An analysis of Flair versus Hogan, and Savage versus Hogan – Could the Flair v Savage formula have worked for either?
INTRO
The booking of Hulk Hogan’s feuds with Randy Savage and Ric Flair has always bothered me. Even at the time, I felt there were better ways to handle these rivalries — approaches that could have elevated all three men while giving fans the true dream matches they deserved.
Not exactly the most profound of wrestling thoughts, I know. However, it has remained the sand in my wrestling vaseline for a long time, and robbed fans of the opportunity to see genuine superstars face off on a level playing field.
So, in order to give any argument regarding the way these feuds were handled any credence, it is necessary to dive deep into what they were, why they were that way, and what could have been.
When we take a look at the way the three were promoted during their respective feuds, Hogan was always the one who was billed as the star, and rightly so. He was the figurehead of the WWF, and as such, the number one man in the business.
However, a good hero is only as good as the villains he faces, which is what made the Hogan versus Roddy Piper feud so fantastic. Piper was viewed as an equal to Hogan, and he flat out refused to be the one to lose cleanly back in 84-85. Now, I am not sure whether Flair or Savage were in any position to dig their heels in the way Piper did, but did not beating Piper cleanly hurt Hogan?
No, it didn’t.
And even though he scored wins against someone like Paul Orndorff in 84-85, the fact that Orndorff was promoted as being close to the same level as Hogan in their massive 1987 feud leads you to believe that Hogan would have retained his star factor even without clean and decisive wins over either one of Flair or Savage.
And yet, they came thick and fast.
Perhaps to examine whether things could have been done better, or at least differently, we should look at whether the booking of Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage in WWF and WCW could serve as a model for how Hulk Hogan vs. Savage or Flair vs. Hogan should have been handled, we need to analyse the dynamics of the Flair-Savage feud and compare it to the other two rivalries.
The key question is whether portraying the combatants as equals, as was often the case with Flair and Savage, would have enhanced the Hogan-Savage or Flair-Hogan feuds by presenting both parties, in any given match, as legitimate threats.
So, off we go – I’ll break down the Flair-Savage feud’s booking, compare it to the hypothetical handling of Hogan-Savage and Flair-Hogan, and assess the implications of treating them as equals.
FLAIR VERSUS SAVAGE – WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN’T?
Equal Footing: In their initial WWF feud (1992), Flair and Savage were portrayed as near-equals. Both were former world champions with strong characters, developed over a number of years.
Flair played the conniving, charismatic heel, and Savage played the intense babyface. Their WrestleMania 8 match showcased this, with Savage winning the WWF Championship cleanly via pinfall, but only after a hard-fought battle where Flair looked dominant at times. In WCW (1995–1996), their matches often saw them trading victories, with Flair winning via heel tactics and Savage regaining momentum, again reinforcing their parity as competitors
It basically got to the point where when Flair met Savage, you did not know which way it was going to go, and this is, in part, a credit to both workers. They were willing to give in order to enhance their feud. In many ways, it is the complete antithesis to the Hogan v Piper feud, where neither party gave an inch on televised shows. In both cases, the combatants were portrayed as close to equal, but via very different methods.
The Flair-Savage feud was also elevated by personal storylines, especially in WWF, where Flair’s claims about being with Miss Elizabeth before she knew Savage created emotional heat. This added a layer to the mix, as it was Flair playing mind games with Savage, and the Macho Man appearing to be triggered by the insinuation that his wife had a past, and it involved – shock, horror – another man!
The Savage v Flair feud also contained a back-and-forth nature that none of the other rivalries we’re looking at possessed. Their title exchanges (WWF in 1992, WCW in 1996) and competitive house show matches demonstrated that neither was definitively superior. Flair’s victories often required interference (Mr. Perfect in WWF, The Four Horsemen in WCW), while Savage’s wins were clean or via resilience, balancing their credibility.
Another aspect that cannot be ignored is the in-ring quality of the Savage-Flair encounters. Their matches were often psychological showcases, with both men given time to shine. For example, WrestleMania VIII lasted 18 minutes, allowing for a dramatic, competitive bout that highlighted their skills equally, and having the time to enhance the hatred that both men had built over the previous months..
In a nutshell, the strengths of the Savage versus Flair feud are as follows.
- Booking them as equals built compelling drama, as fans believed either could win, increasing suspense throughout both their WWF and WCW runs.
