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Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage
Oooohhh yeahhhh!
Macho The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage is the sensational, definitive biography of the WrestleMania headlining, Spider-Man fighting, Slim Jim snapping, minor league baseball playing American Randy Savage.
Savage, a WWE wrestling hall of famer, was an A-list celebrity who sat atop the entertainment universe for much of the '80s and '90s. His outfits were as flamboyant as anything worn by Liberace, Elton John, or Prince. His charisma surpassed Hulk Hogan's and is rivaled only by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock. His millions of fans are more loyal than followers of any sports team.
Macho Man starred in cartoons, was featured on lunchboxes, sold a slew of action figures and toys, was in multiple video games, guest starred on Baywatch, Mad About You, Walker, and Texas Ranger, and made multiple appearances on iconic '90s talk shows. He supported a myriad of kids' charities, emceed Christmas events at hospitals for George Steinbrenner, played minor league baseball with Pete Rose, was the Harvard Lampoon's "Real Man of the Year," and held his family's wrestling legacy above all else.
With catchphrases and a voice still imitated by millions to this day, and with his GIFs reaching hundreds of millions of views on social media, the Macho Man is a transcendent figure who led an extraordinary life.
Macho The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage is the sensational, definitive biography of the WrestleMania headlining, Spider-Man fighting, Slim Jim snapping, minor league baseball playing American Randy Savage.
Savage, a WWE wrestling hall of famer, was an A-list celebrity who sat atop the entertainment universe for much of the '80s and '90s. His outfits were as flamboyant as anything worn by Liberace, Elton John, or Prince. His charisma surpassed Hulk Hogan's and is rivaled only by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock. His millions of fans are more loyal than followers of any sports team.
Macho Man starred in cartoons, was featured on lunchboxes, sold a slew of action figures and toys, was in multiple video games, guest starred on Baywatch, Mad About You, Walker, and Texas Ranger, and made multiple appearances on iconic '90s talk shows. He supported a myriad of kids' charities, emceed Christmas events at hospitals for George Steinbrenner, played minor league baseball with Pete Rose, was the Harvard Lampoon's "Real Man of the Year," and held his family's wrestling legacy above all else.
With catchphrases and a voice still imitated by millions to this day, and with his GIFs reaching hundreds of millions of views on social media, the Macho Man is a transcendent figure who led an extraordinary life.
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First published April 2, 2024
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About the author
Jon Finkel
38 books18 followersJon Finkel is the award-winning author of 1996: A Biography, Hoops Heist, The Life of Dad, Jocks In Chief, The Athlete, Heart Over Height, “Mean” Joe Greene and more. His books have been endorsed by everyone from Mark Cuban and Tony Dungy to Spike Lee, Kevin Durant and Chef Robert Irvine.
He has written for GQ, Men’s Health, Yahoo! Sports, The New York Times and has appeared on CBS: This Morning, Good Morning Texas, and hundreds of radio shows, podcasts and streams. Jon was recently profiled in The New Yorker about the awesome community he’s built around his Books & Biceps newsletter. They describe him as “a gym rat’s Reese Witherspoon”.
His upcoming biography, Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage, comes out Spring 2024.
He has written for GQ, Men’s Health, Yahoo! Sports, The New York Times and has appeared on CBS: This Morning, Good Morning Texas, and hundreds of radio shows, podcasts and streams. Jon was recently profiled in The New Yorker about the awesome community he’s built around his Books & Biceps newsletter. They describe him as “a gym rat’s Reese Witherspoon”.
His upcoming biography, Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage, comes out Spring 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 13, 2023
Ohhhh yeah! This is the biography of one of the best wrestlers of all time and that wrestler is the Macho Man Randy Savage, dig it!
I hated Randy Savage with a passion as a kid for what he did to Ricky Steamboat leading up to their showdown at Wrestlemania III. I eventually softened and enjoyed his matches, even though he seemed genuinely crazy a lot of the time. When the ARC of this became available, I jumped on it.
This was pretty bad ass, even though it failed my usual wrestling book test by taking 20% to get to the wrestling bits. With Macho Man, I had to make an exception because Macho Man's obsession with baseball and his insane dedication to be a pro adds a lot to the rest of the tale.
Finkel covers Savage's life and career from beginning to end. He goes pretty deep into the pre-WWF stuff, which is what I was most interested in. The book feels a little lopsided, though. I think I was around 60% at Wrestlemania III with 15 or so years left to cover. WCW is given a brief account and the aborted TNA run isn't even mentioned. The rest of the book is excellent, though. Very thorough. There's a lot of stuff I've never heard before, like Savage making Jake Roberts take the bite from the cobra first and a lot of the ICW and Memphis stuff was new to me.
This is an ARC so I wasn't too harsh but I noticed a couple errors. The championship Angelo Poffo beat Wilbur Snyder for was the NWA United States Championship, not the NWA Championship. Also, Tito Santana's finisher was the Flying Burrito, not the Flying Jalapeno. There was also a sentence in the Ric Flair angle that 'Ric' was used instead of 'Randy' talking about baseball.
Errors and not going into Savage's later career as much as I would like, this was a fantastic wrestling book. 4.5 out of 5 stars. So Snap into it!
I hated Randy Savage with a passion as a kid for what he did to Ricky Steamboat leading up to their showdown at Wrestlemania III. I eventually softened and enjoyed his matches, even though he seemed genuinely crazy a lot of the time. When the ARC of this became available, I jumped on it.
This was pretty bad ass, even though it failed my usual wrestling book test by taking 20% to get to the wrestling bits. With Macho Man, I had to make an exception because Macho Man's obsession with baseball and his insane dedication to be a pro adds a lot to the rest of the tale.
Finkel covers Savage's life and career from beginning to end. He goes pretty deep into the pre-WWF stuff, which is what I was most interested in. The book feels a little lopsided, though. I think I was around 60% at Wrestlemania III with 15 or so years left to cover. WCW is given a brief account and the aborted TNA run isn't even mentioned. The rest of the book is excellent, though. Very thorough. There's a lot of stuff I've never heard before, like Savage making Jake Roberts take the bite from the cobra first and a lot of the ICW and Memphis stuff was new to me.
This is an ARC so I wasn't too harsh but I noticed a couple errors. The championship Angelo Poffo beat Wilbur Snyder for was the NWA United States Championship, not the NWA Championship. Also, Tito Santana's finisher was the Flying Burrito, not the Flying Jalapeno. There was also a sentence in the Ric Flair angle that 'Ric' was used instead of 'Randy' talking about baseball.
Errors and not going into Savage's later career as much as I would like, this was a fantastic wrestling book. 4.5 out of 5 stars. So Snap into it!
June 18, 2024
Any wrestling fan knows about Randy “Macho Man” Savage (real name Randy Poffo), who was one of the most popular figures in the business in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. His legendary wrestling career, mostly with the then-World Wrestling Federation (WWF) is captured in great detail in this biography by Jon Finkel.
Through extensive research and interviews, the reader will be taken through Savage’s wrestling career, which was a humble beginning in a minor company in Kentucky. When he, his brother Lanny and father Angelo Poffo created their own wrestling association to compete with the bigger, more reputable Continental Wrestling Association of Jerry Lawler, they failed to make much headway and had to fold the company. This turned out to be a turning point for Randy as after sending a sincere letter to Lawler, Lawler referred him to Vince McMahon. And the rest, as they say, is history.
