Austin Region, Chicago Subregion, First Round: (14) British Bulldog vs. (19)Lex Luger

[Coco]

Those arguing that Davey Boy was more popular, entertaining, charismatic, etc are really working against their own interests here. Let's assume that's all true (I don't agree, but for the sake of discussion let's): That means Lex Luger accomplished far more in his career (spanning over a decade and a half; not like he was a blip on the radar) with far, far less going for him.

When you all extol Davey's virtues, all I'm seeing is further proof that Luger is a huge success story.

Vote Luger.

If you need further proof that Davey is a big doofus who earned his "midcarder for life" position, feel free to check out the section in Bret's book about how Davey was a guy who needed to be dragged kicking-and-screaming to a good match.

 

[Tastycles]

It is undisputed truth that Luger's career on paper is far superior. However, his win against Hogan was a storyline quick jab as opposed to a decisive win. Like Andre winning the title, it was a means to an end. His successes in the distant second promotion of the late 80s shouldn't be disregarded entirely, but the cumulative audience of the ppvs he headlined was probably less than Wembley in 1992.

Luger was a solid talent, and is often sold short in these tournaments, but his significance to the history of wrestling pales into insignificance against Davey Boy Smith. The British Bulldog is the reason that the UK is the second biggest market for US professional wrestling companies. We had our own wrestling, people in this tournament will talk about Big Daddy, and rightly so, but ultimately the WWF was only put on TV at all there because of Davey Boy.

The largest wrestling audience for a single WWF promoted show that wasn't WrestleMania is the 80,000 people that went to Wembley to see the British Bulldog win. Without him, there wouldn't be the British PPVs. Without him, NXT and Raw wouldn't tour here now. There are as many episodes of Raw filmed in London each year as there are in New York City. The British crowd is famed for its passion. All of that started with the British Bulldog.

Lex Luger isn't a household name anywhere. British Bulldog is a household name in one of the biggest wrestling markets in the world. British Bulldog is absolutely a bigger star when all is said and done.

 

[NSL]

Shit, do people forget that Luger was probably the hottest guy in wrestling (other than Austin) in between the end of Sting's crazy run and the beginning of Goldberg's?

Goldberg debuted September 1997, and wasn't "the hottest thing" right off the bat. And the people that were hotter than him, before his debut, are guys like Stone Cold, Bret, HBK, Hogan, Nash, Hall...even an aging Piper was in the main event at Starrcade '96.

Luger was never the "hottest" guy because there was absolutely no charm there. There was nothing that made most people say to themselves "I need to pay to see this man". He was lukewarm, at best.

 

[ShinChan]

Considering the accomplishments, Lex Luger would surely win since he has been a World Champion which was never accomplished by British Bulldog.

But Still I think that British Bulldog goes over Luger as I believe that British Bulldog is way better in-ring worker than Lex Luger. Luger has never impressed as much as Bulldog did.

So British Bulldog.

 

[justtxyank]

Bulldog was the better worker, but Luger's place in history is greater. I know this is strange, but even though Bulldog was the better worker and I was a fan of his, I think Luger was more capable of having entertaining matches with a diverse set of opponents. Bulldog seemed to work lazy a LOT where I think Luger was just limited.

I give it to Luger. Better physique, better sustained main event run, part of more important feuds, etc.

 

[NSL]

I know this is strange, but even though Bulldog was the better worker and I was a fan of his, I think Luger was more capable of having entertaining matches with a diverse set of opponents. Bulldog seemed to work lazy a LOT where I think Luger was just limited.

Luger? More entertaining? In what galaxy is that possible? I'll agree that he had a more diverse set of opponents, but it's not like Bulldog has a laundry list to sneeze at. He was in one of the top tag teams in an era where tag team wrestling ruled, and he holds one of the biggest SummerSlam moments in history, beating Bret in the UK.

Luger's opportunity at moments in the WWF/E were all him losing to bigger names (Bret, Yoko), and his moments in WCW were forgettable, I think. He was bland, and not even working with more interesting people changed that. His debut on Nitro could have been worlds better, but he seemed out of place giving a promo with Sting and Savage.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Luger was never the "hottest" guy because there was absolutely no charm there. There was nothing that made most people say to themselves "I need to pay to see this man". He was lukewarm, at best.

I can say that about Bulldog, too, though.

Here's the thing about these two guys - both of them had a ceiling that was only as good as their opponent. By that, I mean that neither of them could be any better than the person they were wrestling allowed them to be. The two best matches / feuds / moments in the career of the British Bulldog were the two big matches he had with Bret Hart - Summer Slam '92 and then in '95. Bulldog does his job, but Bret got him over in all honesty.

Luger is the same way. He was as good as Flair, Sting, Yokozuna, Hollywood Hogan, and Curt Henning allowed him to be. Despite having a great look and some charisma, he always ended up in that 2nd tier of superstar. When it looked like a sure thing that he'd be WWF's big thing in the mid-90's, he talked too much and lost his spot in line to Bret Hart.

I'm going to give Luger the slightest edge over Bulldog because, which so similar, Luger was a 2nd fiddle guy on a bigger stage involving World Titles, whereas Bulldog never really seriously broke out of the mid-card and tag team titles role.

 

[justtxyank]

Luger? More entertaining? In what galaxy is that possible? I'll agree that he had a more diverse set of opponents, but it's not like Bulldog has a laundry list to sneeze at. He was in one of the top tag teams in an era where tag team wrestling ruled, and he holds one of the biggest SummerSlam moments in history, beating Bret in the UK.

Luger's opportunity at moments in the WWF/E were all him losing to bigger names (Bret, Yoko), and his moments in WCW were forgettable, I think. He was bland, and not even working with more interesting people changed that. His debut on Nitro could have been worlds better, but he seemed out of place giving a promo with Sting and Savage.

Luger is incredibly underrated now and your other post where you rated him as lukewarm is just incorrect.

From the time Sting disappeared in 96 to when he finally started wrestling again, Luger carried the WCW vs NWO program. Nearly a year. His win over Hogan for the title was HUGE, he was the only guy who could draw that would work house shows, etc. His ability to earn the crowd's sympathy kept the NWO angle afloat while we waited for the Sting payoff, etc.

Bulldog had the great moment with Bret Hart, which was GREAT, and he had a great run as the Bulldogs, but I'll take Luger's record setting US Title run in the early 90s and his mid to late 90s run with WCW over Bulldog.

Peak vs Peak, Luger was way more important to his company than Bulldog was to his.

 

[NSL]

Luger carried the WCW vs NWO program.

Did Luger carry the WCW v nWo program, or did the nWo? I don't remember the nWo ever being in any real trouble until Goldberg came along, and to a lesser extent, DDP. Luger may have been one of the main opponents, but that time was all about the nWo and how awesome they were.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Those arguing that Davey Boy was more popular, entertaining, charismatic, etc are really working against their own interests here. Let's assume that's all true (I don't agree, but for the sake of discussion let's): That means Lex Luger accomplished far more in his career (spanning over a decade and a half; not like he was a blip on the radar) with far, far less going for him.

When you all extol Davey's virtues, all I'm seeing is further proof that Luger is a huge success story.

Vote Luger.

If you need further proof that Davey is a big doofus who earned his "midcarder for life" position, feel free to check out the section in Bret's book about how Davey was a guy who needed to be dragged kicking-and-screaming to a good match.

Does it say anything about Davey Boy sticking stuff up her missus's bunghole too?

And shouldn't you save the argument for Batista?