My First Wrestlemania!

I had followed wrestling for many years before Wrestlemania 7, but the career ending match between The Ultimate Warrior and "Macho King" Randy Savage was the first match I ever remember being emotionally invested in. Unfortunately for me however, I was unable to watch it live as it happened on pay-per-view. The next day at school, my friend who had recorded it was gracious enough to lend me the tape. I remember not being able to concentrate on my studies because I was so excited to come home and see what had happened.

The matches leading up to Warrior/Savage were a complete blur. Nothing mattered except seeing who was forced to retire. Of course, being that I'm much older now and realize that retirements in wrestling can usually be chalked up to overdue vacation time, it's funny to look back and see how much I thought was riding on the outcome. Being young and taking things at face value is to be treasured.

Anyway, the moment I'd been waiting for had finally arrived. Before the two combatants were introduced, a highlight package was presented to remind the viewer of the key elements of the feud leading up to this final confrontation. At the conclusion of the package, announcers Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon gave one final push, in which they "discovered" Miss Elizabeth in the crowd, before the bell.

Savage, and manager Sensational Queen Sherri, made their way to the ring as only true royalty can, on a throne carried by muscular men. After some pre-match showboating by the duo, The Ultimate Warrior made his way to the ring at an uncommonly slow pace. I think this was a last-ditch, unnecessary effort to build anticipations that were already at a fever pitch.

The match seemed to last forever, with great back and forth. There were several occasions where I remember thinking it could legitimately go either way. Interference after interference by Queen Sherri, a seemingly endless assault of top rope elbow drops, and some other underhanded tactics seemed to reassure my unwavering, yet unpopular, belief that Randy Savage would emerge smelling of victory. In the end however, Warrior managed to pull out a decisive win.

I was devastated, but will never forget it. In my opinion though, Randy was ultimately the big winner as, in the end, he was reunited with Miss Elizabeth in one of the most emotional moments in wrestling history.