As many know, Savage/Poffo was a professional baseball player before entering professional wrestling. He played in the minor league systems of the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds (his favorite team as a kid) and Chicago White Sox. While he never made the major leagues, no one questioned his work ethic or the length to which he went to show everyone what he would do to make the big leagues. This includes learning to throw left handed when an injury prevented him from throwing with his natural right side.
As glad as I was that Finkel covered Savage/Poffo’s baseball career as well as he did, the coverage of his wrestling career was excellent. This includes his time before and during his height of popularity with WWF. This section includes some excellent insight into the business and the dialogue between wrestlers during the show, even while performing. One specific exchange that was very enlightening to me was early in Savage’s time with WWF when he was concerned that one of his patented elbow drops and a subsequent blow to the neck of his opponent hurt that person. The other wrestler quickly said that no, he was selling the injury. This was just one small example of the complete writing done on both careers of Savage/Poffo.
After his time with WWF was complete, he did some time with the WCW and reunited with some of the other stars at that time, but it was not as complete as the other areas of Poffo’s life. Which was fine as there was plenty of material to enjoy and absorb in this excellent biography of the man who told us to “step into a Slim Jim!”
I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
Through extensive research and interviews, the reader will be taken through Savage’s wrestling career, which was a humble beginning in a minor company in Kentucky. When he, his brother Lanny and father Angelo Poffo created their own wrestling association to compete with the bigger, more reputable Continental Wrestling Association of Jerry Lawler, they failed to make much headway and had to fold the company. This turned out to be a turning point for Randy as after sending a sincere letter to Lawler, Lawler referred him to Vince McMahon. And the rest, as they say, is history.
As many know, Savage/Poffo was a professional baseball player before entering professional wrestling. He played in the minor league systems of the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds (his favorite team as a kid) and Chicago White Sox. While he never made the major leagues, no one questioned his work ethic or the length to which he went to show everyone what he would do to make the big leagues. This includes learning to throw left handed when an injury prevented him from throwing with his natural right side.
As glad as I was that Finkel covered Savage/Poffo’s baseball career as well as he did, the coverage of his wrestling career was excellent. This includes his time before and during his height of popularity with WWF. This section includes some excellent insight into the business and the dialogue between wrestlers during the show, even while performing. One specific exchange that was very enlightening to me was early in Savage’s time with WWF when he was concerned that one of his patented elbow drops and a subsequent blow to the neck of his opponent hurt that person. The other wrestler quickly said that no, he was selling the injury. This was just one small example of the complete writing done on both careers of Savage/Poffo.
After his time with WWF was complete, he did some time with the WCW and reunited with some of the other stars at that time, but it was not as complete as the other areas of Poffo’s life. Which was fine as there was plenty of material to enjoy and absorb in this excellent biography of the man who told us to “step into a Slim Jim!”
I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
April 11, 2024
All the nostalgia from one of my favorite wrestlers as a kid. So many childhood memories are from the WWF and macho man was a huge part of it. A great biography written from a WWF fans perspective so the passion bleeds through the pages. Excellent book.
March 27, 2024
In the opening pages of MACHO MAN: THE UNTAMED, UNBELIEVABLE LIFE OF RANDY SAVAGE, author Jon Finkel makes his case as to why he is the only man who should write the story of Randy Savage. Already holding an encyclopedic knowledge of Savage's career, when Finkel was finally able to connect with Savage's brother Lanny, Finkel was given the family's blessing thanks to acing a test from The Genius himself.
Like many wrestling biographies focused on a second generation performer, much time is spent on the early days of that first generation wrestler. In this case, it's Angelo Poffo, the father of Randy Savage. Opening with Poffo's attempt to break the world sit-up record, I was hooked right away. Finkel's description of the dogged determination on the part of Angelo, something he would pass down to his son Randy, and the adverse effects on his physical state sent me reeling. Poffo's success in the ring led to the creation of his own promotion, International Championship Wrestling (ICW), the very organization that would give his sons Randy and Lanny their starts between the ropes.
I think the true drawing power of this book is the amount of time and focus that is put on Savage's life and career before his arrival in Vince McMahon's WWF. Finkel went to great lengths to uncover as much as possible with respect to Savage's first passion, baseball, and the lengths Savage went to pursue his dream. To those who are fans of Savage's in-ring work, they undoubtedly are aware of his relentless quest to be perfect between the ropes. What many are not aware of is that Savage approached a career in baseball with the same single-minded obsession to be the best. The sad fact is that while no one would question his drive, he just didn't have the talent to earn a roster spot in the major leagues. One story in particular details Savage's quest to re-learn how to play ball left-handed after an injury to his right arm left him unable to throw.
Once Savage's baseball dreams came to an end, Finkel dove head-first into Savage's meteoric rise inside the squared circle. While it is often said that those who excel in the business are those who put their whole lives into it, I'm not sure I've ever read about anyone so deeply committed as Randy Savage. Could this be attributed to his drive to be the best or a level of insecurity about past failures and a self-imposed need to measure up to the larger-than-life physique and presence each of his peers exhibited? Certainly Finkel's writing about Randy's intense gym schedule and constant jealous tendencies support that.
I will say that I learned a lot about ICW, which has been sort of a blind-spot in my wrestling knowledge. Finkel breaks down its reputation as an outlaw promotion and Angelo's quest for legitimacy against the Jerry Lawler-led Continental Wrestling Association, which was promoting much more successful shows in the same territory. I enjoyed reading about the beef between the two organizations and Savage's unyielding desire to get a match with Lawler despite being largely ignored and not working in the same company.
I imagine it was difficult for Finkel to boil down such a massive career into a little over three hundred pages, but much of Savage's later days in the industry were not as memorable or as important as his early ones, which are covered in great detail. Not much is relegated to his time in WCW, but that should be expected given that the promotion at the time was so chaotic. In my opinion, the only real bright spot during those days was his work with Dallas Page, which Finkel devotes space to. Time and consideration is also spent on Savage's ill-advised hip hop album as well as his brief but memorable appearance in 2002's Spider-Man.
MACHO MAN: THE UNTAMED, UNBELIEVABLE LIFE OF RANDY SAVAGE is a compelling look at one of the industry's most indelible performers. While there is a wealth of information to be mined from Savage's peers, It is certainly a blessing that Finkel was able to connect with Lanny Poffo before his untimely passing in 2023 as I imagine the book would not feel as rich without Lanny's invaluable input.
Like many wrestling biographies focused on a second generation performer, much time is spent on the early days of that first generation wrestler. In this case, it's Angelo Poffo, the father of Randy Savage. Opening with Poffo's attempt to break the world sit-up record, I was hooked right away. Finkel's description of the dogged determination on the part of Angelo, something he would pass down to his son Randy, and the adverse effects on his physical state sent me reeling. Poffo's success in the ring led to the creation of his own promotion, International Championship Wrestling (ICW), the very organization that would give his sons Randy and Lanny their starts between the ropes.
I think the true drawing power of this book is the amount of time and focus that is put on Savage's life and career before his arrival in Vince McMahon's WWF. Finkel went to great lengths to uncover as much as possible with respect to Savage's first passion, baseball, and the lengths Savage went to pursue his dream. To those who are fans of Savage's in-ring work, they undoubtedly are aware of his relentless quest to be perfect between the ropes. What many are not aware of is that Savage approached a career in baseball with the same single-minded obsession to be the best. The sad fact is that while no one would question his drive, he just didn't have the talent to earn a roster spot in the major leagues. One story in particular details Savage's quest to re-learn how to play ball left-handed after an injury to his right arm left him unable to throw.
