Randy Savage had established himself as a big time megastar in the WWF where he debuted with Miss Elizabeth as a heel in 1985 as a WWF Intercontinental Championship Belt-caliber star before his first face turn in 1987 meant he went on to become an all-time drawing opponent for Hulk Hogan in the long term. While Hogan was working exclusively with monster heels to hide Hogan's limited wrestling abilities and avoid the technicians upstaging Hogan, Savage was the only one who could actually bring the best out of Hogan in the ring.

Savage's first WWF World Championship Belt reign happened in 1988 when Hulk Hogan left to film a movie called No Holds Barred, so some other face had to come and fill in for Hogan while the WWF's biggest legend was away making his movie. Enter Savage. For 1988-89, Savage was their unheralded MVP caliber megastar,...at least until Hogan was finished filming No Holds Barred, and Savage had to turn heel during WrestleMania V (5).