Paid Members Jazzy G Posted March 25, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted March 25, 2021 (edited) He was even better as a heel, though. Especially when he was a heel and teaming with babyface Sting, pretending to be a face to his face, then being a heel behind his back. Edited March 26, 2021 by jazzygeofferz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 25 minutes ago, Carbomb said: It wasn't a bad idea to push Luger as the next face of the WWF - being the Narcissist and being a patriot didn't have to be mutually exclusive. Bruce Pritchard goes into detail about what happened, and why Lex didn't get pushed all the way in the end, on the Something To Wrestle podcast: basically, the Lex Express was a great idea, because it was a novel way of getting him to connect with people on a personal basis - effectively a grassroots fan movement! The only problem was that he just didn't want to do it. He didn't like to doing all the fan service, shaking hands, signing autographs, etc., and he didn't want to travel on the bus, preferring to travel by plane. Think there was also a mention that he really preferred playing a heel, but, given how good he was as a blue-eye in wCw, that might just be Pritchard bullshitting. I must admit, his catapult into the main event scene was what effectively ended wrestling for me as a fan until 1997. It was such an abrupt, forced and illogical turn devoid of credibility. The fans in attendance at that Slam challenge against Yokozuna were all convinced it was Hulk Hogan stepping off that helicopter at the end. They all chanted 'Hogan' and then Lex Luger steps off to a confused reaction. Pettengill and Savagetry their best by shouting "Lex, Lex, Lex", but it just seemed absurd. He got a good pop when he slammed him but who wouldn't have? Given Lex was an obvious heel with an attitude and face that screamed 'heel', it was too jarring for me that he be cast in the mould of Hogan. It was such an awkward fit that I completely lost interest in the product. Years later in the late 90s, my neighbour had the VHS of SummerSlam 93 and lent it to me. I genuinely had no idea about the outcome of the main event, but remembered how ridiculous Lex celebrating winning a count-out of Yokozuna and not gettnig the belt was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Butternut Squash Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 Forced turns are the story of Luger's career. He must have turned five or six times between 87-90, which is soft stuff by todays standards but is absolutely the kind of thing that could have killed any potential drawing power back then. He is the last guy you should be pushing as some relatable man of the people. But he is one of those weird cases where he was such an awesome dick heel that fans were dying to cheer him. Especially in that WCW environment, which wasn't exactly filled with strapping young Adonis's like Lex. That's another thing I think hurt him in WWF. By the time he got there he looked to have aged 20 years since his late 80s peak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted March 25, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted March 25, 2021 19 minutes ago, Mr Butternut Squash said: Forced turns are the story of Luger's career. He must have turned five or six times between 87-90, which is soft stuff by todays standards but is absolutely the kind of thing that could have killed any potential drawing power back then. He is the last guy you should be pushing as some relatable man of the people. But he is one of those weird cases where he was such an awesome dick heel that fans were dying to cheer him. Especially in that WCW environment, which wasn't exactly filled with strapping young Adonis's like Lex. That's another thing I think hurt him in WWF. By the time he got there he looked to have aged 20 years since his late 80s peak. The bit in bold, I don't think was ever a consideration. Nobody from the WWF main event scene in that era was a relatable everyman - they were still doing the "larger-than-life superhero representing the hopes and dreams of the ordinary folk" thing back then. Maybe Bret Hart, but it wasn't really something they made central to his character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted March 25, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted March 25, 2021 The funny thing is, I coined the phrase “they Lugered him” (speaking of Reigns) for the company cutting someone’s legs off in the “lightning in a bottle” moment, based on SummerSlam 93. But the volume of fuck finishes Luger endured wrestling Flair on TV would have Lugered anyone too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members John Matrix Posted March 27, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted March 27, 2021 On 3/25/2021 at 3:33 PM, Statto said: https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/WWF_European_Tour_1994_-_Peterborough I was recalling correctly that MoM were the champs! Just utterly flabbergasted to learn that the WWF came to fucking PETERBOROUGH of all places!! And by Peterborough Arena, would that have been the East of England Showground? Or...god forbid...the Wirrina!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshC Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Wonder if David Coleman was there, filling in for Todd... David Coleman Goes To Peterborough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted March 28, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted March 28, 2021 8 hours ago, John Matrix said: Just utterly flabbergasted to learn that the WWF came to fucking PETERBOROUGH of all places!! And by Peterborough Arena, would that have been the East of England Showground? Or...god forbid...the Wirrina!?! My first show on the same tour was in Telford which basically is a collection of roundabouts and offices plus an ice rink. In 1994 they came wherever they’d be hosted because ticket sales were ticket sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Statto Posted March 28, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted March 28, 2021 9 hours ago, John Matrix said: And by Peterborough Arena, would that have been the East of England Showground? Or...god forbid...the Wirrina!?! The ice rink - I believe it's called Planet Ice these days? IIRC it had relatively recently rebranded to "Arena" back then, as we had some trouble getting there cos it was still "Peterborough Ice Rink" in the road atlas ('member them?!) It remains my one and only trip to Peterborough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members JNLister Posted March 28, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted March 28, 2021 Peak "WWF running anywhere they can book" must be the fact that in 1993 they ran Whitley Bay *four times*. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Jazzy G Posted March 28, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted March 28, 2021 Blackburn Arena was also a skating rink. I reckon you can maybe get 3500 - 4000 in there for an event with a ring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpykeDudlei1 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Hull Arena where they ran in 1994, 1995 & 2005 is also an ice arena. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Healys Chutney Spoon Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 So was London Arena, Nynex amongst others. Mind you, its quite an easy thing to do - stick a load of boards over the ice and stick the ring on top and away you go. WWE would draw a lot more for the venue than the resident ice hockey teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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