Let's talk about Lex, baby.

[alfdogg 0]

Discuss anything Luger, but I specifically wanted to get some discussion on his failed world title chases. Should he have been put over Flair/Yokozuna at some point, and where would he go after winning the title?

 

I would tend to agree with those who say that SummerSlam '93 was the best time for him to get the WWF belt. By the time the Royal Rumble came, it was pretty clear that the fans would prefer to see Bret in the spot (myself included, as an 11 year-old fan at the time), sort of like the Orton/Batista situation from '05, in a way. They definitely should have struck while the iron was hot.

 

And what about his WCW tenure? Looking back, it was a little harder to take him seriously as champion since he never did beat Flair for the belt. How do you think his reign was handled, all things considered?

[Gert T 0]

Still would have wondered what WCW would have been like if he would have beat Flair for the title at GAB '91.

 

If he stays a face he could feud with Flair, Stunning Steve Austin, Rick Rude and Vader.

 

 

[cabbageboy 0]

In the long run I don't see it being much different. He still would have feuded with Simmons and Sting, it still wouldn't have been a real successful title run, and come 1992 he would have bolted. In truth it was already too late in Luger's WCW run to draw money with him as champion. He had chased the belt for so long with no success that it was anticlimactic when he did win.

 

I think he should have won the title from Flair at GAB 88. That was the time to put it on him even if Flair regained at Starrcade. Luger just needed some sort of title win then to cement his status and it never happened. In fact he never even got the Sting "time limit draw" treatment. Seriously how could anyone book something like that blood stoppage finish at GAB 88 and not expect to go under and have to sell to Turner? Luger's makeshift 1990 feud with Flair did him no favors either since he was a blatant placeholder until Sting got back from injury.

 

With that said, Luger did have a fresh start in the WWF circa 1993 and people were desperately wanting to cheer for SOMEONE as an uber face in the post Hogan era. Luger's face turn was bizarre but even then I think people wanted to cheer for him. The match was set, the timing was as good as it was going to get for Luger, yet they still didn't pull the trigger on his title win. In fact the booking of SS 93 is such crap that it hurts some decent wrestling on the show. Luger came off like such a moron since it was his one title shot and yet he was satisfied to take the countout win and then jumped up and down cheering like a fool.

 

After that, Luger was toast as a top guy in the WWF. Fans gravitated back to Bret at that point and in a lot of ways that Summerslam was the end of the superhero babyface era.

 

The irony of Luger's career is that after being denied in all of these title matches he probably deserved to win, he actually did get the title briefly in 1997 (from Hogan) in a pointless run. The way WCW was building to Sting/Hogan at Starrcade I don't think Hogan should have done a job for anyone until that.

[Darth Vader 0]

What do I think of Lex Luger!?!?!!? The better question is-what kind of digusting, dispip-dispicible...(sigh)..lack of respect does that Billy-whats his name show bookin' a match for the Total Package Lex Luger at SuperBrawl?...Super Saturday? I don't even know what it's called! What is it called?? SUPERBRAWL SATURDAY!?!?!!? CAN HE AFFORD TO EVEN PAY HIM TO WRESTLE RON?? I DON'T KNOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! HE'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST LEGEND-STARS EVER IN THIs......GAHHHHH!!!! AND YOUR T-SHIRTS ARE TOO TIGHT TOO BILLY!!!!!!!! AND YOU BOOK A MATCH WITH HIM AGAINST RON KILLINGS!!! LOOK AT HIM!! HE'S A TOTAL PACKAGE, HE WILL RIP HIM APART!! I'M PISSED NOW!

 

THE DOOR'S LOCKED TOO!

[Maztinho 0]

You gained 5 overness from that post.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

I always smile whenever I think of Luger selling for Meng upon Meng's entrance of the 1995 War Games.

[Black Lushus 0]

I liked Luger's face run in 1997. Didn't end up amounting to much, but I seem to recall the crowd popping huge when he won the world title that summer, albeit it was a brief run.

[King Kamala 0]

I think I'll always have some fondness towards Luger, even though he's mediocre in the ring and on the mic because he main evented the first wrestling show I went to. Amusing side note; his opponent that show? The Fake Undertaker.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

The funny thing about that blood stoppage finish at the Bash against Flair is that it apparently drew money at the house shows with rematches.

 

Until around 1991 Lex was, depending on his mood, an average to pretty decent worker, with decent-to-good charisma, who would have slotted in nicely in the upper midcard range with a dalliance here and there with the main event scene. At some point in 1991, probably around the Bash, he stopped caring about wrestling and started viewing it as a means to inflate his muscles while treating his matches as an excuse to parade his body while trying very hard not to break a sweat.

 

As the years rolled on, Luger managed to care less and less and put forth only the absolute bare minimum of effort whenever he could, and only worked hard if he was on top. But as Luger's work ethic shrank, his ego and laziness grew, and he became a relic from the 80s with absolutely nothing whatsoever to add.

