Randy 'Macho Man' Savage dies at 58

Former pro wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage, whose gravelly voice and top-rope elbow smash made him a pop culture icon of the 1980s, died Friday in a car accident near his home in Seminole, Fla.

The six-time world champion was 58.

Florida Highway Patrol officials said Savage was driving with his wife, Barbara, when he lost control of his 2009 Jeep Wrangler. He drove over a raised concrete median, across oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into a tree.

Savage later died at Largo Medical Center. Police said he may have suffered a "medical event" before the crash. His wife was being treated for injuries.

Born Randy Mario Poffo, Savage was a second-generation wrestler whose father, Angelo Poffo, and brother, Lanny Poffo, also performed in the ring.

Savage earned a reputation for his athleticism and showmanship working in regional wrestling outfits in Florida and Tennessee before being hired by the World Wrestling Federation in 1985.

With his flashy outfits, unique speaking style and the catchphrase "Ooh, yeah," Savage became an immediate national sensation.

While Savage's eccentricities may have grabbed fans' attention, it was his athletic ability that allowed him to become one of the top acts of the '80s wrestling boom.

His match with Ricky Steamboat in the undercard of WrestleMania III -- the biggest wrestling event in history -- was voted 1987's Match of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated and is still considered a masterpiece of pro wrestling storytelling.

"There is no denying his importance to the business, particularly during the time when wrestling was becoming a national phenomenon during the mid-1980s," said Stu Saks, publisher of Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

Savage went on to feud with wrestling's top star, Hulk Hogan, culminating in a main event match between the two at 1989's WrestleMania V. He later left the WWF -- now WWE -- to work for Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling.

"Diamond" Dallas Page, who wrestled against Savage in 1997's Feud of the Year, credited "The Macho Man" with making his career. Page said he called him last Thanksgiving to thank him.

"I think he was one of the most unique cats on the planet," said Page, who took from Savage's intensity when developing his own wrestling persona.

Savage stayed active in wrestling through the late '90s and had his last match in 2004. He was also known for some acting roles, including commercials for Slim Jim snacks and a cameo in 2002's "Spider-Man."

Savage and his first wife and former wrestling valet, Elizabeth Hulette, divorced in 1992. Hulette died from a drug overdose in 2003. He remarried last year.