A History Of The Ric Flair Vs Randy Savage Feud, Explained
Daniel Foster
Published Mar 27, 2026
The rivalry between Randy Savage and Ric Flair featured a rare feud to main event in both WWE and WCW. Both Flair and Savage were right behind Hulk Hogan as the most important wrestlers of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. It only made sense that the duo would create interest in programs together in the two biggest wrestling companies.The story of Flair and Savage going at each other remained the same from WWE to WCW in a rare change of pace from most other pairings. Any fan of the time will recognize the impact that Savage and Flair had on the business, and it showed in their work against each other. The following look back at the Flair vs Savage feud will tie together the rather underrated rivalry.
The Two Feuded In WWE
Wrestling fans of the Golden Era fully expected the massive main event of Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair at WrestleMania 8. The signing of Flair saw him never losing the WCW Championship when leaving for the WWE offer. Hogan had never worked a program with Flair since they were in different companies during their respective rises as the face of the generation. Vince McMahon however had other ideas as we approached closer to the event.
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Randy Savage would replace Hogan in the title program against Flair shortly after Ric won the WWE Championship in the infamous 1992 Royal Rumble match. House show matches between Hogan and Flair apparently turned down McMahon away from the original plan. Savage and Flair were two of the most well-rounded performers and created huge interest, even if not as enticing as Hogan vs Flair.
The marriage between Savage and Miss Elizabeth became part of the story when Flair showed photos claiming she dated him before meeting Savage. WWE adding extra intensity to the feud paid it off when Savage defeated Flair in a strong match to become WWE Champion at WrestleMania 8. The feud continued for Flair to win the title back in a rematch and eventually put over Bret Hart for his first WWE Championship reign as the bigger plan.
They Also Feuded In WCW
Everyone remembers the importance of Hulk Hogan joining WCW, but Randy Savage was another huge move to come months later. WWE witnessed Savage becoming the second most valuable player of the Golden Era. However, he grew frustrated with Vince McMahon wanting him to retire for a full-time commentary role. Savage opted to join WCW when his WWE contract expired and instantly had a top spot.
WCW dedicated more time to the Savage vs Flair feud than WWE did. Flair attacking Randy’s father Angelo Poffo added to the long history between the two. Savage became obsessed with getting revenge on Flair. The WCW Championship win for Savage at World War 3 1995 saw him and Flair exchanging the belt three times before Flair won the rivalry.
Miss Elizabeth joining WCW around this time had everyone assuming she’d reunite with Savage. The marriage between the two ending inspired WCW to play off the previous WWE story with Flair. Elizabeth turned on Savage to help Flair defeat him in a cage match. The rest of the rivalry saw Savage trying to get revenge on Flair and his ex-wife until the New World Order storyline gave them new enemies.
The Two's Rivalry Has An Underrated Legacy
Few wrestling fans will name Randy Savage up there with Sting among the best rivalries of Ric Flair’s career. The same can be said for Savage’s history with the WWE programs against Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat, and Ultimate Warrior getting more love. Time going by just makes the work between Savage and Flair more valuable for a few reasons as an underrated feud.
Flair vs Savage was the only match to compete for both the WWE Championship at WrestleMania and WCW Championship at their biggest event Starrcade. The importance of both matches showed that the performers were trusted to deliver in big spots. Few feuds in general ever took place on a high level in both WWE and WCW. Savage and Flair not only did that, but they did it on the grandest stages possible.
Another underrated element of their rivalry was that they delivered performances that stand the test of time. Most main event matches from WWE in the Golden Era or WCW in the mid-90s no longer have the same appeal since they wrestled at a slower pace that’s become outdated. Savage and Flair have matches that still provide entertainment and an underrated story that shockingly transitioned from one major company to another.
