Randy Poffo, Requiescat In Pace.

It looks like another steroid related tragedy.

Macho Man Randy Savage dies in accident - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

CLEARWATER - Randy "Macho Man" Savage, a pro wrestler who grew up near Sarasota and wed on Lido Beach last year, died in a car accident in Pinellas County Friday.

Savage, 58, was a seven-time world heavyweight champion and rose to pop culture fame for his flashy wardrobe, bronzed physique and his catchphrase, "Ooh yeah!"

Savage was driving on State Road 694 in Seminole when he lost control of the Jeep Wrangler about 9:30 a.m. Friday, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The Jeep veered over the raised concrete median divider, crossed over the eastbound lanes and collided head-on with a tree.

Savage — whose legal name is Randy Mario Poffo — died of his injuries at the Largo Medical Center.

Troopers say he may have suffered a "medical event" before the accident; an autopsy will be performed to confirm cause of death.

His wife, Barbara L. Poffo (Lynn Payne), was a passenger in the car and sustained minor injuries. She is being treated at the Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.

Savage, 58, was a seven-time world heavyweight champion and rose to pop culture fame for his flashy wardrobe, bronzed physique and his catchphrase, "Ooh yeah!"

Savage was driving on State Road 694 in Seminole when he lost control of the Jeep Wrangler about 9:30 a.m. Friday, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The Jeep veered over the raised concrete median divider, crossed over the eastbound lanes and collided head-on with a tree.

Savage — whose legal name is Randy Mario Poffo — died of his injuries at the Largo Medical Center.

Troopers say he may have suffered a "medical event" before the accident; an autopsy will be performed to confirm cause of death.

His wife, Barbara L. Poffo (Lynn Payne), was a passenger in the car and sustained minor injuries. She is being treated at the Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.

In May 2010, Savage married Lynne Payne on Lido Beach. Tim Boyles, a wedding photographer, became friends with the couple after shooting the private affair on Lido Beach last May. Aside from the bride and groom, only Savage's mother and brother, and Payne's two adult daughters were present.

"What everyone else saw was a persona," he said. "Randy was a very good, loving man and focused on his family. He never even told me who he was at first. He didn't name-drop or try to impress me."

However, Boyles knew when he met Savage and saw the man with a "huge barrel chest and arms the size of footballs."

Savage played minor league baseball in the Cincinnati Reds farm system in Sarasota before ever entering the wrestling world.

He played one season as a 21-year-old outfielder for Class-A Tampa in 1974. He hit .232 in 461 at-bats, with 19 doubles, nine home runs and 66 RBI.

He also played minor league ball for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox.

Savage was rumored to have spent hours trying to improve his throwing accuracy at the Sarasota High School field but he did not improve enough to go past double-A ball.

He weighed 175 pounds as a baseball player. He hit the weights at area gyms, including the Sarasota YMCA, and bulked up to 235. He left Sarasota in 1975 to pursue wrestling.

Savage's father, Angelo Poffo, was a professional wrestler as was Savage's brother, "Leaping" Lanny Poffo.

Savage found success in Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation, and later Ted Turner's now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.

Poffo was under contract with WWE from 1985 to 1993 and held both the WWE and Intercontinental Championships.

He won 20 championships during his professional wrestling career and was named the 1987 WWE "King of the Ring."

"Poffo will be greatly missed by WWE and his fans," read a World Wrestling Entertainment statement. "Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. We wish a speedy recovery to his wife, Lynn."

The eccentric wrestler, always wearing sunglasses and a bandana, became a pop culture icon in the 1980s.

He wore sequined robes bejeweled with "Macho Man" on the back, rainbow-colored cowboy hats and oversized sunglasses, part of a unique look that helped build the WWF into a mainstream phenomenon.

For most of his career, his valet, Miss Elizabeth, was by his side. Elizabeth Hulette was his real-life wife. They later divorced, and Hulette died in 2003 — one of the many performers in the sport to die young.

She died of a drug overdose.

He was both at times the most popular and most hated wrestler in entertainment. His flying elbow off the top rope was mimicked by basement and backyard wrestlers everywhere.

He was most known for his legendary rivalries with Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair.

Savage became even more popular through his cameos in Slim Jim commercials in which he made good use of his deep, raspy voice as a corporate pitchman ordering Slim Jim fans to "Snap into it!"

Savage had not appeared for a major wrestling organization since 2004 when he performed for Total Nonstop Action. But he took on multiple minor acting roles in the last decade.

Wrestlers took to Twitter to let fans know Savage won't be forgotten.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hailed Savage as one of his childhood inspirations and heroes, while Mick "Cactus Jack" Foley called Savage "one of my favorite performers."

Hogan said he and Savage had just started talking again after 10 years.

"He had so much life in his eyes and in his spirit," Hogan wrote. "I just pray that he's happy and in a better place."

Amen to that, brother.

Savage was a charismatic wrestler made famous for his "Macho Man" nickname and his "Oooh Yeah!" catchphrase. He was a champion in Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation, and later Ted Turner's now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.

Poffo was under contract with WWE from 1985 to 1993 and held both the WWE and Intercontinental Championships.

"Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. We wish a speedy recovery to his wife Lynn," WWE said.

Savage defined the larger-than-life personalities of the 1980s World Wrestling Federation (now WWE). He wore sequined robes bejeweled with "Macho Man" on the back, rainbow-colored cowboy hats and oversized sunglasses, part of a unique look that helped build the WWF into a mainstream phenomenon.

For most of his career, his valet, Miss Elizabeth, was by his side. Elizabeth Hulette was his real-life wife. They later divorced, and Hulette died in 2003 at 42 in what was later ruled a prescription drug overdose. She was among many performers in the sport to die young.

Others include Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig, who died of a cocaine overdose in 2003 at 44, and Chris Benoit, who killed his wife and son and then committed suicide in their Georgia home in 2007. Benoit was 40.

The WWF made Savage their champion after a win over Ted DiBiase in the main event at WrestleMania in 1988.

Savage had not appeared for a major wrestling organization since 2004, when he performed for Total Nonstop Action.

He was at times both the most popular and most hated wrestler in entertainment. His flying elbow off the top rope was mimicked by basement and backyard wrestlers everywhere. Savage made good use of his deep, raspy voice as a corporate pitchman as well, for years ordering Slim Jim fans to "Snap into it!"

He's most known for his legendary rivalries with Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair. Wrestlers took to Twitter to let fans know Savage won't be forgotten.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hailed Savage as one of his childhood inspirations and heroes, while Mick "Cactus Jack" Foley called Savage "one of my favorite performers."

Hogan said he and Savage had just started talking again after 10 years.

"He had so much life in his eyes & in his spirit, I just pray that he's happy and in a better place and we miss him," Hogan wrote.

While so many personalities who left the WWF for WCW like Hogan, Roddy Piper and Mean Gene Okerlund were welcomed back to the company and even inducted into the Hall of Fame, Savage never returned.

Savage was a minor league catcher in the 1970s for St. Louis and Cincinnati before turning in the uniform for tights. His father, Angelo Poffo, was a longtime wrestler, and his brother, "Leaping" Lanny Poffo, was also a 1980s WWF mainstay. Condolences from fans poured in to Lanny Poffo's Facebook page on Friday.