The WWE Vault continues to live up to its name as one of the most exciting corners of WWE’s digital content, offering fans nostalgic and historical gems from wrestling’s past. In its latest offering, the Vault has released a true treasure for longtime fans of the sport: a rare, never-before-seen match between “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Jerry “The King” Lawler.

This newly uncovered bout took place in 1985 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, a city that regularly played host to wrestling events during the height of the regional territory days. At the time, Savage was nearing the end of his iconic run in the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA), where he had been a top star for years under the promotion led by Lawler and Jerry Jarrett. While the two had clashed several times in Memphis and surrounding cities, this particular match had remained buried in the archives for nearly four decades.

What makes the discovery so significant is that it captures a moment in time just before both men’s careers would undergo major transitions. Savage, who had built a fearsome reputation as a volatile and athletic competitor in the CWA, would sign with WWE (then WWF) later that year and debut to much fanfare. Within months, he would be skyrocketed into national prominence, eventually capturing the Intercontinental Championship and becoming one of the most influential figures of the 1980s wrestling boom.

Lawler, meanwhile, remained a cornerstone of the Memphis wrestling scene and continued to defend his crown as “The King” of the territory. His legacy was already cemented locally, but the footage of matches like this one reinforces just how effective he was as both a ring general and a masterful storyteller.