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Post by 3Lephant (Naptown Icon) on Apr 26, 2014 10:47:02 GMT -5
What's the deal with Lex Luger not getting the title at Summerslam?? I'm watching WWF in sequential order starting with 1993 and have really gotten a sense of the build of the patriotic Luger. The Body Slam of Yokozuna on the intrepid, The Lex Express, the sit down interviews that closed Raw, hell they even interviewed the bus driver prior to the match at Summerslam! And during the match Yokozuna, Mr Fuji, and Cornette did all the usual heel tactics to get over the face, and the face won by count out! What gives? Did Vince get cold feet? Based on how popular he was with the crowds at the time, he should have have been WWF champion.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2014 10:58:26 GMT -5
Like you(and many many others) I don't get it either man.....Then you have the fact that it was VERY damaging to Luger.
1)The babyface choked and couldn't get it done on the big stage.....plus the manner of his "win" made him look like a total clown IMO.
2)what the hell were the balloons/celebrations/theatrics for? Luger lost and had no rematch. The evil foreigner still had the title and they held all the cards.
I know what they were going for.....but f*ck me it totally didn't translate from paper to screen.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2014 11:01:29 GMT -5
To this day, I don't understand why Vince didn't put the title on Luger after that build. I don't think I'll ever understand.
Unfortunately Luger never truly recovered and him failing again at Wrestlemania was truly the end for him.
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Post by 3Lephant (Naptown Icon) on Apr 26, 2014 11:03:42 GMT -5
YES! The celebration at the end is so hokey. Why on earth did he get a heroes welcome from the Steiners, Tatanka and Macho? He didn't get the job done! He didn't really bother with trying to get Yoko from the outside. AND the Lex Luger tribute video at the end of the show? What the heck??
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Apr 26, 2014 11:18:53 GMT -5
Maybe Vince was thinking Hogan would come back and was saving that moment for him?? It appeared Vince McMahon was like a young teenage girl in his relationship with Hogan. Hogan could do anything and Vince would still take him back. I mean, take Wrestlemania IX for example. It was like Vince had a new crush in Bret Hart, and then Hogan comes back and it's like "oh my God!!! We gotta put the belt back on Hogan!!  He's the best!!" and he does that and the fans shat all on it. So I actually think Vince was keeping the belt on Yoko in case Hogan came back. But in 1994 with him and WCW being in talks, it was like Vince got all mad about it, and said "Fine then, I will make Bret champion again" like a jealous ex girlfriend. That's just always the feeling I got when it came to Hogan and Vince, that they were just a couple where one controlled the other with his emotions. |
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Post by marino13 on Apr 26, 2014 21:16:18 GMT -5
Still pisses me off to this day!
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HuskerTornado
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Post by HuskerTornado on Apr 26, 2014 23:33:41 GMT -5
Seems like a lot of wasted time and money for Vince not to put the strap on Luger for at least a few months.
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Post by ricflair4ever on Apr 27, 2014 2:33:24 GMT -5
I actually dont think Vince was evdr going to give Luger the belt at Summerslam. Youve got to remember, that at this time WWF was very against mutiple world title changes in a short time frame. Plus , back then the ppvs were very formuliac. The world title never changed hands at a Summerslam until 97. I dont think it was ever going to happen there. I believe the result and celebration were simply a way to protect Luger for a potential title victory at Wrestlemania. But by then it was clearly Bret shining as the top star of the company. I think, despite what it may look like on video now, most people thought the whole Luger thing came off as a bit forced. They just didnt buy into him as much. Now Luger turning heel in 95 ,as was heavily rumored prior to his WCW jump , probably would've been a strong possibility to take the title from Diesel and drop it later to conquering hero Bret. Ive always thought that Davey Boys heel turn was a result of Luger leaving and they simply put him in Lexs spot. And ultimately made him a place holder for Diesel to fued with until it was time to drop the strap to Hart.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2014 6:09:39 GMT -5
Something I'll never understand either, more than 20 years later.
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Post by Next Man’s Knowing Rock on Apr 27, 2014 6:25:27 GMT -5
It was to build it for a big WrestleMania win. But the thing is, at the time, the WWF had never really done that long chase where the babyface fails in his first attempt (certainly not in the previous decade anyway). Fans weren't accustomed to that. It took the wind out of the sails and he had no momentum by the time the Rumble came around.
As a kid, the celebration really bothered me. I'd been watching wrestling for a little over two years at that point, and I'd seen plenty of finishes where a heel champion gets counted out and the babyface is furious because it meant no title change. Yet here was pretty much the entire roster celebrating that.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2014 7:12:13 GMT -5
It was to build it for a big WrestleMania win. But the thing is, at the time, the WWF had never really done that long chase where the babyface fails in his first attempt (certainly not in the previous decade anyway). Fans weren't accustomed to that. It took the wind out of the sails and he had no momentum by the time the Rumble came around. As a kid, the celebration really bothered me. I'd been watching wrestling for a little over two years at that point, and I'd seen plenty of finishes where a heel champion gets counted out and the babyface is furious because it meant no title change. Yet here was pretty much the entire roster celebrating that. This is about the most likely reason I can think of. And it fits with Luger saying that Vince told him that he'd get the title at Mania. The ending with the balloons is still bizarre in spite of this though. |
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jeffro2000
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Post by jeffro2000 on Apr 27, 2014 9:40:34 GMT -5
Maybe they were building up for Mania, but I know that I basically forgot about Luger by the time Royal Rumble come along. At Survivor Series, Yoko started the UT feud, and this just made Yoko look weak. He was terrified of the guy and it took 15 guys to beat him at Rumble 94.
