, but it's still in my top 5 favorite matches ever

[Joekishi]

You watch it nowadays, and it's really simple to people. it was so fluid and told a nice simple story of each guy just wanting to win.

I guess by today's standards the match is pretty plain without "big moves", but i think it's a perfect example where you don't need brutality to have a good match

[Bishblast]

What was so great about it? Just about everything...

I never got to see the match from a few months earlier, only clips... any help in locating it would be much appreciated

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

You had to take the match within its original context too. At the time of WM3, Savage and Steamboat had a very heated rivalry, and Savage had crushed Steamboat's throat with the ring bell. With Savage being a top heel and Steamboat being a top face, this got MAJOR heat from the audience and people were completely into the feud. The match at WM3 was then the climax to this feud, and it was the payoff match that was months in the making.

The match itself was really good too, but I really think it was thr story behind the match that made it great. Same goes for the other big match at WM3, Hogan vs Andre. If you go and watch that match right now, you'll just see the same Hogan match you always see. But at the time, it was the story leading into this match that made it great.

[Mister Yummy]

The match is great. Well paced, and action packed without being spotty. The wrestling went back and forth. They told a great story. It had a great ending. It was a career-maker for both guys, Savage more-so, obviously. It's just a superb match. Quite frankly, I don't see what anyone would have against it. What do you think would have made the match better? 17 450 splashes through flaming tables? Gallons of blood? What?

[Joekishi]

Taking the match without the context makes a lot of people question why that match was so good.

That's why I LOVED the Ric Flair DVD, the extras set up the match so well.

[willywonka666]

lenny said:

You had to take the match within its original context too. At the time of WM3, Savage and Steamboat had a very heated rivalry, and Savage had crushed Steamboat's throat with the ring bell. With Savage being a top heel and Steamboat being a top face, this got MAJOR heat from the audience and people were completely into the feud. The match at WM3 was then the climax to this feud, and it was the payoff match that was months in the making.

The match itself was really good too, but I really think it was thr story behind the match that made it great. Same goes for the other big match at WM3, Hogan vs Andre. If you go and watch that match right now, you'll just see the same Hogan match you always see. But at the time, it was the story leading into this match that made it great.

Yea the buildup was amazing-I'd love to see that again-I hated Savage for what he did to Steamboat-and the amount of near falls made it extremely exciting I think, because you knew either one could have pulled off a win in a heartbeat

[Mac]

The match is/was great. But like a previous poster said it doesn't really hold up against time. It's a good match, 17 - 20 minutes of all action, near falls with a great storyline, hot crowd and a title that meant something at the time.

[Hiroshi Hase]

I still love this match and think it's great even today.

Here's the match that started the feud between the two:

www.dailymotion.com/video/x3drvz_ricky-steamboat-vs-randy-savageic-t_sport

[Deleted]

The build-up to where Steamboat finally gets his hands on Savage in an actual match was a huge deal in 1987.
Man gets attacked, throat crushed (to where Bruno Sammartino filled in for Steamboat at house shows) and the big return at the January SNME. People were dying to see Steamer kill Savage.

Sure, they may have had other encounters, but back then, Vince put the big matches on PPV once he already made money off of them at house shows. The PPV was the big blow-off.

Both men never really had the chance to show off their skills. This was the eye-opener. "The little guys can go in that ring!"

Besides, this is a Rick Steamboat match we're talking about. Rick Steamboat could take a broom to a 5 star match.

I still enjoy this match. Top 5 for sure.

[misterfabulous]

nsr said:

Surprisingly, I had never seen Wrestlemania 3 before today, so naturally, this was the first time that I had seen the classic Steamboat/Savage encounter....And I just don't see what was so great about the match. I've been watching wrestling for almost 15 years, and I knew that I had to see this match, and was highly disappointed. Can someone explain to me why it is considered one of the best matches of all time?

i totallt disagree, this is my all-time favourite match. everything leading up to it and about it was perfect. the story-line going in was superb and the pacing phenomenal.

[willywonka666]

It's a shame that Ricky didn't hold the title long