- The personal angle, involving Miss Elizabeth, made the feud feel bigger than the title, enhancing both wrestlers’ star power.
- Their chemistry ensured high-quality matches, which benefited from the perception of mutual threat. This was particularly evident in their WCW Bash at the Beach clash.
However, I am not going to sit here with rose-coloured glasses on and say things were perfect in terms of the way their feud was booked, with some glaring weaknesses also apparent.
In WCW, their clashes were often overbooked, with Flair’s Four Horsemen often becoming involved. This occasionally diluted their equal status, making Flair’s wins feel less legitimate.
The feud also occasionally lost focus due to overlapping storylines. This was particularly apparent in 1996, when the Savage-Flair feud was overshadowed by the arrival of the nWo.
So, that’s how the Flair v Savage feud was handled – two near-equals going at it. Who would you say “won” that feud?
Interesting question, huh?
Savage won the WWF World Title from Flair at Wrestlemani8, but lost it back to Flair later in the year. That’d make them 1-1 in their WWF tenure.
In WCW, Flair won the world title from Savage at Starrcade 95. Savage then won it back from Flair on the January 22 edition of Monday Nitro, and Flair took it back again on February 22, at Superbrawl 6, in a steel cage match.
That puts Flair up 2-1 in matches that really counted, but there were other Savage victories over Flair that littered the WCW landscape, as well.
This feud is about as close as you can get to being level, over many years.
And then, there is the feud that was really not level. Nowhere near it, to be honest.
HOGAN VERSUS SAVAGE – THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Okay, for the purpose of this article, I am going to ignore the first incarnation of the Savage v Hogan feud, which occurred through 1986.
Actually, I’m not. I can’t, because it has an impact on things later. Let’s do a very quick run through.
This series was rushed through into the main event spot. Savage, as a talent, was hot at the time, and the WWF pushed the matches with Hogan as a great way to usher in a main event at their MSG show. Savage got a couple of count-out wins over Hogan around the loop, which led to the blow-off lumberjack match in their MSG match. Savage was feuding with George Steele, at the time. He reached in under the rope, grabbed the running Savage’s leg, allowing Hogan to drop the leg on the Macho Man for the pin.
Done and dusted.
Let’s call it the entrée with the promise of a grand feast to come, shall we? Relatively tasty, yet, largely unsatisfying. Personally, I like to jump right to the main course.
The second incarnation of the Hogan-Savage feud centred around the Mega Powers storyline. It peaked at WrestleMania 5 (1989), where Hogan defeated Savage for the WWF Championship.
Savage turned heel after accusing Hogan of jealousy over Elizabeth. With the benefit of hindsight, this was incredibly well done, with the seeds of the Savage turn sowed back in August of 1988. Savage was the champion, but as he, Hogan, and Elizabeth celebrated their Summerslam win over Andre the Giant, and Ted DiBiase, Hogan lifted a skirtless Elizabeth in a celebratory hug. Not much is made of it, but Savage is clearly upset by this.
The reason this is so good is that the commentators completely ignore it, and it is only in the retelling that it becomes part of the WWF programming, highlighting the seeds of the breakup.
Hogan, as always, was booked as the dominant babyface, with Savage as a credible but secondary threat. In many ways, Savage’s title reign (1988–1989) was overshadowed by Hogan’s presence in the WWF. Even as he won the title at Wrestlemania 4, it was Hogan interfering with a steel chair, crashing it across the back of Ted DiBiase, that set up the Savage title win.
The WrestleMania 5 main event was the crossroads of the feud. This was the opportunity to elevate Savage to a similar level as Hogan, but the decision to have Hogan go over cleanly, as well as kick out of the Savage finishing elbow from the top rope, effectively killed off the Macho Man as a legitimate threat.
At that point, the WWF, and Vince McMahon, made the decision to go back to the well, with Hogan. However, an extended run for Savage, including a tainted win at Mania, could have changed the complexion of this ongoing rivalry, and cast doubt into the minds of fans as to Savage’s credibility when facing Hogan.
How could this have played out?
I’m glad I asked.
After the Wrestlemania 5 main event, Savage immediately aligned with Sensational Sherri Martel. Why wait?
