1. Ricky Steamboat Returns From Injury, Dethrones Macho Man Randy Savage (WrestleMania 3)
Prior to piecing together WWE's best match of the eighties, Savage and Steamboat needed to work out the catalyst of their grudge over the Intercontinental title. In November 1986, Steamboat nearly felled Savage for the belt on an episode of Superstars, but sustained a larynx injury after Savage crushed his throat across the guardrail with his double ax handle. Savage followed up by leaping from the top rope with the ring bell, jamming it into Steamboat's neck. A jubilant Savage crowed for weeks about running Steamboat out of active competition. At the dawn of 1987, Steamboat reappeared, haunting a stunned Savage with promises of revenge. The rematch was booked for WrestleMania 3, and as you know by now, it stole the show. The irony injected into the finale, with Savage trying once more to use the bell, only to have George Steele prevent him, made Steamboat's comeback tale all the sweeter.
Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.