The UT feud just made me forget about Lex. I was like there is noway Yoko can beat Taker. He is terrified of him. I guess myself like a lot of fans just lost interest in Luger. I know they tried to keep it going with "not allowing" him in the Rumble and the hired mercenaries to take him out. He should have won at Summerslam.
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Post by BrIaNMeRcY on Apr 27, 2014 9:49:34 GMT -5
Maybe Vince was thinking Hogan would come back and was saving that moment for him?? It appeared Vince McMahon was like a young teenage girl in his relationship with Hogan. Hogan could do anything and Vince would still take him back. I mean, take Wrestlemania IX for example. It was like Vince had a new crush in Bret Hart, and then Hogan comes back and it's like "oh my God!!! We gotta put the belt back on Hogan!! He's the best!!" and he does that and the fans shat all on it. So I actually think Vince was keeping the belt on Yoko in case Hogan came back. But in 1994 with him and WCW being in talks, it was like Vince got all mad about it, and said "Fine then, I will make Bret champion again" like a jealous ex girlfriend. That's just always the feeling I got when it came to Hogan and Vince, that they were just a couple where one controlled the other with his emotions. At this juncture, Vince McMahon knew he could not rely in Hulk Hogan anymore. Hogan didn't fit in with what McMahon wanted for the New Generation Era. The whole thing with Lex Luger at SummerSlam 1993 make zero sense. To play fantasy booking for just a moment. I would have Luger win the WWF Championship and drop it back to Yokozuna on RAW about two months later. Could have added heat for the All Americans vs. The Foreign Fanatics match at the 1993 Survivor Series. From there, you could have done the title switch to Bret Hart at WrestleMania X. From watching the RAW's from the latter half of 1993, the WWF's booking was lazy and haphazard. I can see why some crap all over the WWF from 1993-1997. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2014 10:13:33 GMT -5
I don't think Luger would have been considered for a heel title run in 1995 either. Vinces plan seemed clear....
Bret relieves Diesel
HBK relieves Bret
HBKs build from his face turn after WMXI through the RR was telegraphing a title win IMO. It was obvious he was the new "chosen one"
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2014 10:18:16 GMT -5
It was to build it for a big WrestleMania win. But the thing is, at the time, the WWF had never really done that long chase where the babyface fails in his first attempt (certainly not in the previous decade anyway). Fans weren't accustomed to that. It took the wind out of the sails and he had no momentum by the time the Rumble came around. . I can see that too but the execution was terribly flawed IMO. The All Americans vs Foreign Fanatics should have been built as a way for Luger to get his foot back in the door so to speak.....but instead it was a vehicle for Yoko vs UT. which I also understand..... maybe Cornette could have been on TV mouthing off about Luger never getting a shot again....Tunney comes on TV and says that's "not within the rulebook and if luger could prove he deserved another shot he would be entitled to one" cue All Americans vs Foreign Fanatics. Cornette builds what he thinks is an unstoppable team.....they take out Tatanka,UT is introduced etc etc. it would have upped the ante/drama |
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Post by Next Man’s Knowing Rock on Apr 27, 2014 10:19:26 GMT -5
There was a plan on the table at one point for Undertaker to beat Yoko in the casket match, drop the title to Ludvig Borga shortly after, and that to set up Luger beating Borga for the title at WrestleMania. Borga got injured before the Rumble, but I think that idea was off the cards by then anyway. I can only imagine that being a terrible WrestleMania main event as well, not that Bret vs Yoko was great.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2014 10:25:00 GMT -5
There was a plan on the table at one point for Undertaker to beat Yoko in the casket match, drop the title to Ludvig Borga shortly after, and that to set up Luger beating Borga for the title at WrestleMania. Borga got injured before the Rumble, but I think that idea was off the cards by then anyway. I can only imagine that being a terrible WrestleMania main event as well, not that Bret vs Yoko was great. Whoo boy......now that sounds awful. Yeah Bret vs Yoko was dreadful but at least it was what MSG and the fanbase at large wanted to see. Now Bret vs Borga would have been good I feel.....but Luger vs Borga? Its not something I would have liked to see headline WM. |
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Post by Next Man’s Knowing Rock on Apr 27, 2014 10:28:56 GMT -5
I don't think Bret vs Borga was going to happen. If that Mania was going to be Luger's night, Bret would've just had the Owen match and been out of the title picture. Luger would've won the Rumble on his own. It's hard to imagine how things would have played out if Luger did win the title that night. I can't picture him having the same feud with Backlund that Bret did, so I don't know how the belt gets to Diesel.
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Post by BrIaNMeRcY on Apr 27, 2014 10:30:03 GMT -5
I see Lex Luger as a guy who worked better as a heel and not as a babyface. His face turn was so forced that the majority of fans couldn't get behind him like they did with Hulk Hogan. Vince McMahon tried to recreate the '80's when they make Luger as their top face. The All American babyface worked in 1984 but it didn't work in 1993. After 1991, the fans were beginning to get tired of Hogan and wanted something different. One thing that really hindered Luger is McMahon could get a ton of years out of him. Luger was at the right place but at the wrong time. As much as they didn't want to position Bret as their top attraction, McMahon was compelled having to constantly resorting to him.
You can't capture magic in a bottle and expect it to stay in there forever. Magic in wrestling is only temporary. Once magic is created, you can't clone it and reuse the same formula again.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2014 11:50:26 GMT -5
It's a shame that they ever turned Luger face. His Narcissist gimmick was great, and he played the part to perfection. I'd have much rather seen a heel Luger chase Bret for the title in the summer than Luger/Yoko. Luger could have taken the title from Bret around Survivor Series after interference by Owen, Bret wins the rumble and title at Mania 10, then feuds with Owen.
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