Once Savage's baseball dreams came to an end, Finkel dove head-first into Savage's meteoric rise inside the squared circle. While it is often said that those who excel in the business are those who put their whole lives into it, I'm not sure I've ever read about anyone so deeply committed as Randy Savage. Could this be attributed to his drive to be the best or a level of insecurity about past failures and a self-imposed need to measure up to the larger-than-life physique and presence each of his peers exhibited? Certainly Finkel's writing about Randy's intense gym schedule and constant jealous tendencies support that.
I will say that I learned a lot about ICW, which has been sort of a blind-spot in my wrestling knowledge. Finkel breaks down its reputation as an outlaw promotion and Angelo's quest for legitimacy against the Jerry Lawler-led Continental Wrestling Association, which was promoting much more successful shows in the same territory. I enjoyed reading about the beef between the two organizations and Savage's unyielding desire to get a match with Lawler despite being largely ignored and not working in the same company.
I imagine it was difficult for Finkel to boil down such a massive career into a little over three hundred pages, but much of Savage's later days in the industry were not as memorable or as important as his early ones, which are covered in great detail. Not much is relegated to his time in WCW, but that should be expected given that the promotion at the time was so chaotic. In my opinion, the only real bright spot during those days was his work with Dallas Page, which Finkel devotes space to. Time and consideration is also spent on Savage's ill-advised hip hop album as well as his brief but memorable appearance in 2002's Spider-Man.
MACHO MAN: THE UNTAMED, UNBELIEVABLE LIFE OF RANDY SAVAGE is a compelling look at one of the industry's most indelible performers. While there is a wealth of information to be mined from Savage's peers, It is certainly a blessing that Finkel was able to connect with Lanny Poffo before his untimely passing in 2023 as I imagine the book would not feel as rich without Lanny's invaluable input.
May 6, 2025
5⭐️ Oh Yeahhh!!!!!
June 5, 2024
For fans of Savage, this is a good book to add to their collection, but if one is looking for a book with a ton of new information that hasn't been shared, not much would be found here.
Stories about him detailing in writing his match against Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania III, His feud with Jerry Lawler after his father's outlaw promotion went under, and his baseball career is detailed. There is a bunch in the first few chapters about his father and his background. The only thing that was new to me was the author states that Savage knocked out Ultimate Warrior so bad that Sgt. Slaughter had to cut the match short due to Warrior being knocked out (I never heard that part where Slaughter cut the match short)
For an in-depth review, visit my page at : www.lancewrites.wordpress.com/2024/06...
Stories about him detailing in writing his match against Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania III, His feud with Jerry Lawler after his father's outlaw promotion went under, and his baseball career is detailed. There is a bunch in the first few chapters about his father and his background. The only thing that was new to me was the author states that Savage knocked out Ultimate Warrior so bad that Sgt. Slaughter had to cut the match short due to Warrior being knocked out (I never heard that part where Slaughter cut the match short)
For an in-depth review, visit my page at : www.lancewrites.wordpress.com/2024/06...
December 8, 2023
This book is a fantastic tribute to Macho Man Randy Savage. Jon Finkel gets the tone completely right as he documents the life story of one of the greatest ever wrestlers. It includes many enjoyable anecdotes from Macho's friends and foes, and delivers a heartfelt, absorbing read.
April 29, 2024
Giving the book 5 stars for a 5 star wrestler, ohhhhhh yeeeeaaaahhh!!!!
Jon Finkel did a great job writing this book on one of the best ever to do it!
No need for a big review, it’s about Macho Man. READ IT! Enough said!
Jon Finkel did a great job writing this book on one of the best ever to do it!
No need for a big review, it’s about Macho Man. READ IT! Enough said!
May 30, 2024
In the world of professional wrestling, few names loom as large as 'Macho Man' Randy Savage. From his memorable WrestleMania clashes with the likes of Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, to his outrageously entertaining promos, Savage left an indelible mark on both the wrestling world and pop culture in general during his illustrious career.
By the time I began watching wrestling in 2001, Savage's in-ring days were largely over. Because of this relatively early retirement, as well as the fact that he never returned to the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment in any capacity following his departure in 1994, his legacy was never as widely celebrated as his contemporaries. Thus, for the first decade or so of my fandom I didn't quite have the same appreciation for the 'Macho Man' as many fans who watched him during his prime. That all changed in 2011, however, as he and WWE rekindled their business relationship with his inclusion in the WWE All Stars video game. With his untimely passing shortly afterward, it became evident through the resultant outpouring of gratitude from both fans and wrestlers alike just how much of an impact he had made.
Over the next decade, more concerted efforts were made to acknowledge Savage's legacy through various documentaries, DVD releases, action figures, merchandise and a posthumous induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. During this time, I became a big fan of Randy Savage, despite never having even watched a match of his while he was alive. As I devoured all of his old matches and the various documentaries which attempted to deconstruct this true enigma of a performer, I always asked myself one question: How has nobody written a book on this man?
Eventually, my prayers were answered as I caught news of an upcoming biography called 'The Untamed, Unbelievable life of Randy Savage' by Jon Finkel.
As it turned out, this book was not exactly the tell-all tome that it promised to be. When I found out it was only 300 pages, I wondered how exactly Finkel could do justice to the life and legacy of one of the biggest names in wrestling history. Turns out, he couldn't.
While the author does a good job of documenting the upbringing of the real-life Randy Poffo, the narrative becomes unsteady almost as soon as he begins examining Poffo's transition from baseball to professional wrestling. There is no big deal made about Savage's wrestling debut, nor does Finkel attempt to discuss how Savage was trained or where. However, the author does do a good job of keeping the reader engaged when recapping this less glamorous period of Savage's career, as the future 'Macho Man' attempted to make a name for himself in the very cutthroat industry that is professional wrestling. I found myself learning a lot about his early career, as well as his father's outlaw promotion and how that segued into Savage eventually feuding with Jerry Lawler in Memphis. Oftentimes in wrestling books, authors can make the mistake of getting too bogged down with details which can distract from the overall narrative. Finkel did a great job here of recapping Savage's major feuds while also making it clear how motivated he was to be the best and how his 'Macho Man' persona began to overtake him. However, Finkel's lack of detail ultimately proved a major irritation for me the further into the book I got.
Without wanting to get too bogged down with details myself, I will say that the chapters encompassing Savage's WWF run were a fun read, yet if you were a fan during this time you'll be disappointed, for they don't uncover any new information, but rather serve to recap his major feuds, with quotes from his colleagues such as Hulk Hogan and Jake Roberts, which themselves aren't first hand accounts but excerpts from documentaries such as the Dark Side of the Ring feature on Savage as well as the 2015 biopic produced by WWE. There's very little to be said of what Savage's life was like outside the ring, but that may also be because his life on the road with WWF was all-consuming. I did actually go back and watch the aforementioned Dark Side of the Ring biography, and noticed the author attributed some quotes to the wrong people. For example, he quotes Linda Bollea (Hulk Hogan's ex-wife) as saying that Savage and Elizabeth enjoyed planning their wedding at SummerSlam 1991 and were "like little kids", when in actual fact it was Bruce Prichard who said that. I also took umbrage with Finkel’s repeated use of the term ‘meathead’ when describing Savage’s gym habits. Once was okay, but the way he kept calling Randy a meathead for lifting weights felt unnecessary and disrespectful.
After spending a large portion of the book discussing Savage's run in the WWF, the author then dedicates just thirty pages to the remaining two decades of his life. This was the most disappointing aspect of the book, as this period of Savage's life was arguably the most intriguing; he went to WCW where he paired up with ex-wife Elizabeth and worked with former real life enemy Hulk Hogan, left in 2000, released a rap album, appeared in the Spider-Man movie in 2002, and then seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Furthermore, the author made several careless mistakes (e.g. saying that Savage was DDP's first ever opponent on PPV) when doing the bare minimum to gloss over his WCW career. When discussing his first world title win, he doesn't even bother to clarify the year it happened.
