Savage vs Steamboat At Wrestlemania III : The Ultimate Lesson in Wrestling

In 30 years of Wrestlemania, Savage vs Steamboat remains unmatched in terms of purely awesome technical wrestling.

Those of you who hate the spectacle and downplay of “actual wrestling” at modern WrestleMania were likely disappointed by what played out at the first few Show of Shows. Most of the matches were under five minutes and the focus was more on celebrity angle or convoluted storyline than wrestling.

Savage vs Steamboat is the one Wrestlemania match that defied this trend: Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Ricky the Dragon Steamboat at Wrestlemania III.

When most people think of that WrestleMania they, of course, think of Andre the Giant being body slammed by Hulk Hogan. But I’d argue that the rest of the card was forgettable trash.

Steamboat and Savage, both in the prime of their careers physically, put on a technical masterpiece that many believe to be the best match ever at the Showcase of the Immortals.

Watch for yourself:

Why this match matters so much is because it showed that quality, technical wrestling is exciting and can be appreciated on the biggest stage. The match’s technical prowess and amazing spots contrast greatly with the rest of the night’s overstuffed spectacle.

Savage and Steamboat allegedly “planned” the match meticulously and the care they brought to the match shows.

These were not two behemoths trying to splash and body slam. They were two of the masters of their craft putting on a clinic on the biggest stage of the year.

To this day, this is one of my favorite matches. It is timeless and always a great watch around Mania season.

Share your favorite Mania match in the comments below.