[haws bah gawd 0]

I enjoyed the hell out of his "put every big man in WCW in the Torture Rack" angle in 1996-ish. Going from guys like Scott Norton, to Roadblock, to finally the Giant.

[Ed Wood Caulfield 0]

The irony of Luger's career is that after being denied in all of these title matches he probably deserved to win, he actually did get the title briefly in 1997 (from Hogan) in a pointless run. The way WCW was building to Sting/Hogan at Starrcade I don't think Hogan should have done a job for anyone until that.

 

True, but I understand them wanting to do something special for the 100th episode of Monday Nitro. Anyway, his Title win was never brought up again after Road Wild so that WCW could make the Sting win more meaningful.

Edited October 5, 2008 by Ed Wood Caulfield

[RepoMan 0]

I really think they should have put the belt on Lugger at SummerSlam 93. When he slammed Yokozuna on the aircraft carrier, it seemed like a HUGE, legitimet achievment. He was super over with the kids. I always hoped I'd get to see the Lex Express drive by whenever I was on the highway.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I always liked his angle in '95/early '96 where he was a face teaming with Sting, but basically a heel in singles matches being managed by Jimmy Hart.

[The Truthiness 0]

Luger was an awesome worker from 88-91, when he went to WWE he was never the same.

 

I still loved the angle when he tried to break his opponents neck with piledrivers.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

It is hard for me to say that Luger really should have won the title at Summerslam 1993. From his perspective he should have, but I ended up enjoying what happened with Bret Hart in 1994 far more than I would have American Hero Luger taking on guys like Borga, Yoko & Crush all year. Times had changed and that's what ultimately doomed the push and was the reason why fans got behind Bret Hart during the buildup to Wrestlemania X.

 

Where they really failed Luger was at Summerslam 1994. Had he sided with Dibiase instead of Tatanka it would have gotten him back as a heel and gotten him fresh again for a run against Bret Hart. Instead he gets buried in a lame duck tag team and ends up on Nitro while Diesel gets a world title push and nearly tanks the company.

[Boner Kawanger 0]

What rocked more-Luger's surfer dude guitar solo entrance theme (which was awesome) or Luger's skin tight black jeans and Fubu jersey look?

 

I think it's strange that such an unlikable, mostly lazy guy has so many entertaining moments. In WCW. I hate pretty much everything he did in the WWF. Sometimes I feel like his reputation isn't deserved, though. Then you here him brought up on the 24/7 Roundtables and he's portrayed as someone who was basically ashamed of being a wrestler. That said, I'll agree on the Luger/Sting team/angle from '95 to pre NWO '96 was some of the best work Luger ever did. I guess the fact that he was most genuinely entertaining as a douchebag heel speaks volumes.

 

His heel turn caused Tony to drop the ol' F Bomb on live TV.

 

Also, never forget that Lex Luger is the only man to ever make Bret Hart submit.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

How did he go from face in 1988ish to heel in 1989ish back to face in 1990? I probably should know but for the life of me I can't remember.

 

I should also add I really enjoyed his Narcissist gimmick w/ the steel plated forearm. Such a shame to see that shtick cut off after only six months or so.

[cawthon777 0]

How did he go from face in 1988ish to heel in 1989ish back to face in 1990? I probably should know but for the life of me I can't remember.

 

The 88 babyface turn was when he refused to let JJ Dillon win a bunkhouse stampede.

 

The 89 heel turn was him jumping Steamboat at the June Clash after Terry Funk beat up Steamboat in their match. Luger then cracked a few chair shots across Steamboat.

 

The 90 turn was due to the Sting injury. Luger, to that point, was the company's top heel and was routinely kicking the crap out of both Sting and Flair while at the same time beating Dr. Death, Rich, Pillman, Zenk, etc. while defending the US belt. That was probably his best run when he was putting on decent to good matches against everyone for about a year straight.

 

From what I've seen, the Horsemen gave Luger the same opportunity they gave Sting at the Clash - to back out of the Wrestle War match before the end of a Worldwide program. Luger comes out at the end and punches Flair, Arn, and Ole and takes off while the crowd pops big. His turn was convoluted but Sting coming to support him at Wrestle War helped and he already had a strong fan base being the top heel, kinda like Edge today.

[cawthon777 0]

I liked Luger's face run in 1997. Didn't end up amounting to much, but I seem to recall the crowd popping huge when he won the world title that summer, albeit it was a brief run.

 

I don't know if it was pointless. Sting was on the sidelines and they had to have a top babyface that could actually wrestle each week. For the vast majority of 97, that was Luger.

 

They built him up pretty big before that title win. He won the Spring Stampede #1 contender match in April and followed that with at least 2 non-title submission wins over Hogan.

[King Kamala 0]

I can't be the only one here who enjoyed his run as The Narcissist? Oh wait...I probably am. But yeah I agree with whoever said that he was best as an arrogant, dickhead heel. Stick with what ya know, amirite?

