The Mega Powers
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The Mega Powers were a tag team in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. The Mega Powers consisted of Hulk Hogan, and "Macho Man" Randy Savage with Miss Elizabeth (at the time Randy's wife, though portrayed on-screen as his girlfriend) as their valet.
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[edit] History
The alliance between Hogan and Savage began at WWF Saturday Night's Main Event on October 3, 1987. Savage was in the middle of a face turn when he sought to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship from the Honky Tonk Man. When Savage hit his Flying Elbow Drop finisher on Honky Tonk for the pin, The Hart Foundation (who at the time were heels, all three managed by Jimmy Hart) came in and attacked Savage, getting Honky Tonk disqualified. All three wrestlers attacked Savage brutally.
When Honky Tonk shoved Miss Elizabeth, who was trying to stop them, she ran away to the backstage area; meanwhile, Honky completed his attempt to break his guitar over Savage's head. Shortly afterward, Elizabeth returned with Hulk Hogan, at the time WWF Champion, who came and saved Savage from the assault. Their alliance solidified Savage's face turn, which had been brewing for weeks as fan support grew for him. Later that night, Hogan stated that the combination of "Hulkamania" and "Macho Madness" may become the most powerful force in WWF history. Hogan and Savage had previously feuded over the WWF Championship.
[edit] Formation
The Mega Powers officially formed as a tag team after Wrestlemania IV, where Hogan helped Savage win the WWF Championship in a 14-man tournament. The tournament was made after Hogan lost the belt to André the Giant at a WWF The Main Event show on February 5, 1988. Andre promptly sold the belt to "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, causing WWF President Jack Tunney to strip DiBiase of the belt.
Hogan and Andre were both given byes in the first round of the tournament, fought to a double-disqualification in the quarterfinals. This had the side effect of giving Ted DiBiase a bye in the semifinals. Ultimately, Savage and DiBiase met in the final match of the tournament. The "Million Dollar Man" did all that he could to take out Savage, but he couldn't keep him down. DiBiase summoned Andre the Giant, whom he paid to ensure that he won the match. Savage saw this and went to Elizabeth, whispering something to her. She ran backstage, and the fans were trying to figure out what was going on.
Then a few minutes later, Miss Elizabeth came out with Hulk Hogan! Andre and DiBiase were shocked. It was all even now. With the referee distracted, the Hulkster got his revenge on "The Million Dollar Man" by hitting him in the back with a steel chair because of what had happened earlier that year. Savage was able to hit his famous Flying Elbow Drop and get the three count. After the match, they celebrated. They let all wrestling fans know that they have become The Mega Powers and that they would meet André and DiBiase at SummerSlam.
[edit] Tag team debut
Their debut match as a tag team was at SummerSlam in 1988. They went against André the Giant & "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase who were called The Mega Bucks for the night only. Their friend at the time was Jesse "The Body" Ventura, and he served as referee for this match. The match didn't go as planned for the Mega Bucks. Elizabeth exposed her assets in skimpy panties after stripping off her skirt to the super-heel team, resulting in the Mega Powers coming back to win the match. Ventura counted but stopped at two because he hesitated, so Savage forced the three-count. That was their first win in the World Wrestling Federation. After that match, the Mega Powers started their tag-team greatness and showed why they were the best in the business.
[edit] Feuding with The Twin Towers
After SummerSlam, The Mega Powers were on top of the wrestling world. However, the two had an uneasy relationship, particularly when it became obvious Hogan would act friendly toward Elizabeth. At the 1989 Royal Rumble, Hogan accidentally eliminated Savage in the Royal Rumble match when he went to put out Bad News Brown. The two appeared to make amends, but Savage was clearly upset after the event (which was ultimately won by Big John Studd).
Things came to a full boil on NBC's prime-time special, The Main Event, in February of 1989, when the two wrestled the tag team of The Big Boss Man, and Akeem, known as The Twin Towers. Slick was their manager at the time.
During the match, Akeem threw Savage out of the ring. Savage was thrown onto Elizabeth, knocking her unconscious. Hogan saw what happened and carried Elizabeth from the ring to the medical area. When Elizabeth was revived, she implored Hogan to return to the ring to help Savage.