Overall, while this book is a relatively fun and easy read, and does a good job of acknowledging why Randy Savage was so important and beloved, if you're a longtime fan of the 'Macho Man' you'll be disappointed. Considering this is the first ever biography on Randy Savage, I expected a more detailed, lengthier account of both his career and personal life. It feels like Jon Finkel became disinterested halfway through the project, and rushed through the second half of what had been until that point a very promising book. Nonetheless, if you want a reminder (or maybe an introductory lesson) about why Randy Savage was great, I'd recommend this book. If you want a huge, tell-all memoir akin to Bret Hart's autobiography or even the Andre the Giant book released in 2020, you won't find it here.
By the time I began watching wrestling in 2001, Savage's in-ring days were largely over. Because of this relatively early retirement, as well as the fact that he never returned to the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment in any capacity following his departure in 1994, his legacy was never as widely celebrated as his contemporaries. Thus, for the first decade or so of my fandom I didn't quite have the same appreciation for the 'Macho Man' as many fans who watched him during his prime. That all changed in 2011, however, as he and WWE rekindled their business relationship with his inclusion in the WWE All Stars video game. With his untimely passing shortly afterward, it became evident through the resultant outpouring of gratitude from both fans and wrestlers alike just how much of an impact he had made.
Over the next decade, more concerted efforts were made to acknowledge Savage's legacy through various documentaries, DVD releases, action figures, merchandise and a posthumous induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. During this time, I became a big fan of Randy Savage, despite never having even watched a match of his while he was alive. As I devoured all of his old matches and the various documentaries which attempted to deconstruct this true enigma of a performer, I always asked myself one question: How has nobody written a book on this man?
Eventually, my prayers were answered as I caught news of an upcoming biography called 'The Untamed, Unbelievable life of Randy Savage' by Jon Finkel.
As it turned out, this book was not exactly the tell-all tome that it promised to be. When I found out it was only 300 pages, I wondered how exactly Finkel could do justice to the life and legacy of one of the biggest names in wrestling history. Turns out, he couldn't.
While the author does a good job of documenting the upbringing of the real-life Randy Poffo, the narrative becomes unsteady almost as soon as he begins examining Poffo's transition from baseball to professional wrestling. There is no big deal made about Savage's wrestling debut, nor does Finkel attempt to discuss how Savage was trained or where. However, the author does do a good job of keeping the reader engaged when recapping this less glamorous period of Savage's career, as the future 'Macho Man' attempted to make a name for himself in the very cutthroat industry that is professional wrestling. I found myself learning a lot about his early career, as well as his father's outlaw promotion and how that segued into Savage eventually feuding with Jerry Lawler in Memphis. Oftentimes in wrestling books, authors can make the mistake of getting too bogged down with details which can distract from the overall narrative. Finkel did a great job here of recapping Savage's major feuds while also making it clear how motivated he was to be the best and how his 'Macho Man' persona began to overtake him. However, Finkel's lack of detail ultimately proved a major irritation for me the further into the book I got.
Without wanting to get too bogged down with details myself, I will say that the chapters encompassing Savage's WWF run were a fun read, yet if you were a fan during this time you'll be disappointed, for they don't uncover any new information, but rather serve to recap his major feuds, with quotes from his colleagues such as Hulk Hogan and Jake Roberts, which themselves aren't first hand accounts but excerpts from documentaries such as the Dark Side of the Ring feature on Savage as well as the 2015 biopic produced by WWE. There's very little to be said of what Savage's life was like outside the ring, but that may also be because his life on the road with WWF was all-consuming. I did actually go back and watch the aforementioned Dark Side of the Ring biography, and noticed the author attributed some quotes to the wrong people. For example, he quotes Linda Bollea (Hulk Hogan's ex-wife) as saying that Savage and Elizabeth enjoyed planning their wedding at SummerSlam 1991 and were "like little kids", when in actual fact it was Bruce Prichard who said that. I also took umbrage with Finkel’s repeated use of the term ‘meathead’ when describing Savage’s gym habits. Once was okay, but the way he kept calling Randy a meathead for lifting weights felt unnecessary and disrespectful.
After spending a large portion of the book discussing Savage's run in the WWF, the author then dedicates just thirty pages to the remaining two decades of his life. This was the most disappointing aspect of the book, as this period of Savage's life was arguably the most intriguing; he went to WCW where he paired up with ex-wife Elizabeth and worked with former real life enemy Hulk Hogan, left in 2000, released a rap album, appeared in the Spider-Man movie in 2002, and then seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Furthermore, the author made several careless mistakes (e.g. saying that Savage was DDP's first ever opponent on PPV) when doing the bare minimum to gloss over his WCW career. When discussing his first world title win, he doesn't even bother to clarify the year it happened.
Overall, while this book is a relatively fun and easy read, and does a good job of acknowledging why Randy Savage was so important and beloved, if you're a longtime fan of the 'Macho Man' you'll be disappointed. Considering this is the first ever biography on Randy Savage, I expected a more detailed, lengthier account of both his career and personal life. It feels like Jon Finkel became disinterested halfway through the project, and rushed through the second half of what had been until that point a very promising book. Nonetheless, if you want a reminder (or maybe an introductory lesson) about why Randy Savage was great, I'd recommend this book. If you want a huge, tell-all memoir akin to Bret Hart's autobiography or even the Andre the Giant book released in 2020, you won't find it here.
February 12, 2024
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher ECW Press for an advance copy of this new biography on one of the most macho of macho men, his rise to fame in wrestling, and how much he had to give up of himself along the way.
I loved professional wrestling as a kid. The behemoths battling in the squared circle, the stories, the promos, the female managers. It was real to me. One of the guys wasn't the biggest, but for some reason he was captivating, and not in a good way. When he hit the ring, one was never sure who he was going to hit next; his opponent, his partner, the referee, someone in the crowd. When he spoke it was a growl mixed with a coyotes whine, words strung together that at time kept one locked in place, full believeing in the moment, but later if read back would make one go, what was that about. The clothing, the elbow drop, the lovely Miss Elizabeth, and above it all the charisma, Randy Macho Man Savage had it all. However to be the Macho Man, he had to give up a lot of Randy, and no matter how far Savage climbed, he never seemed to reconcile the macho and the man. Jon Finkel in Macho Man:The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage has written the first real biography about this hero of the ring, his life, his love, and finding himself outside the lights of fame.
Randy Poffo was the eldest son of Angelo Poffo, a man who crafted and honed his body to be the best, and look even better. Angelo was a heel wrestler, a man people paid to boo, or even to attack when his antics made the good guy wrestler look bad. Randy Poffo had a dream, to be a professional baseball player, and his whole life was aimed at this goal. When injury and skill made this an impossible dream, wrestling and weight training became his goal. Randy never did anything in half measures, taking his body which was sleek and lean for baseball to the bodybuilding physique needed for wrestling. Lacking the size, to stand out in a group of giants, Randy began to look at what years of watching his father had shown him. Attitude can make a man seem bigger. So Randy Poffo became Randy Savage, the Macho Man. His outfits got brighter, his leaps bigger, his attitude broader. With his wife Elizabeth at his side, the bigger stage of wrestling for the World Wrestling Federation came calling. World championships, Wrestlemania matches and more awaited. But Randy Savage was tiring to be, and Randy Poffo was something left behind, leaving more a man at sea than a savage.