[Diamonddust 0]

I liked Luger's face run in 1997. Didn't end up amounting to much, but I seem to recall the crowd popping huge when he won the world title that summer, albeit it was a brief run.

 

I don't know if it was pointless. Sting was on the sidelines and they had to have a top babyface that could actually wrestle each week. For the vast majority of 97, that was Luger.

 

They built him up pretty big before that title win. He won the Spring Stampede #1 contender match in April and followed that with at least 2 non-title submission wins over Hogan.

 

I didn't catch it then, but you know... that is eerily similar to what happened in 1989/1990.

 

And I agree with some earlier posts... Luger in 1989 and even into 1990 was a damned good worker. The thing that killed a lot of his momentum was the two matches with Flair in 1990. Pretty much everyone saw him as a placeholder until Sting came back to win the belt in July of that year. As a result, the drama/intrigue of the Wrestlewar and Capitol Combat main events were gone. They were good Flair/Luger matches, but they were empty in terms of meaning anything in the long run. I still say NWA/WCW should have quickly cut a deal with The Great Muta in 1990 to keep him until after Wrestlewar, do an angle with Sting where he gives his old nemeis his spot at that PPV because he knows what Muta is capable of doing (Muta could have so easily have been the face due to the reactions he got from the crowd at that point), have Muta come within inches of beating Flair, and then in the meantime... work on the Luger face turn so you can at least due the Capitol Combat main event.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I can't be the only one here who enjoyed his run as The Narcissist? Oh wait...I probably am. But yeah I agree with whoever said that he was best as an arrogant, dickhead heel. Stick with what ya know, amirite?

 

I liked the Narcissist too.

[Richard 0]

Supposedly, Gary Hart convinced Muta that he'd never get over as a face in America. So perhaps WCW was leaning that way.

[Boner Kawanger 0]

I can't be the only one here who enjoyed his run as The Narcissist? Oh wait...I probably am. But yeah I agree with whoever said that he was best as an arrogant, dickhead heel. Stick with what ya know, amirite?

I'll be honest, I was always too creeped out by Bobby Heenan's fawning over Luger when he was introduced as the Narcissist. I'll admit that this thread did bring back fond memories of Luger KO'ing Bret Hart out of nowhere at some WrestleMania brunch though.

[cabbageboy 0]

These posts hint at something that may well have hurt Luger in the long run, namely that he did so many heel turns during his career that eventually people tuned out. Although most of his WWF work from 1993-95 was mediocre at least the guy found a stable character in the All American schtick that was reasonably over.

 

I did enjoy his tweener work in 1995-96 WCW though. Along with Diesel's antics at that same time on Raw I wonder if these two innovated the tweener concept.

[rezinda 0]

I think Luger's tweener role coming back to WCW in 95 was pretty original. It set up a pretty good angle as well with Sting & Luger against Hogan & Savage & them all being faces. Of course, I don't WCW used it to the extent that they probably should have.

[Diamonddust 0]

Supposedly, Gary Hart convinced Muta that he'd never get over as a face in America. So perhaps WCW was leaning that way.

 

Judging from the reactions he was getting as heel, I find it hard to believe they couldn't have turned him babyface, especially if Sting was behind Muta in terms of going after Flair. I know it had a lot to do with what the Horsemen did earlier in the evening, but if you watch the six-man cage match from the Clash of Champions where the Horsemen turned on Sting... J-Tex, especially Muta, was getting a major face pop.

 

[Richard 0]

I think Luger's tweener role coming back to WCW in 95 was pretty original. It set up a pretty good angle as well with Sting & Luger against Hogan & Savage & them all being faces. Of course, I don't WCW used it to the extent that they probably should have.

 

Logically, it should have been Luger and Savage against Hogan & Sting, but then again Sting's gullibility had been well established.

 

[cawthon777 0]

Supposedly, Gary Hart convinced Muta that he'd never get over as a face in America. So perhaps WCW was leaning that way.

 

Judging from the reactions he was getting as heel, I find it hard to believe they couldn't have turned him babyface, especially if Sting was behind Muta in terms of going after Flair. I know it had a lot to do with what the Horsemen did earlier in the evening, but if you watch the six-man cage match from the Clash of Champions where the Horsemen turned on Sting... J-Tex, especially Muta, was getting a major face pop.

 

Muta had supporters but not THAT many. From watching weekly TV from that time period, I think Flair and Arn turning heel had more to do with that pop than anything.

[Timmy8271 0]

I can't be the only one here who enjoyed his run as The Narcissist? Oh wait...I probably am. But yeah I agree with whoever said that he was best as an arrogant, dickhead heel. Stick with what ya know, amirite?

 

No you aren't the only one. It lead to his great Memphis work with Brian Christopher vs Jerry Lawler in Memphis 1993 during the WWF/USWA partnership.

 

I"m probably the only one that liked his WWF work over WCW. By the time he went back to WCW in 1995, I couldn't stand him. His matches were mostly very boring except for when he won the title in 97.