Why not have Sherri align with Savage DURING the Mania main event? An attack on Elizabeth after she refused to side with Savage, would have instilled Sherri as a big factor in the feud, as well as cementing Elizabeth’s decision to turn away from Savage.
In attempting to rescue Elizabeth, Hogan could have left himself vulnerable. A maniacal Savage using that moment to take the advantage over Hogan and gain a win not only gives Hogan a credible threat to chase for six months, leading into Summerslam, but it also allows the WWF to run two A-Show events per night.
And it allows for additional Hogan v Savage main events down the track, as Savage is now perceived as a talent that can beat Hogan.
But no, Hogan goes over, and then compounds his dominance by simply standing up after Savage’s big elbow drop six months later at Summerslam. Poor decisions all round in this regard.
In WCW (1994–1996, 1998–1999), their rivalry was less focused. At Halloween Havoc 1994, Hogan defeated Savage in a non-title match shortly after Savage’s WCW debut. Their 1996 feud, saw Savage playing the role of babyface challenging Hogan’s nWo dominance, but Hogan’s wins (often via interference) made Savage seem like an underdog rather than an equal. Hogan’s biggest win in their early nWo feud was at Halloween Havoc 96, where he successfully turned back Savage again.
By 1998–1999, Savage’s part-time status and injuries further diminished his threat level, and Hogan’s repeated wins in big matches over Savage rendered him as a non-threat.
Hogan beat Savage three times for world titles across WWF and WCW, with two of Savage’s reigns lasting just a day each before Hogan took the belt off him.
It makes me sad and more than a little grumpy to say that it made Savage look weak, and yet, I can’t even blame Hogan for it. Savage allowed this to happen, and was apparently all cool with it. He was pretty old school when it came to doing the job, but far out, a little awareness of how it impacted his character would have been beneficial.
As it stands, Savage never won a match against Hogan, other than count out, or disqualification decisions.
SHOULD HOGAN VERSUS SAVAGE BEEN BOOKED MORE LIKE SAVAGE VERSUS FLAIR?
Booking Hogan and Savage as equals, as Flair and Savage were, would have elevated Savage’s long-term star power. Savage’s charisma, in-ring ability, and fan support (evident in his 1988–1989 title reign) made him a believable peer to Hogan. A back-and-forth feud with multiple title changes (like Flair-Savage in 1992 or 1996) could have prolonged the Mega Powers storyline and kept fans guessing.
A more competitive dynamic would have showcased their contrasting styles – Hogan’s power-based brawling vs. Savage’s high-flying intensity – could have added a mystique to any further matches the two competed in. As it stood, there was none of this – we all knew what was coming.
Elizabeth could have been leveraged further, as detailed above in the WWF. Having her side with Hogan as Savage retained the world title at Mania 5 would have made their rivalry feel like a true clash of titans.
Unfortunately, Hogan’s persona was built on being the unbeatable hero in 1989. He was not long removed from beating Andre the Giant, so portraying Savage as a true equal risked diluting Hogan’s marketability. This was central to WWF’s success. Vince McMahon’s booking philosophy prioritised Hogan as the top draw, making equal footing unlikely.
In WCW, Hogan’s control over creative decisions (via his contract clause) meant he rarely allowed opponents to look like equals, as seen in his dominance over Savage in 1996–1999. A Flair-Savage-style feud would have required Hogan to agree to lose more often, which was unlikely. But even just once would have been nice.
It is my contention that the Flair-Savage model would have improved the Hogan-Savage feud by making it more competitive and unpredictable, enhancing Savage’s legacy and creating more memorable matches. However, Hogan’s status as the top star made this approach impractical in WWF’s 1980s structure and WCW’s Hogan-centric booking.
Now, let’s have a look at the Flair v Hogan feud, and how that was handled. This was slightly less one-sided than the Hogan-Savage debacle, but still very one-sided.
FLAIR VERSUS HOGAN – DREAM MATCH, OR NIGHTMARE COME TO LIFE?
In the WWF (1991–1992), Flair debuted as the “Real World’s Champion” (complete with his ‘Big Gold’ belt that he actually owned, from WCW) and feuded with Hogan over the WWF Championship. They wrestled extensively on house shows from November 1991 to January 1992), with Hogan typically winning via pinfall or disqualification after Flair was found to have used a foreign object to pin Hogan earlier in the match.