Savage to me always stood out, even though by size he shouldn't have. Savage had the charisma, and more importantly he had the drive, the belief that everything mattered, and he made his fans believe that too. Jon Finkel does a great job of showing the pressure, the exhaustion of what being Randy Savage must have been like. The interviews especially with his brother Lanny reveal quite a lot about Randy, the push for excellence, the constant gym time. And it is the quieter moments, the fact that Randy was a boring guy, spending time in his hotel room watching tv, reading books or being nice to kids. The book is quite good at describing life on the road and in the ring, but the quiet moments, reading to children at Christmas, playing games with wrestlers sons, are what I really enjoyed. And the love he had for his family.
There are a lot of wild moments, Waffle House riots, destroying lockers, but Randy comes across as a guy who was lost for a long time as the Macho Man. When his brother Lanny talks about how that anger that seemed such a part of Randy was gone, one feels awful for what this man went through to entertain us. Some would say oh he got Slim Jim money, well money isn't everything. These kind of books never end happy, but at least Randy seemed happy. One of the better books on wrestlers I have read, and a book I really enjoyed.
I loved professional wrestling as a kid. The behemoths battling in the squared circle, the stories, the promos, the female managers. It was real to me. One of the guys wasn't the biggest, but for some reason he was captivating, and not in a good way. When he hit the ring, one was never sure who he was going to hit next; his opponent, his partner, the referee, someone in the crowd. When he spoke it was a growl mixed with a coyotes whine, words strung together that at time kept one locked in place, full believeing in the moment, but later if read back would make one go, what was that about. The clothing, the elbow drop, the lovely Miss Elizabeth, and above it all the charisma, Randy Macho Man Savage had it all. However to be the Macho Man, he had to give up a lot of Randy, and no matter how far Savage climbed, he never seemed to reconcile the macho and the man. Jon Finkel in Macho Man:The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage has written the first real biography about this hero of the ring, his life, his love, and finding himself outside the lights of fame.
Randy Poffo was the eldest son of Angelo Poffo, a man who crafted and honed his body to be the best, and look even better. Angelo was a heel wrestler, a man people paid to boo, or even to attack when his antics made the good guy wrestler look bad. Randy Poffo had a dream, to be a professional baseball player, and his whole life was aimed at this goal. When injury and skill made this an impossible dream, wrestling and weight training became his goal. Randy never did anything in half measures, taking his body which was sleek and lean for baseball to the bodybuilding physique needed for wrestling. Lacking the size, to stand out in a group of giants, Randy began to look at what years of watching his father had shown him. Attitude can make a man seem bigger. So Randy Poffo became Randy Savage, the Macho Man. His outfits got brighter, his leaps bigger, his attitude broader. With his wife Elizabeth at his side, the bigger stage of wrestling for the World Wrestling Federation came calling. World championships, Wrestlemania matches and more awaited. But Randy Savage was tiring to be, and Randy Poffo was something left behind, leaving more a man at sea than a savage.
Savage to me always stood out, even though by size he shouldn't have. Savage had the charisma, and more importantly he had the drive, the belief that everything mattered, and he made his fans believe that too. Jon Finkel does a great job of showing the pressure, the exhaustion of what being Randy Savage must have been like. The interviews especially with his brother Lanny reveal quite a lot about Randy, the push for excellence, the constant gym time. And it is the quieter moments, the fact that Randy was a boring guy, spending time in his hotel room watching tv, reading books or being nice to kids. The book is quite good at describing life on the road and in the ring, but the quiet moments, reading to children at Christmas, playing games with wrestlers sons, are what I really enjoyed. And the love he had for his family.
There are a lot of wild moments, Waffle House riots, destroying lockers, but Randy comes across as a guy who was lost for a long time as the Macho Man. When his brother Lanny talks about how that anger that seemed such a part of Randy was gone, one feels awful for what this man went through to entertain us. Some would say oh he got Slim Jim money, well money isn't everything. These kind of books never end happy, but at least Randy seemed happy. One of the better books on wrestlers I have read, and a book I really enjoyed.
Read
July 3, 2024Anyone who was a fan of wrestling in the 1980’s and 1990’s was without doubt familiar with Randy Savage. With his signature hair, wild costumes and phrases like “oh yeah,” and “freak out freak out freak out,” he was a one-man talent showcase for all that was right and fun about the sport.
Jon Finkel has done an exceptional job of capturing the essence of not only the man, but all those who were part of his wrestling circle and life in general. Wrestling was not only in his blood, but also in his family, because Randy’s father Angelo Poffo was a wrestler as well. His other claim to was that he broke the world sit-up record finally after several attempts. His body went through the rigors of this for several hours, until he somehow did more than 6,000 straight sit-ups until his body could no longer take it. He was not a quitter something that was part of the Poffo family. Randy’s brother Lanny Poffo, was also a wrestler, perhaps not as colorful or famous as Randy, but he still was respected in the squared circle, and was definitely a motivator for Randy to succeed. Ironically, Randy wanted desperately to become a baseball player. He lived and breathed the sport and while he played his heart out there, wrestling became the sport that eventually he found his calling in. When he did get into the sport, he was perhaps not as flashy as what he evolved into, but in the earliest years he got into a lengthy feud with Jerry (The King) Lawler.
This was pre-WWE turning the sport on its ear, and Randy definitely was a hard worker as the matches were meticulously planned out in advance, to give fans the optimum performance. He brought thousands of fans to the smaller wrestling circuits, but when he came to the WWE he really turned into big business and greater recognition.
The book talks about his meeting and infatuation with Miss Elizabeth, who eventually became his manager and wife. There were some interesting remarks about Randy and Elizabeth, that while he loved her and respected her, somehow a few of the angles in the business rubbed Randy the wrong way. One of the feuds was with George (The Animal Steele), who had a supposed infatuation with her, even carrying her out of the ring and into the dressing room. Randy worried the fans might interpret it the wrong way, that there was really something between them. Later, if wrestlers interacted with her the wrong manner, he was upset almost as if he had issues with separating the fantasy of the angle as part of the story in the ring.
The book talks about a match with Ricky The Dragon Steamboat, from Wrestlemania III, that many wrestling lovers consider one of the greatest in history. Randy and Ricky created several pages of script for their in-ring moves, meticulously plotting it so it would be memorable. It is still talked about today.
Jon Finkel takes us deep into the life of Randy along with Angelo, Lanny, Miss Elizabeth, and others who wrestled him and knew him well. Randy died in 2011, while Miss Elizabeth who has long been divorced from died in 2003. Brother Lanny died in 2023 during the writing of the book. Fans of wrestling and Randy Savage will enjoy this deep dive into the life and trials of the macho man, and will say “ooh yeahhhhh” often in appreciation of the book.
Jon Finkel has done an exceptional job of capturing the essence of not only the man, but all those who were part of his wrestling circle and life in general. Wrestling was not only in his blood, but also in his family, because Randy’s father Angelo Poffo was a wrestler as well. His other claim to was that he broke the world sit-up record finally after several attempts. His body went through the rigors of this for several hours, until he somehow did more than 6,000 straight sit-ups until his body could no longer take it. He was not a quitter something that was part of the Poffo family. Randy’s brother Lanny Poffo, was also a wrestler, perhaps not as colorful or famous as Randy, but he still was respected in the squared circle, and was definitely a motivator for Randy to succeed. Ironically, Randy wanted desperately to become a baseball player. He lived and breathed the sport and while he played his heart out there, wrestling became the sport that eventually he found his calling in. When he did get into the sport, he was perhaps not as flashy as what he evolved into, but in the earliest years he got into a lengthy feud with Jerry (The King) Lawler.
