“Brotha, I know I can beat Yoko. I’ve got the fans and my best friend right at ringside just in case anything goes wrong. It’s a can’t lose situation.” said Crush just a few hours before he was set to challenge WWF World Champion Yokozuna on Monday Night RAW. It turned out that it was a can’t win situation for the Hawaiian native.
On the warm sunny evening live on the USA Network, Crush had his opportunity. The fans heavily behind him believing that the WWF World Championship would return to the USA. Crush gave a great effort battling Yokozuna for twelve minutes and gave champion everything he had to offer. It seemed like Yokozuna knew he was in trouble and needed to be bailed out.
That’s where Mr. Fuji came in and whacked Crush over the back with the Japanese flag. “I did nothing wrong, mister journalist.” said Mr. Fuji. “I was at the ringside to manage my protege Yokozuna and I defended myself when that crazy American Crush put his hands on me.”
Mr. Fuji has a different recollection of who made first contact. The interference allowed Yokozuna to drive Crush to the canvas with an enormous belly to belly suplex and finished Crush off with a Bonzai Drop. After the match, Yokozuna deemed that one wasn’t enough and hit three more Bonzai Drops on the fallen challenger.
“I honestly thought it was going to be my night. I believed I could overcome any challenge and fight the good fight.” recalled Crush. “Yokozuna is a tough man and I laid on the mat in pain and in disappointment. The weight of that man crashing down on me three times while feeling defeat crushed my soul. But, I knew I had my best friend Randy “Macho Man” Savage right there to save me.”
But, that save didn’t come. At least, it didn’t come in time. After three Bonzai Drops and a few enhancement talents coming out along with Tatanka, Savage finally left the commentary table and pulled his friend to safety. What took so long?
“Brotha, that is what I’ve been wondering for the past five months.” said Crush. “I know that if it were a role reversal I never would’ve waited so long to save Macho. He was my brother. I’d always be there for him. He decided not to be there for me.”
For several months Crush wouldn’t be on WWF television has he recovered from injuries suffered thanks to the Yokozuna attack. By the fall of 1993, Crush would call into Monday Night RAW and purposefully ignore Macho Man.
“I had no desire to speak to someone that didn’t have my back. Macho wanted to make all the fans and media think he’s a good man, but he’s just a snake waiting to pounce and take your opportunity, and I learned that the hard way.” said Crush.
October 18th, 1993 was thought to be the day a friendship reconciled. Fans tuned in hoping that Crush and Randy Savage would mend the fence and become a force to reckon with in the WWF. At first, it appeared they had when they embraced. However, when they got to the floor, Crush shocked the wrestling world when he dropped Savage throat first across the guard railing injuring Randy Savage in the process.
“He got exactly what he deserved!” exclaimed Crush. “I was sidelined thanks to my so-called best friend not having my back. I gave him the proper thank you for that. I broke his face.”
Savage had suffered injures to his mouth, but has since recovered. While he’s hurt by the actions of Crush, he believes it’s a complete misunderstanding. An misunderstanding that will lad to a war at WrestleMania X.
“I reached out to Crush when he was laid up in the hospital, yeah.” said Savage. “When it came to his title match on RAW, he told the Macho Man to not stick his nose in the match because it was his opportunity. I’ve had many times when people have taken my spotlight, and I didn’t want to do that to my buddy, Crush.” explained Savage.
“The post match attack was a complete shock and my broadcast partners prevented me from getting in the ring and getting hurt. I now realize that I should have ignored them, but that’s all out the window now, yeah!” said Savage. “I tried to apologize and it got me a busted face over a guard railing. If Crush wants to associate with bums like Yokozuna, Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette, then he’s no friend of the Macho Man anymore, dig it!”
Crush simply doesn’t care that the friendship is over with. His focus going into WrestleMania X is to end the Macho Man and rule the WWF with Yokozuna.
“I don’t just have friends now. What I have now is a family and family sticks together.” said Crush. “Master Fuji, Yokozuna, Mr. James E. Cornette they all came to visit me in the hospital and praised my heart. They knew I was someone to have on their side. Sure, the beating I took from them hurt, but it made me stronger and it made me angrier. I thank them for that and Savage is going to regret the day he ever betrayed me.”
Crush and Savage will battle it out in a falls count anywhere match at WrestleMania X taking place live on pay per view from Madison Square Garden. It’s going to be an intense battle between two friends turned bitter rivals.
