Nate Diaz is the Macho King
The most underrated match in wrestling history; to my eyes, at least, is Randy "Macho King" Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VII. Everything about it -- the build, the match and the resolution -- worked.
The Build: Warrior was WWF Champion and Sensational "Queen" Sherry, at the time Macho's valet, demanded a title shot. Warrior declined. Savage then got Sgt. Slaughter -- Warrior's title challenger at the 1991 Royal Rumble -- to agree to make Savage the number one contender if Slaughter won. Savage interfered multiple times on Slaughter's behalf, eventually causing Warrior to lose the title after a scepter shot to the noggin.
The Match: Art Barr & Eddy Guererro vs. El Hijo del Santo & Octagon often gets cited as the greatest match in the illustrious history of the Los Angeles Sports Arena, but I'll take Warrior vs. Savage at WM VII. Both had huge stakes. Barr & Eddy lost their hair in a match where Santo & Octagon put up their masks. Savage and Warrior had a retirement stip. Both had incredible twists and turns. The tag match went to a third fall and featured a number of highspots that were ahead of their time. The WWE title match saw Warrior and Savage both kick out of finishers which, again, was ahead of its time. (In an interesting historical twist, both things -- the high spots and the dramatic kickouts -- have become overdone to the point of hurting the business today.) I give the nod to the Warrior match because of the No-I-Am-Your-Father twist of Warrior (almost) honorably walking off into retirement after he couldn't beat Savage with his finisher. It was a deep character moment that never happens in pro wrestling.
The Resolution: Macho King's one night babyface turn is unequaled, with the possible exception of Villano III's after losing his mask to Atlantis in 2000. After Warrior beat Savage to send him into retirement, Sherry began berating him like any good woman would (SARCASM!). Elizabeth, Macho's long lost former love, then ran out of the crowd to fend off Sherry and show her undying love for her man. It set Macho up for a babyface run that included a World Championship win over Ric Flair the next year at WrestleMania VIII.
The question is, what does any of this have to do with anything that's happening today?
It is relevant today because Nate Diaz is the Macho King of the modern version of pro wrestling, UFC. He's loved and hated. He has a ton of losses on his record, but he's still a top guy. He's crazy. (At least, in many people's eyes.)
Even if you don't buy that analogy (and, admittedly, it's a tenuous one), a Nate Diaz fight has something in common with Macho King vs. Ultimate Warrior, and it's this:
The Build: Warrior was WWF Champion and Sensational "Queen" Sherry, at the time Macho's valet, demanded a title shot. Warrior declined. Savage then got Sgt. Slaughter -- Warrior's title challenger at the 1991 Royal Rumble -- to agree to make Savage the number one contender if Slaughter won. Savage interfered multiple times on Slaughter's behalf, eventually causing Warrior to lose the title after a scepter shot to the noggin.
The Match: Art Barr & Eddy Guererro vs. El Hijo del Santo & Octagon often gets cited as the greatest match in the illustrious history of the Los Angeles Sports Arena, but I'll take Warrior vs. Savage at WM VII. Both had huge stakes. Barr & Eddy lost their hair in a match where Santo & Octagon put up their masks. Savage and Warrior had a retirement stip. Both had incredible twists and turns. The tag match went to a third fall and featured a number of highspots that were ahead of their time. The WWE title match saw Warrior and Savage both kick out of finishers which, again, was ahead of its time. (In an interesting historical twist, both things -- the high spots and the dramatic kickouts -- have become overdone to the point of hurting the business today.) I give the nod to the Warrior match because of the No-I-Am-Your-Father twist of Warrior (almost) honorably walking off into retirement after he couldn't beat Savage with his finisher. It was a deep character moment that never happens in pro wrestling.
The Resolution: Macho King's one night babyface turn is unequaled, with the possible exception of Villano III's after losing his mask to Atlantis in 2000. After Warrior beat Savage to send him into retirement, Sherry began berating him like any good woman would (SARCASM!). Elizabeth, Macho's long lost former love, then ran out of the crowd to fend off Sherry and show her undying love for her man. It set Macho up for a babyface run that included a World Championship win over Ric Flair the next year at WrestleMania VIII.
The question is, what does any of this have to do with anything that's happening today?
It is relevant today because Nate Diaz is the Macho King of the modern version of pro wrestling, UFC. He's loved and hated. He has a ton of losses on his record, but he's still a top guy. He's crazy. (At least, in many people's eyes.)
Even if you don't buy that analogy (and, admittedly, it's a tenuous one), a Nate Diaz fight has something in common with Macho King vs. Ultimate Warrior, and it's this:
That beautiful shot of a man's ass sculpted by Serena Williamsian levels of PED use shows trunks that read "Means Much More Than This" with an image of the WWF World Title belt. Granted, the history behind the making of the trunks is probably just Warrior being bitter at Hulk Hogan out-maneuvering him to get in yet another WrestleMania main event, but at least among those at the WM VII watch party I attended on the south side of Milwaukee, it was truth. The living room was packed for Warrior/Savage. By the time Hogan/Slaughter came on, much of the crowd had left. A star in a grudge match beats a title every time.
Nate Diaz essentially said the same thing in an interview with ESPN. He said that he doesn't need a title. He says a catch-weight fight against Tony Ferguson would Mean Much More Than This.
Book it, UFC. Let Tony talk about how Nate is soft. Let Nate call Tony thirsty. Let it be NoCal vs. SoCal. The Stockton Cholo vs. the half-Mexican from the Michigan suburbs. Stars and grudge matches create interest and interest draws money. Let these two fill up some living rooms, like the Macho King and Warrior did a quarter century ago.
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