This was pre-WWE turning the sport on its ear, and Randy definitely was a hard worker as the matches were meticulously planned out in advance, to give fans the optimum performance. He brought thousands of fans to the smaller wrestling circuits, but when he came to the WWE he really turned into big business and greater recognition.
The book talks about his meeting and infatuation with Miss Elizabeth, who eventually became his manager and wife. There were some interesting remarks about Randy and Elizabeth, that while he loved her and respected her, somehow a few of the angles in the business rubbed Randy the wrong way. One of the feuds was with George (The Animal Steele), who had a supposed infatuation with her, even carrying her out of the ring and into the dressing room. Randy worried the fans might interpret it the wrong way, that there was really something between them. Later, if wrestlers interacted with her the wrong manner, he was upset almost as if he had issues with separating the fantasy of the angle as part of the story in the ring.
The book talks about a match with Ricky The Dragon Steamboat, from Wrestlemania III, that many wrestling lovers consider one of the greatest in history. Randy and Ricky created several pages of script for their in-ring moves, meticulously plotting it so it would be memorable. It is still talked about today.
Jon Finkel takes us deep into the life of Randy along with Angelo, Lanny, Miss Elizabeth, and others who wrestled him and knew him well. Randy died in 2011, while Miss Elizabeth who has long been divorced from died in 2003. Brother Lanny died in 2023 during the writing of the book. Fans of wrestling and Randy Savage will enjoy this deep dive into the life and trials of the macho man, and will say “ooh yeahhhhh” often in appreciation of the book.
August 10, 2025
The author basically lays out all the reasons this book won’t be good in the opening paragraphs, saying he’s dreamed of writing “the definitive” Randy Savage biography since he was 13 years old, but decided not to take it on unless he had Lanny Poffo’s blessing.
1) That paragraph tells you how highly this author thinks of himself to declare this the definitive biography. Truly great biographers never say stuff like that.
2) He’s telling you this is a childhood dream to write about someone he was a huge fan of. So throw out any prayer of objectivity or exploration of any negative aspects of Savage’s past. It’s just a fan writing how awesome everything was.
3) The reliance on Lanny Poffo basically turns this into the Poffo family authorized biography. The first half of the book on Randy’s earlier years are mostly just stories from Lanny, many of which reek of embellishment.
The author also has an annoying habit of using the second person, in a way that he seems to think makes him some kind of cute and interesting writer, but is actually horrible.
Example: “Your dad removes his shirt to reveal a tan, carved body. His muscles ripple in front of you. Then he puts on tight wrestling trunks and boots up to his knees and wraps a shiny, billowing robe around his neck. He slicks his hair back and stretches, warming up for his match. You’re maybe three or four feet tall. He’s twice your height. You look up at him in awe. He’s magnificent. A God.”
And also “Picture you’re a wrestling fan living in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1978. You wake up on a crisp March morning in the middle of the week. It’s Wednesday. Hump day. Your job is boring, but you’re a wrestling fan and you’re fired up to hit the Fairgrounds Arena for the match tonight (you’ve already bought $2.50 tickets for you and your family).”
After the book gets past the Lanny Poffo approved tales and to Savage’s WWF run, it turns into just a recap of different TV episodes and pay per views with no new insights. And then the author basically sums up Savage’s WCW run by saying “SuperBrawls. Bashes at the Beach. Halloween Havocs. World Wars. Starrcades. Stampedes. Clashes of Champions. Savage did ’em all.” Really first rate research here.
People who grew up with Savage as a childhood hero may enjoy this. Anyone else can probably skip it.
1) That paragraph tells you how highly this author thinks of himself to declare this the definitive biography. Truly great biographers never say stuff like that.
2) He’s telling you this is a childhood dream to write about someone he was a huge fan of. So throw out any prayer of objectivity or exploration of any negative aspects of Savage’s past. It’s just a fan writing how awesome everything was.
3) The reliance on Lanny Poffo basically turns this into the Poffo family authorized biography. The first half of the book on Randy’s earlier years are mostly just stories from Lanny, many of which reek of embellishment.
The author also has an annoying habit of using the second person, in a way that he seems to think makes him some kind of cute and interesting writer, but is actually horrible.
Example: “Your dad removes his shirt to reveal a tan, carved body. His muscles ripple in front of you. Then he puts on tight wrestling trunks and boots up to his knees and wraps a shiny, billowing robe around his neck. He slicks his hair back and stretches, warming up for his match. You’re maybe three or four feet tall. He’s twice your height. You look up at him in awe. He’s magnificent. A God.”
And also “Picture you’re a wrestling fan living in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1978. You wake up on a crisp March morning in the middle of the week. It’s Wednesday. Hump day. Your job is boring, but you’re a wrestling fan and you’re fired up to hit the Fairgrounds Arena for the match tonight (you’ve already bought $2.50 tickets for you and your family).”
After the book gets past the Lanny Poffo approved tales and to Savage’s WWF run, it turns into just a recap of different TV episodes and pay per views with no new insights. And then the author basically sums up Savage’s WCW run by saying “SuperBrawls. Bashes at the Beach. Halloween Havocs. World Wars. Starrcades. Stampedes. Clashes of Champions. Savage did ’em all.” Really first rate research here.
People who grew up with Savage as a childhood hero may enjoy this. Anyone else can probably skip it.
March 10, 2024
The story of probably one of the most name-checked and legendary wrestlers of that age, Macho Man here delivers an incredibly well-researched and well written biography of someone who always seemed so much larger than life, it's amazing you can fit him in these pages.
Starting with a fantastic grounding on how he became the man he is and then working through his career, Macho Man delivers a fantastic history of a man who really is such a large part of the era. I was too young to be able to enjoy this man's heyday when he was at his peak but this book made me wish I did and look up so many clips see if I could find any of these legendary moments as it takes you to the heart of the highlights of this man's career.
The interview near the beginning of the book with Lanny, his brother discussing how it feels to hear a whole arena boo your dad was such an interesting perspective too and added another dimension to the life of this man and the man's work - I think it's fascinating to have that insight of how it feels to be related to someone who at that point it must feel for a kid the whole world hates.
An in depth look into a great man's life, Macho Man is iconic and this book certainly highlights the work and the time he put in to make it happen with real research and sincerity that highlights just how much this author delves into the subject matter. I'd recommend this to anyone who has a passion wrestling for sure as the passion for wrestling is highlighted on every page.
(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC for honest review).
Starting with a fantastic grounding on how he became the man he is and then working through his career, Macho Man delivers a fantastic history of a man who really is such a large part of the era. I was too young to be able to enjoy this man's heyday when he was at his peak but this book made me wish I did and look up so many clips see if I could find any of these legendary moments as it takes you to the heart of the highlights of this man's career.
The interview near the beginning of the book with Lanny, his brother discussing how it feels to hear a whole arena boo your dad was such an interesting perspective too and added another dimension to the life of this man and the man's work - I think it's fascinating to have that insight of how it feels to be related to someone who at that point it must feel for a kid the whole world hates.
An in depth look into a great man's life, Macho Man is iconic and this book certainly highlights the work and the time he put in to make it happen with real research and sincerity that highlights just how much this author delves into the subject matter. I'd recommend this to anyone who has a passion wrestling for sure as the passion for wrestling is highlighted on every page.
(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC for honest review).
