"Good guy, but he was kind of a psycho" – Dutch Mantell on former WWE Champion
Dutch Mantell recently recalled his experiences traveling to shows with WWE Hall of Famer Macho Man Randy Savage.
Savage was one of wrestling's biggest stars in the 1980s and 1990s. The two-time WWE Champion famously feuded with high-profile names including Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat, and The Ultimate Warrior. He was also known for his intense personality both on-screen and off-screen.
Mantell, fka Zeb Colter in WWE, spoke on Story Time with Dutch Mantell about Savage's behavior outside the ring:
"He was psycho, basically. Good guy, but he was kind of a psycho. He'd be driving down the road, I used to ride with him, and I would look at him sometimes, and he'd be driving like this [intense face], 'Oh yeah.' And he'd look over at me. He'd scare me sometimes. I said, 'What the hell are you thinking?' 'Oh, nothing, man, nothing.' But he was. He was thinking how to get even with somebody, some way, somehow." [2:42 – 3:11]
Savage was hugely popular with WWE fans. He was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Dutch Mantell on Randy Savage's death
The legendary superstar passed away on May 20, 2011, at the age of 58 after a car accident. Autopsy results showed that he suffered a heart attack moments before the crash.
2/8/1986
Randy Savage defeated Tito Santana to win the Intercontinental Title on #ChampionshipWrestling in #WWEBoston, Massachusetts.
#RIPRandy #RandySavage #MachoMan #TheMachoMan #MachoMadness #IntercontinentalChampion #ICTitle #WWE #WWESuperstar #WWELegend #WWEHistory https://t.co/Cp8KCHINJS
Dutch Mantell went on to explain how Savage's tragic death affected him:
"Unless I was working a place with him, I never talked to him. Never called him up. We weren't that type of friends, but I knew him, respected him, and when I heard he had been killed in that automobile crash, I don't really get upset when wrestlers pass away, but that kind of bothered me. That was the only one." [4:06 – 4:31]
Savage's brother, wrestling legend Lanny Poffo, recently passed away aged 68.
Do you have any favorite Randy Savage memories? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Story Time with Dutch Mantell and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.