10 Things We Learned From Bruce Prichard’s Randy Savage Podcast
6. Getting The King Gimmick Over Was A Challenge Laid Down By Vince
Years after winning a house show tournament to become 'King Of The Ring' in 1987, Randy Savage was eventually given the crown and sceptre gimmick in 1989 upon beating Jim Duggan to earn the 'King' moniker. This felt like a demotion at the time given Savage's prior run as WWF Champ against Hulk Hogan, but it was actually a challenge coming straight from the top.
Following in the footsteps of previous kings like Harley Race, Haku and Duggan, Randy was tasked with getting the gimmick over by Vince McMahon. The way McMahon described the idea of being 'King' to Randy was that he'd have something similar to Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Title. Sure, he could be champion, but what's better than being wrestling royalty?
Randy took it all the way and adapted his look to include lengthy tights, resplendent outfits and the aforementioned crown/sceptre duo. 'Queen' Sherri was also by his side, and Prichard interestingly noted on the podcast that he preferred them as a partnership on screen over Randy and Liz.