Their first major televised match was a non-title bout on WWF on MSG Network (November 30, 1991), where Hogan won, as per the description, above. Plans for a WrestleMania 8 title match were scrapped, reportedly due to poor house show chemistry or Vince McMahon’s preference for Flair vs. Savage and Hogan vs. Sid Justice.
Now, firstly, if you watch the Flair matches that are available from late 1991, you’ll see what the problem is – no one wanted to sell for Flair!
The backhand chops that would knock the shit out of wrestlers in WCW, and back in the days of the NWA, suddenly had little effect. Roddy Piper, who was best mates with Flair – shrugged them off. And if Piper was going to do it, you damn well bet that Hogan was gonna do the same!
They rushed the build for Hogan v Flair, and despite diehards hanging out for the dream match, the way they presented it was a nightmare.
Flair initially had matches against Tito Santana (great worker) and Piper, with Flair’s nefarious ways seeing him get the win. I mentioned Piper being a best mate of Flair – that is likely why he allowed Flair to go over, even if he did have his feet on the ropes for leverage.
What we needed to see here was Flair being a cerebral competitor. Not so much the loud mouthed rival from the other organisation, but a legitimate threat to Hogan inasmuch as, tactically, he outsmarted him.
As an example, when Hogan began Hulking Up, why not have Flair be the first guy to simply shake his head, step between the ropes, and walk down the stairs, shaking his head? Why not have Flair drop to his knees and hit a low blow as Hogan neared the point of becoming impervious to pain?
As men, we all know that is the type of pain that cannot just be willed away.
This was incredibly short-sighted by Vince, Hogan, Flair, and anyone else involved. They had the golden goose, here. And they strangled it.
The proposed Wrestlemania 8 Main Event was scrapped, with the WWF opting for Savage challenging Flair, whilst Hogan got to fight a monster in Sid (Vicious) Justice.
It should have been Hogan v Flair, and it should have been for the world title.
Over in WCW, their on-again, off-again rivalry mainly ran from 1994 to 1996, and then again throughout 1999–2000)
Their main WCW clash occurred at Bash at the Beach 1994, where Hogan defeated Flair for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in Hogan’s WCW debut.
Yep, right off the bat, they fed Flair to him, and gave him the belt.
In subsequent matches, they traded wins – Hogan with decisive wins, and Flair with the cheap DQ wins, but Hogan was consistently booked as the dominant force. Later encounters like SuperBrawl 9 in 1999, and Uncensored 2000 saw Flair win occasionally, including a long-awaited pinfall win in a cage match (and if memory serves me, it was supposed to be a submission only match? Far out, WCW…) but Hogan’s nWo dominance and political influence ensured he remained the top star.
Hogan was always positioned as the bigger star in their feud, especially in WWF, where Flair was a newcomer despite his NWA/WCW pedigree. House show matches (where Flair appeared to pin Hogan, only for the decision to be reversed) showed Flair as a threat, but Hogan’s victories maintained his supremacy.
In WCW, Hogan’s debut win over Flair at Bash at the Beach 1994 set the tone, with Flair portrayed as a strong but secondary heel. Their matches were high-profile but lacked the back-and-forth parity of Flair-Savage, as WCW’s determination to push Hogan as hard as they could in order to build off his name, ensured he rarely lost cleanly.
The personal stakes were less intense than Flair-Savage, relying more on Flair’s heel arrogance versus Hogan’s heroic persona than a deeply personal narrative.
Should It Have Been Like Flair versus Savage?:
Booking Flair and Hogan as equals would have capitalised on their status as wrestling’s biggest icons – Flair as the NWA/WCW legend and Hogan as WWF’s megastar.
That the WWF and Vince McMahon fumbled this one might be one of their biggest errors of the 90s.
That and the World Bodybuilding Federation, I guess.
A Flair-Savage-style feud, complete with title switches and competitive matches on the house show tour, could have been a “dream feud” for fans, especially in WWF, where their 1991–1992 encounters were underutilised.
Flair’s technical prowess and, more importantly, being portrayed as tactically superior, could have balanced Hogan’s charisma and power, creating matches with drama and quality above that which we saw.
In WCW, much of what they were able to do was constrained by what had already taken place in the WWF. To promote Hogan versus Flair as a whole new ballgame, was unrealistic to those who followed the business for as little as three years. That said, booking the pair as equals would have prolonged their 1994 feud, making Flair’s eventual wins more impactful and keeping the WCW title picture fresh.