Hogan eventually called for the tag, but Savage - who mounted a rally - slapped Hogan in the face. He took his World Title, and went to the locker room. Hulk Hogan defeated The Twin Towers by himself. After the match, Hulk went to check on Elizabeth to see if she was OK. Macho Man was back there too. Macho Man was accusing Hogan of trying to steal Elizabeth from him. Hogan told Elizabeth to try and talk some sense into him. Then out of nowhere, Savage attacked him. The confrontation ended not only the greatest tag-team ever, but it also ended a great friendship and provoked a huge feud.
The end of The Mega Powers was based on a real-life situation where Elizabeth was rumored to have cheated on Savage with Hogan. Although it has never been confirmed, the rumors would strain Savage and Hogan's out-of-ring relationship for years.
[edit] WrestleMania V: The Mega Powers explode
On April 2, 1989, Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage, decided to settle the score at WrestleMania V in Atlantic City for the WWF Championship. Hogan and Savage were going blow for blow in this title match, but the Macho Man got full control later in the match. Then when he finally got the Hulkster down, the Macho Man went to the top rope and delivered the Macho Elbow Drop. He pinned Hogan 1-2...kickout! Hogan started to hulk up and he came back on Savage. He delivered the Atomic Leg Drop. 1-2-3 and Hulk Hogan became World Wrestling Federation Champion for the 2nd time.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling: The Mega Powers Reunion
After Hogan and Savage patched up their real life differences, Hogan talked WCW president Eric Bischoff into signing Savage. Initially called "The Monster Maniacs" (presumably for legal reasons), Hogan and Savage teamed on 1/25/95 at Clash of the Champions to battle Kevin Sullivan and Brutus Beefcake. On March 24, 1996 at WCW Uncensored, The Mega Powers reunited to take on eight opponents in a Doomsday Cage Match. The opponents were "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Kevin Sullivan, "The Total Package" Lex Luger, The Faces of Fear (The Barbarian & Meng), Z Gangsta (formerly known as Zeus), and The Ultimate Solution. They were known as The Alliance To End Hulkamania. At Las Vegas, NV 1/23/96, the duo lost to Ric Flair and The Giant.
The team broke up again at Bash at the Beach on July 7, 1996. This time, it was Hogan who turned heel. Hogan came out seemingly to save Savage and Sting during their match with The Outsiders (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash) Hogan double-crossed Savage and Sting, dropping the leg on Savage three times, then forming the New World Order. WCW decided to work Hogan's and Savage's old real life feud into the storyline, going as far as having Hogan state that if Savage is going to accuse him of his divorce from Elizabeth, then he "doesn't need someone as ungrateful as 'The Nacho Man' as a friend."
[edit] Reunion as heels in the nWo
After losing to Hogan at Halloween Havoc 1996, Savage went on hiatus. He returned to WCW in January 1997, joining Sting in the rafters, showing no alliance to either WCW or the nWo for awhile. At SuperBrawl 1997, Savage appeared ringside for the match between Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper. Savage turned heel by slipping Hogan a pair of brass knuckles when the referee's back was turned. Hogan used the weapon en route to his very first pinfall victory over Piper, and after the match, Hogan and Savage brutalized Piper together. Savage and Hogan revealed days later that they were faking their feud, that Savage was in cahoots with Hogan, Hall, and Nash from the very beginning of the nWo. The pair would team often, sometimes with the Outsiders, in tag matches. However, in late 1997, after Hogan lost the WCW Championship to Sting, friction popped up between Savage and Hogan again, this time over who the leader of the nWo was. The feud came to a fever pitch when the nWo split into two factions, with Hogan (nWo Hollywood) and Savage (nWo Wolfpac) on separate sides. This also split up the Outsiders, with Nash taking Savage's side and Hall taking Hogan's side.
[edit] Reunion in the Millionaire's Club, once again faces
As always, however, time would soon make the two men allies once again. In 2000, Hogan and other legends formed the WCW faction known as the Millionaires Club. During one memorable brawl at the end of a television taping between the Club and their opponents, Savage suddenly ran out and lent the Club his aid, turning the tide and effectively becoming a member after tapping fists with Hogan once the fighting ended. Hogan and Savage had reverted to face status by this time.
[edit] Accomplishments
- The Mega Powers were ranked by Pro Wrestling Illustrated at # 57 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
