Macho Man Randy Savage's 10 Best Matches Ever
8. Vs. Tito Santana (Madison Square Garden, 4/22/86)
The IC title change from the previous February gets all of the glory, in part due to referee Danny Davis' peculiar decision to wear khakis for the match (at least, that's why *I* remember the match). Santana was of course due for some return bouts, the best which took place under no-disqualification rules at the world's most famous arena.
Savage does a messy blade job during the course of the 12-minute brawl, a match that demonstrates how the consummate babyface fire of fair-playing Santana could be taken to extremes in the confines of a match with no rules. This isn't Strike Force Santana, or El Matador Santana: this is pissed-off ex-champion Santana trying to get his belt back from the most nefarious heel in the sport.
The two would actually have a comparably-great match a month later at the Garden, with Bruno Sammartino as guest referee. This one gets the nod for the palpable hatred in the air, and the more-definitive finish, as the latter bout ended on a DQ after Adrian Adonis interfered.