As above, however, things are not always as easy, even with Hindsight Goggles on. In the WWF, Hogan’s status as the face of the company made equal booking difficult. Fans expected Hogan to dominate, as had been the case for several years (his post-Andre/Orndorff run was incredibly one-sided) and a prolonged feud with Flair as an equal risked splitting the audience, especially since Flair was still establishing himself in WWF.
In WCW, the nWo storyline limited Flair’s ability to be portrayed as an equal after 96, however, had the WWF not dropped the ball, the Hogan-Flair feud may have been a bigger hit for WCW than it was. Later, whilst Flair’s heel role worked better as a foil to Hogan’s hero, equal booking might have disrupted WCW’s narrative direction in regard to Sting and his position in the company.
The Flair-Savage feud model could well have enhanced the Flair-Hogan feud by making it a true clash of titans, especially in WWF, where their 1991–1992 rivalry was cut short. Competitive booking with title changes and personal stakes could have created a legendary feud, but Hogan’s dominance and the WWF’s reluctance to embrace this “dream match” completely, made this approach unlikely.
CONCLUSION – LESSONS FROM THE SAVAGE-FLAIR FEUD MODEL
The Flair versus Savage feud worked because both were booked as credible threats with complementary styles, personal stakes, and a balance of victories. Their WWF feud (1992) is a benchmark for a high-stakes, equal rivalry, with WrestleMania 8 as a standout example, even if this was hastily thrown together after a change of heart on the Mania Main Event. In WCW, despite overbooking, their 1995–1996 encounters maintained this dynamic, making both look strong.
The Hogan versus Savage feud would have benefited significantly from the Flair-Savage approach. Savage’s credibility as a champion and performer made him a natural equal to Hogan, and a more competitive feud, even if it only contained tainted wins for Savage, could have elevated their WrestleMania 5 story into a multi-year saga. However, Hogan’s top-star status and WWF’s booking philosophy made this difficult, especially in the 1980s. A bit of this has to go on Savage, as well, for blindly agreeing to anything and everything that was proposed, to the point it made him a weaker character in comparison.
As for Flair versus Hogan, the Flair-Savage model would have been ideal for Flair-Hogan in WWF, where their 1991–1992 feud had untapped potential. A WrestleMania 8-level match with equal booking could have been a wrestling classic. In WCW, the model was less feasible due to the WWF’s prior booking, Hogan’s dominance that was deemed necessary, and the nWo focus in later stages, but a more balanced feud in 1994 could have extended its shelf life.
The success of the Flair-Savage model depends on the wrestlers’ willingness to share the spotlight and the promotion’s booking philosophy. Now, that presents a bit of a problem, huh?
You’d have to sell Hogan that allowing Flair or Savage the occasional win was good, not only for the company, but for the long-term programs featuring both wrestlers. Hogan’s reluctance to lose cleanly (especially in WCW) and his larger-than-life persona made equal booking challenging, whereas Flair and Savage’s mutual professionalism and versatility allowed for it.
I have little doubt that, in a perfect world, the Flair-Savage feud’s approach – treating both wrestlers as equals with competitive matches, personal stakes, and balanced outcomes – could have improved both the Hogan-Savage and Flair-Hogan feuds by creating more suspense, elevating their opponents’ legacies, and delivering higher-quality stories.
For Hogan-Savage, it would have made Savage a bigger star and prolonged their Mega Powers saga. For the record, I loved the build to the Mania 5 match, but the six months after it was a foregone conclusion after the way Hogan dismissed Savage in their match.
For Flair-Hogan, it would have fulfilled the “dream match” potential, especially in WWF. However, Hogan’s status as wrestling’s top draw and his perceived reluctance to share that mantle made things difficult. Both the WWF and WCW prioritised his dominance over parity.
If I had to choose, the Flair-Savage model fits Hogan-Savage better, as their personal chemistry and Elizabeth-driven storyline lent itself to a more equal, emotional feud, with nuances to be added at points (Sherri, Zeus, etc…) whereas Flair-Hogan’s dynamic leaned on star power over in-ring parity.
Alas, we cannot change history, and whilst I do love pondering what could have been, what actually took place was enough to keep me as a fan for years on end.
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy. I love old school wrestling, and I love writing about them both. I hope you enjoy reading it.
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