May 7, 2024
A comprehensive biography on Randy Savage is long overdue. I always thought Jeff Pearlman would be perfectly suited for the task. Instead we get Jon Finkel's facsimile of Pearlman's writing style.
The chapters on Savage's childhood, baseball career, and early wrestling career are the book's best points. In particular, I enjoyed reading about ICW, since the various Savage documentaries tend to gloss over this part of the Macho Man's career.
Randy's WWF career has been heavily documented in recent years, and while Finkel adds a few anecdotes he doesn't shed much new light. In fact, his timeline of Randy's separation from Elizabeth is dubious: he claims the final break occurred right before WrestleMania VIII while Hogan was filming Mr. Nanny. The problem: WM8 took place on April 5, 1992, while according to IMDB the filming of Mr. Nanny occurred between May 15 and June 30, 1992. If Finkel got this wrong, just what else in the book is inaccurate?
The best audience for this book would be wrestling fans who have somehow avoided watching the Savage documentaries on A&E and Vice, listening to podcasts that talk about Savage, and are learning about his legacy for the first time. It feels like this could have been so much more, however. Not essential.
The chapters on Savage's childhood, baseball career, and early wrestling career are the book's best points. In particular, I enjoyed reading about ICW, since the various Savage documentaries tend to gloss over this part of the Macho Man's career.
Randy's WWF career has been heavily documented in recent years, and while Finkel adds a few anecdotes he doesn't shed much new light. In fact, his timeline of Randy's separation from Elizabeth is dubious: he claims the final break occurred right before WrestleMania VIII while Hogan was filming Mr. Nanny. The problem: WM8 took place on April 5, 1992, while according to IMDB the filming of Mr. Nanny occurred between May 15 and June 30, 1992. If Finkel got this wrong, just what else in the book is inaccurate?
The best audience for this book would be wrestling fans who have somehow avoided watching the Savage documentaries on A&E and Vice, listening to podcasts that talk about Savage, and are learning about his legacy for the first time. It feels like this could have been so much more, however. Not essential.
July 18, 2025
I read this book hoping to get a true insight into the Macho Man Randy Savage, one of the most memorable superstars of my youth. That being said, I cannot really say I know much more about the Macho Man than I did before reading this book. The book focuses heavily on the Poffo family’s athletic achievements and Randy’s life in baseball and organized sports, but somewhere around 2/3 of the way through the book it falls into a repetitive recount of Randy’s career. His WCW run is condensed into one chapter. His divorce with Elizabeth is relegated to only a few sentences. And his career after wrestling? It runs a few pages at most. For an introduction that hyped up unprecedented access to the Poffo family through his brother Lanny and his mother Judy, the book fell short and did not offer any actual new or interesting insights. In summary, all I took away from the book is that there was no difference between the Macho Man gimmick and Randy Poffo the man — they were one and the same. I do not want to be wholly negative. The book was clearly a labor of love for the author and it is paced extremely well, but I was just left wanting more about Randy and less about the Macho Man, but as mentioned earlier, I guess there’s not much to tell since they are inseparable.
August 6, 2025
A great, detailed biography that does exactly what most wrestling bios don't—sticks to the facts and actually backs them up. Jon Finkel doesn't waste time with fluff or ego-driven stories. Instead, he writes from a true fan's perspective, putting in real research to deliver a well-rounded, honest look at the life of Randy Savage.
The book tracks Savage from birth to death, with deep dives into his upbringing, his student-athlete years, his time in minor league baseball, and, of course, his iconic wrestling career. It also sheds light on the personal and professional relationships he built along the way. It's easily some of the best writing I've come across in the wrestling biography genre—if not the best.
My only real critique? The early chapters go so deep into his family—especially Angelo and company—that it starts to feel like their biography instead of Randy's. Then, toward the end, things speed up noticeably. His post-WWE life, second marriage, and death are all touched on but not with the same detail, and I would've liked that balance carried through.
Still, this is an incredible biography—one that’s kept my hunger for wrestling stories alive and well. A must-read for fans of Macho Man or anyone who appreciates real-life characters living out larger-than-life roles.
The book tracks Savage from birth to death, with deep dives into his upbringing, his student-athlete years, his time in minor league baseball, and, of course, his iconic wrestling career. It also sheds light on the personal and professional relationships he built along the way. It's easily some of the best writing I've come across in the wrestling biography genre—if not the best.
My only real critique? The early chapters go so deep into his family—especially Angelo and company—that it starts to feel like their biography instead of Randy's. Then, toward the end, things speed up noticeably. His post-WWE life, second marriage, and death are all touched on but not with the same detail, and I would've liked that balance carried through.
Still, this is an incredible biography—one that’s kept my hunger for wrestling stories alive and well. A must-read for fans of Macho Man or anyone who appreciates real-life characters living out larger-than-life roles.
April 18, 2024
This book gets a 4.5 out of 5, but I’ll give it the full five stars. Jon Finkel is an enthusiastic, entertaining, and passionate writer. The book starts fast and finishes strong. This was a difficult task, as it’s hard to cover everything about the Macho Man in 300 pages. I loved that he focused on the early days, such as his baseball career, his love of his family, and ICW. The ICW section of the book was a real highlight for me. The reason I’m giving this book 4.5 out of 5 stars is because I felt as though his time in WCW wasn’t discussed in great depth. Also, the last ten years of his life are also only covered in a few pages. The author is clearly a big fan of Savage and it’s part of the reason why the book was so good and such a great read. However, I also feel as though it hurts the book because he goes a little easy on Randy Savage. I felt as though Randy’s flaws and shortcomings as a person were basically ignored. You have to cover everything, warts and all.
All in all, Macho Man Randy Savage fans and wrestling fans will find a lot to like here despite a few issues. Highly recommended!
All in all, Macho Man Randy Savage fans and wrestling fans will find a lot to like here despite a few issues. Highly recommended!
April 26, 2024
One of the most intense, colourful and talented pro-wrestlers of all time is the focus of this detailed and interesting biography. Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage (2024) by Jon Finkel tells the story of Randall Poffo, the one-time aspiring baseball player who decided to follow in his father's footsteps in the wrestling ring and becomes a legend of the game. I was easily the target audience for this book. Growing up, I adored Savage. Be he a good guy or bad, his athleticism and incredible promos made him a captivating man and Finkel's book lets us in on how this persona wasn't just in front of the camera's but also in every other area of his life; for good and for bad. As detailed as this is, Finkel's tone is of such admiration that it merely skims over the more deranged aspects of Savage's personality, giving the book a heavy lean towards adulation rather than any true balance. Savage's story is a well known one and there isn't anything here that I hadn't learned from many shoot intervals on YouTube over the years but this is a well curated and lovingly put together book all the same.
May 11, 2025
i mean, I've always wanted a Randy Savage biography for decades. though with every passing year i realize no definitive book will ever be written as more and more people who were close to him are passing on.
so i was surprised to see one day that someone has written a biog.
but have to say, i was quite disappointed. my main gripe is that while it does cover the basic touchpoints of what a biog should do, the tone of the biog was a little too fanboy-ish for my liking. i had really wanted to understand the psyche and the real personality of the man behind the shades and gaudy tights, but i didn't find it here. i do realise the fault does not fall entire on the writers shoulders.
but somehow i felt there must surely be so many other people connected to Randy that could shed light on the man, especially those that could articulate better than just a brief quote that doesn't go beyond a blurb or something that already expect about Randy.
who knows maybe there's still time for another biog to be written before its too late.
so i was surprised to see one day that someone has written a biog.
but have to say, i was quite disappointed. my main gripe is that while it does cover the basic touchpoints of what a biog should do, the tone of the biog was a little too fanboy-ish for my liking. i had really wanted to understand the psyche and the real personality of the man behind the shades and gaudy tights, but i didn't find it here. i do realise the fault does not fall entire on the writers shoulders.
but somehow i felt there must surely be so many other people connected to Randy that could shed light on the man, especially those that could articulate better than just a brief quote that doesn't go beyond a blurb or something that already expect about Randy.
who knows maybe there's still time for another biog to be written before its too late.
August 16, 2024
Certainly the cream of the crop of Macho biographies! Or of any biography of our favorite wrestling superstars. Jon Finkel has done his research; hitting the road and the phones to get the madness of Macho’s life story right. His writing style makes you feel like your sitting right there next to him on the next smith machine over, catching your breath, cooling the burn raging in your traps, and wiping the sweat from your forehead-in anticipation of what happens next. I would say that the target audience for this read are definitely dads who once ripped through their neighborhoods on huffy bmx bikes back in 1986. But, you could definitely enjoy this Macho biography even if you didn’t own your own set of rubber, 10 inch tall WWF action figures. Highly recommended read, a jaunt through the life of one of our favorite wrestling superstars. TrueBallerBooks.com
May 30, 2024
There is no doubt that a biography of this particular wrestler is valuable since Randy Savage was one of the key figures in the sport's growth. The author makes it clear early on that he's a big fan, and that's the biggest problem here. Any research into Savage's life will turn up some difficult moments, but Finkel just is not interested in dealing with such topics in any sort of depth. There have been documentaries that have done a better job of giving a more complete picture of the man. The best part of the book covers Savage's early years in wrestling and how he developed the Macho Man character. If you are a fan of the man, this is your kind of book. If you are not, you're apt to be left wanting more.
July 31, 2024
Oooooh yeah! There is nobody and I mean nobody that can live a more complex life in wrestling than the Macho Man Randy Savage lemme tell ya!
Biographies can be difficult not only to write, which in turn can make them hard to read if the author cannot find a way to make the subject seem accessible to the reader.
John Finken finds a narrative that will appeal to everyone from the hardcore wrestling fan to the person who only knows the pop culture reference of snap into a slim Jim and everyone in between. What is clearly a labor of love is also accessible to those who were too young to live through the days of Macho Madness.
Biographies can be difficult not only to write, which in turn can make them hard to read if the author cannot find a way to make the subject seem accessible to the reader.
John Finken finds a narrative that will appeal to everyone from the hardcore wrestling fan to the person who only knows the pop culture reference of snap into a slim Jim and everyone in between. What is clearly a labor of love is also accessible to those who were too young to live through the days of Macho Madness.
January 11, 2024
Thanks to Edelweiss for the early access to review.
Macho Man: The Life of Randy Savage is the story of a man filled with determination, attitude, and downright savagery. It shows his hard work and grit, growing from Randy Poppo the young baseball player who couldn't quite break into the big leagues to the Macho Man adored (and booed) by many. Larger than life and dressed flamboyantly to match, Randy rivaled some of the biggest characters of the 80s and 90s.
Filled with behing the scenes nuggets, I recommend this book for anyone looking for that 80s wrestling nostalgia.
Macho Man: The Life of Randy Savage is the story of a man filled with determination, attitude, and downright savagery. It shows his hard work and grit, growing from Randy Poppo the young baseball player who couldn't quite break into the big leagues to the Macho Man adored (and booed) by many. Larger than life and dressed flamboyantly to match, Randy rivaled some of the biggest characters of the 80s and 90s.
Filled with behing the scenes nuggets, I recommend this book for anyone looking for that 80s wrestling nostalgia.
February 15, 2024
I'm a huge professional wrestling fan so was excited to read this. Randy was one of my favourite wrestlers growing up so I was eager to find out more about the man behind the wrestling persona.
I knew he had been a professional baseball player but knew very little of his time doing that so that was good to find out about.
The way he approached his professional wrestling career was fascinating and explains why he was one of the all time greatest professional wrestlers.
Highly recommended.
I knew he had been a professional baseball player but knew very little of his time doing that so that was good to find out about.
The way he approached his professional wrestling career was fascinating and explains why he was one of the all time greatest professional wrestlers.
Highly recommended.
May 29, 2024
Maybe more of a 3.5, but not a four. Some typos (such as fifty being spelled ffity), but this book spends a lot of time on his baseball career, and then his early wrestling career, but it speeds up at the end. Only eight pages about WCW, where he spent six or seven years. Only a couple of pages of that is about his feud with DDP.
Some controversies were glossed over, or not mentioned at all (ie - Stephanie McMahon). I understand the author looked up to Savage, but a biography of someone should address everything that it can.
Some controversies were glossed over, or not mentioned at all (ie - Stephanie McMahon). I understand the author looked up to Savage, but a biography of someone should address everything that it can.
June 7, 2024
A fascinating look at one of the strangest characters from late-century wrestling.
Growing up, I was always a fan of the Macho Man. He was energetic, fun to watch in the ring, and he just wasn't like anything else I'd seen.
However, diving deeper into his life, he seems like an absolutely intriguing individual. Committed to his craft like no other, yet also seeming to go so deep that you didn't know if he knew reality from fiction. A pretty intelligent tactician, yet prone to bouts of insane jealousy. Macho Man Randy Savage seems to just be begging for a biopic of his life.
Growing up, I was always a fan of the Macho Man. He was energetic, fun to watch in the ring, and he just wasn't like anything else I'd seen.
However, diving deeper into his life, he seems like an absolutely intriguing individual. Committed to his craft like no other, yet also seeming to go so deep that you didn't know if he knew reality from fiction. A pretty intelligent tactician, yet prone to bouts of insane jealousy. Macho Man Randy Savage seems to just be begging for a biopic of his life.
November 23, 2024
A good amount of detail about Savage's growing up and early career. I wish the WWF-era portion of the book had a little more insight into Savage as a person, colleague, husband and more detail about how and why certain storylines unfolded - which angles did Savage push for? Which left him cold? Who did he enjoy working with? An accounting of stories that I already witnessed isn't really necessary - it's fun to remember them, but I would've liked more insight into the why and how and Savage's reaction to all of it.
April 16, 2024
An easy, breezy read that manages to cover much ground in a short space of time. Could you call it too earnest or too positive? It's certainly the opposite of the "Dark Side of the Ring" episode that covers much of the Randy/Elizabeth saga. But there's no denying that this is a fascinating look into the intensity that transformed Randy Poffo into Randy "Macho Man" Savage. I was there as a kid, watching it all happen...and it certainly tickles the nostalgia funny bone to exhaustion.
May 19, 2025
The definitive Macho Man biography, with Lanny Poffo’s blessing. I like how Finkel (no relation to Howard Finkel) doesn’t try to pin down some facts, like the origin of the “Macho Man” name. He gives several possibilities with relevant sources instead. It’s well researched throughout. The only thing that would have improved it was more. There was no reference to Macho’s later wrestling appearances, like his short TNA run, while his WCW run is glossed over to some extent.
May 30, 2025
A very insightful and thorough biography of Randy Poffo, aka Randy Savage, aka The Macho Man. His obsession with training and attention to detail made him difficult to work with both professionally and personally.
He unfortunately was another example of not being able to adapt once his career ended. This is an informative account of anyone who is a fan of professional wrestling and especially the Macho Man. Ohh yeah!!!!
He unfortunately was another example of not being able to adapt once his career ended. This is an informative account of anyone who is a fan of professional wrestling and especially the Macho Man. Ohh yeah!!!!
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